Swimming achievement unlocked: 38 years in the making!

When I was at school, I was the fat kid who wasn’t particularly good at most sports. However, when I was it was usually overlooked – I was always quick at short distances and loved hurdling, not that anybody would know any of this.

I’d learnt to swim at an early age due to my first primary school having its own pool. An outdoor pool. An unheated outdoor pool. You learnt to move quite quickly in that.

But, by the time I was going at secondary school, they’d given up on me. I was able to do a 50m length and beyond that I didn’t feel I was capable so I remained in the same swimming group. I watched enviously as the best swimmers jumped in to retrieve blocks in their pyjamas and stay behind to attempt to swim a mile, in an empty, calm pool.

I never liked the idea of swimming in pyjamas but swimming a mile (1600 metres, or 32 lengths) seemed such an achievement.

Since then, other than splashing around with my sister or, later, my daughters, I haven’t taken swimming seriously. But, just over a year ago, I had a knee injury and swimming seemed the best solution. My gym membership gives me access to regular lane swimming, which I started going to. Since then I haven’t stopped. At least 4 times a week I go and, pretty much, I do 16 lengths. I find it very relaxing, as there’s nothing to do other than be alone in your own thoughts. Swimming is great exercise but low impact too (i.e. it doesn’t wear your limbs in the way that, say, jogging does), which is why most of those doing it are a lot older (plus, they’re the ones with the time to go during the day).

I haven’t ventured much beyond those number of lengths, due to time constraints, as I go during my work day. However, in recent weeks I’ve found that I could do 20 lengths in the same time that, early this year, I could do 16.

So, today, my first opportunity for a while to go swimming and not be at work, gave me a rare opportunity of more time. I decided I’d try and do the mile.

But I had to do it properly – no stopping (which I normally do), end to end 32 times.

And, you know what? I did it. In under 30 minutes too (slow breaststroke, so I’m really not complaining at that).

This is without any additional lessons since those secondary school days, and in a crowded pool (apart from dodging people so I don’t have to stop, there was also the problem of others creating strong currents – I got a nose and lungful of pool water at regular intervals but couldn’t stop to cough and splutter).

And all before the end of the year. I’ll consider that a success.