Open Water Swimming… in London!

I have lived in London for over 10years and not once did it cross my mind to swim in the capital’s murky waters.

With 13 weeks to go until the London Triathlon I wrote down my training plan, time to get serious. Pool swimming was great but to really know what I was going to be up against, and to boost my confidence on race day I knew I needed to get outside. So I booked a session with Love Open Water at the London Docklands for Sunday morning.

As the weekend crept round I kept thinking of excuses in my head as to why I shouldn’t go. They were all so pathetic I couldn’t even convince myself. Sunday morning arrived, a beautiful sunny day and I was having a picnic breakfast with my kids in the garden. It would be so easy to just spend the day playing, not interrupt it with some absurd idea to swim in the Thames.

But something has changed in me lately, I’m not sure if it is self determination or just the audiobooks & coaches I am listening to but when it comes to the crunch I just know I have to get up & do the thing. Whatever the thing may be.

So ten minutes later I was dressed in my wetsuit ready to leave the house (I did get a few funny looks from some people on the street). I arrived at the docklands, got my NOWCA swimming tag which allows the team at Love Open Water to keep track of all swimmers and into the water I went.

The water temperature was refreshing but not so cold to send me into any sort of shock so I began by doing breast stroke (head above the water) round the 150m circuit. My body started to warm up and I knew for the 2nd loop I would need to get my head in the water to front crawl. Here is where the mental game was a bit tough. I am used to open water swimming in the sea, but in murky city water? Thoughts of what lay in there filled my mind and the constant focus not to let any water get in my mouth messed with my breathing. I rested in breaststroke until I could get back in rhythm.

Once I began to relax I found front crawl a little easier but there were other factors to consider, there was no pool floor to focus on or keep me headed in the right direction. I practiced my crocodile eyes to sight the bouy as well as any other swimmers to avoid. My arm movement felt a little hindered by the wetsuit but also the safety float I was pulling along with me. I’m not sure there is a current at the docklands but the water with the slight wind felt harder to move through than normal pool water, although that could have all been in my mind.

When I was recovering in breaststroke I could take the time to be in the moment and enjoy myself. Here I was, on a Sunday morning swimming in open water, the sun shining and a breeze that made me feel alive. Then I heard my son shouting “Mummy!” From the bank and I felt so proud to be an example to him.

I swam 750m and was in the water for about 28minutes. The distance for the sprint triathlon is 700m so I know if I want a fighting chance I am going to need to make open water swimming a part of my weekly routine. After today, I feel happy and confident to do so.

Sometimes it’s just getting that first training session under your belt, once that initial apprehension is gone it really can be fun!