International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Administrator Jacqueline Mcclelland announced the launch of the award-winning Step Out of the Ordinary Challenge for 2026.
She explains, “We are excited to offer this as an international offering and will accept nominations until December 17th. After that, we will post out the blue envelopes containing the challenges.
The nomination link is here.
You can nominate yourself or someone else. Nominate who you think will take on a challenge; don’t tell them; tell us and we will post them a #SOOTO blue envelope. If the person opens the blue envelope when it arrives by post, it is automatically ‘SOOTO challenge accepted’. If they return the blue envelope to sender, it must be **unopened**! If returned, that is the end of the journey and they will never know what challenge was set.
We will not send you something you cannot achieve…BUT it will not be a walk in the park. We may upgrade the challenge if we think it’s too easy. The training and how you get to the finish line are your own responsibility.
Blue Envelopes will be posted after December 17th. As Pádraig Mallon said over a decade ago, “Glory comes from daring to begin.”
Challenges previously set and achieved by the 2014 SOOTO challengers:
- Learn to swim
- Complete a 1 mile swim
- Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
- 3 peaks Challenge
- Run a sub 4 hour Marathon
- Complete a triathlon
- Complete an IRONMAN
- Complete a Channel swim / marathon swim
- Ultra distance adventure race
- Couch to 5K
Usual waivers apply – Camlough Lake Water Festival (CLWF) and infinity (@infinitychanne3) accept no liability for any costs / eventualities that may occur during any part of your challenge journey. It is all the undertaking the SOOTO challenger. Timeframe is as soon as ready and by December 2027 at the latest.
We are very excited about it and we hope it brings challenge, forward planning and making a dream a reality for many across the globe united in the joy of the love of sport.”
Do not wait. Do not stress. Do not forget. The nomination link is here.
© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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