My City: Cape Town - Cecilia Schutte

I am ... A social mover who's crazy and courageous.

Where were you born? Pretoria.

Where do you live? Sea Point.

Who do you share your house with? My friend Susara and my cat Bandit.

What made you start long-distance swimming? In the 2008 Olympic Games, the 10km swim was announced as a new discipline. I hadn't been swimming for 12 years, so I started training and within a month I was swimming 10km. Then I knew I had some kind of ability.

Some of the swims you've taken on? A 10km swim last year at Shelley Point for an environmental charity; a Women's Day swim for the Cerebral Palsy Association; a Youth Day swim for a youth project geared towards swimming development; and then my ice swim, which was a mile.

Your longest swim? From Big Bay around Robben Island and back, 23km. It's never been done before. The blue bottles were an issue and I felt as though I was swimming through a spider-web of tentacles.Also, the tide changes, and that brings unpredictable changes in current. We had a big westerly wind come up in the last 10km, which is particularly dangerous. It was for the charity The Swim of Courage, in this case to raise funds for Natalie Cohen, an 11-year-old girl with cancer. I lost my dad to cancer, so it's something that's very close to my heart.

What's the next challenge? A 35km swim that I want to do, also for a charity.

Lewis Pugh is? Awesome. I know what it's like to do what he does.

What kind of training do you do? Up to two hours a day. A lot of it is in the pool, but I also swim outdoors all year round along Clifton's coastline. Through hailstorms and whatever. I have a gym programme three times a week as well.

What's your greatest extravagance? Swimming gear. I get lost in the Speedo store. It's really bad.

What's your most treasured possession? I know this sounds corny, but strength of mind. Because if you lose everything material wise, that is the one thing that can get you back where you were.

I'm predisposed to ... Exercise. I'm addicted to it. And also helping people.

What's your favourite place in Cape Town? The Twelve Apostles Hotel is very pretty. The view of the ocean is beautiful.

What's the ugliest thing about Cape Town? People don't think of the bigger picture, of how they can help other people. I don't think it's only a Cape Town issue, necessarily.

What is the most memorable moment you've had in Cape Town? Definitely my 23km swim.

How do you get around? A motorbike. I had a car but I sold it because commuting became so hectic, time wise.

If you inherited R100-million, what would you do with it? Invest in a community project that I'm setting up in schools to teach moral values.

If your house caught fire, what would you save? My swimming gear.

What are your creature comforts? I like to switch off from the world and watch DVDs.

What are you reading? Achieving the Impossible by Lewis Pugh.

When I go out at night ... I make sure I have a cocktail.

My friends and I like ... to do stuff for society. We're all involved in something of that nature.

Perfect happiness is: Deciding what you want and achieving it.

Everything in moderation but ... humanitarianism.

I met my partner ... I don't have one currently.

If money could buy happiness? We'd lose the creativity of creating happiness.

Loves & Hates

Garlic on pizza: Garlic is a great detox.

Going for walks: It's nice to be outside and take in the views.

Dancing: I don't go out to do that enough.

Rude people: They speak before they think.

Drivers who speed up when you try to overtake them: It's dangerous.

When no one tells you there's food in your teeth: It's embarrassing.

Little Black Book

• Sea Point swimming pool, Lower Beach Road, 021 434 3341.

I train there four times a week. You'll find me there at 6.30am doing my morning training.

• Maynardville Open Air Theatre, artscape@artscape.co.za

They play Shakespeare in the open air, which is so nice.

• Lion's Head

I like to go up and look at the stunning view. I can see Robben Island from there, as well as the routes of my swims.

• Clifton beach

I swim along the coastline when I train outdoors.