Running 20 miles on land is a feat in itself. Running it while crossing the Irish Sea is a whole new animal.
BBC Blue Peter presenter Lindsey Russell began her attempt to navigate the 32 km of open water between Donaghadee in Northern Ireland and Portpatrick in Scotland at 6:30 a.m. local time on Thursday morning, according to BBC News. She is undertaking the 14-hour journey in a zorb, an inflatable apparatus that is propelled with forward motion — i.e. it works similarly to a hamster ball.
Read More: Balloonists Break World Record with Pacific Ocean Crossing
The 25-year-old wave runner is making the trip in support of Sport Relief, a biennial charity event that raises money to help those in need of assistance in the United Kingdom. “I’ve been training for months for what will be the biggest and best challenge of my life, but I don’t think anything can prepare me for what the Irish Sea has in store,” she told the Belfast Telegraph before departing. “Something I do know is that I’ll give it everything I’ve got — I am so determined to make it to Scotland and I hope it inspires everyone watching to get up and get involved with Sport Relief this year.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How the Electoral College Actually Works
- Your Vote Is Safe
- Mel Robbins Will Make You Do It
- Why Vinegar Is So Good for You
- The Surprising Health Benefits of Pain
- You Don’t Have to Dread the End of Daylight Saving
- The 20 Best Halloween TV Episodes of All Time
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com