How I train: Team Mermaids

Open water swimmers Katie Kenny and Manda Read juggle jobs, families and busy lives but still manage to fit in training for their epic swims

Which of your swims has been the hardest and why?

Our favourite long swim has to be Lake Zurich which we swam across as part of a relay in 2013. While this was a tough swim the fact that we worked together to train and motivate each other made it so much easier. The hardest swims are not always the longest ones but the ones where your head isn’t in the game before you start and you hate every stroke but finishing swims like that and not giving up is always so rewarding.

What attracts you to long distance/endurance swimming?

As age groupers we were both pool swimmers but when we were in our late 20s we started looking for a new challenge. While we many not be young or fast enough to achieve pool PBs any more we can still push ourselves to swim further and to swim in exciting places which was a massive part of the draw of open water swimming. Over the years we have swum is some truly amazing places such as around Manhattan or across Lake Windermere.

Where do you like to train?

We will train anywhere we can – indoor pools, outdoor pools, lakes, the sea, in wetsuits and without! During the summer our absolutely favourite place to swim is Tooting Bec Lido which is 100 yards of gorgeousness right on our doorstep. We are very excited to have it reopened again this year after a long summer without it during re-furnishment last year.

How do you stay motivated when training?

We keep each other motivated. Having someone you are swimming with to keep you accountable, firstly to turn up, secondly to stay in the pool and thirdly to chase down is essential. We both live busy lives with jobs and families but our commitment to swimming with each other has been a constant over the last decade and has been critical to keeping us sane!

What has swimming taught you?

Swimming has taught us so much, but I think the most important thing it has taught us is the importance of mental resilience and keeping going when things get tough. This is something that we originally learnt from swimming but really plays a part in resilience in all aspects of life.

What is your favourite food/ nutrition for swimming?

For long training swims we love a fruit pastil – green ones are the best. For lake swims and races these are not the most practical however so we would normally tuck a gel up our wetsuit or down our costume – lemon and lime SIS is a favourite. As for post swim nutrition it has to be cake!

Do you have a favourite training drill/piece of kit?

We are always looking for new ‘drillspiration’ as continuing to develop and improve your technique is something that all swimmers need to do. We always spend part of each session on drills. Favourite drills include tap behind, catch-up and finger trail. Our friend Jess has just come back from a trip to Australia and she taught us a new drill called ‘naughty orca’!

What is the biggest mistake you have made with a swim?

The biggest mistake is always not feeding on hydrating enough and even after all these years this is still a mistake we periodically make.

Your best advice for those training for swim event?

Consistency is key! Start training early enough, build up the distance over time adding 500m or so each week. A couple of weeks before the event you should aim to swim nearly the full distance of your race e.g. if you race is 10k aim to do an 8k training swimming and the take the last few weeks of training to taper off. Also find some fellow mermaids to train with you to keep it fun!

Follow Katie and Manda’s swimming adventures on Instagram at @team_mermaids_uk