Why should you swim long distances?

Exploring your motives for swimming longer distances will help you make more of the experience, says Simon Griffiths

Two issues ago, we looked at a year-round plan for your long-distance swimming training. Then, last month, we explored what skills to develop depending on where you are in your long-distance swimming journey. But before you dive into a big training programme, take a step back and ask yourself, why do long-distance swimming at all? After all, long-distance open water swims are hard. You’ll get cold and tired, and bashed around by the water. You might get sick. You could get stung.

It doesn’t look like there is a lot going for it, yet lots of people do it.

UNCOVERING MOTIVES

Last month, I took part in UltraSwim 33.3 #10Montenegro. We’re their media partner. I also ran a ‘prep camp’ ahead of the main swim. The aim is to swim 33.3km over 4 days – equivalent to the most direct distance between England and France. Although the distance is broken down, it still includes some chunky swims. Plus, you have to deal with accumulated fatigue.

I asked some of my fellow swimmers what compelled them to sign up.

Laurent Schneider, from Switzerland, tackled the event without a wetsuit. He spent a total of 15 hours and 7 minutes swimming over 4 days, with the longest swim – 11km – taking him almost 5 hours.

Regarding the UltraSwim 33.3 event, he said: “33.3km is quite an impressive distance to swim. It was a bit crazy for me, but I registered and trained. Some of my friends with similar speed (2:30/100m) and endurance (>10km) had already done an UltraSwim 33.3, so I knew you didn’t need to be an elite athlete. Then, the location was also very attractive. A nice hotel with private beach, amazing early breakfast for swimmers, exceptional awareness for my diet requirements. I felt very well supported.”

As for long-distance swimming in general, Laurant said he did his first open water kilometre in 2010 at the age of 40.

“I was inspired by a colleague and enjoyed the silence and stress relief. It was life changing. Taking swim lessons allowed me to register for longer distances. I also like to feel the water on my skin, even when it is getting colder. I like the challenge of swimming longer, pushing my limits and achieving my goals.”

A CHALLENGE FOR OLYMPIANS TOO

Anna-Karin Lundin from Sweden comes to long-distance swimming with a very different perspective. A former breaststroke sprinter and Olympian, she’s now a well-regarded and popular swimming coach. Her motivation links back to her coaching.

“First and foremost, I’m not a long-distance open water swimmer! I mainly swam 100m and 200m breaststroke. But I like challenges, and UltraSwim 33.3 was a challenge.

“I have been contacted by Mark [Mark Turner, co-founder of UltraSwim 33.3] a couple of times and I could see the event looked amazing, but I wasn’t ready to sign up. But then we thought, maybe we could do some kind of collaboration as I coach long distance swimmers. I therefore had to question myself: Why do my clients do long distance swims?

“So, I think the answer to your question is that I’m here because of the people I coach. I want to understand what attracts them to long distances. And also, to show them that I know what I’m talking about. It helps me become a better coach for my clients.”

Anna-Karin also shared some of the reasons swimmers join her long-distance training camps. These include: “adventure, togetherness, to challenge themselves, meet new people, see new things, and to experience nature.” All things that UltraSwim 33.3 provides, too.

INCENTIVE TO PRIORITISE EXERCISE

Louise Sproule was the top swimmer in the women’s 60+ category. She says: “I signed up to UltraSwim 33.3 because every year I like to have at least one thing to push me and put me under pressure to prioritise exercise over other things in life when I maybe don’t feel like getting out and exercising. Especially now I don’t have a career, I want to feel like I am achieving. Then, what I like about long distance swimming is definitely not the training! But it enables me to go to places in an adventurous way and not feel crowded by people. Also, with a mind which has a tendency to wander, I have to self-talk myself to focus on my stroke, which you don’t experience when you run or cycle long distances.”

Finally, Rajat Sinha (pictured above), who was born in India and now lives in Phoenix, Arizona, had this to say: “At 52, I was craving for an adventurous fitness challenge. I very much enjoy swimming and what I read online about UltraSwim 33.3 fit the bill for my next adventure. This sport doesn’t just test your physical toughness; it really tests your mental toughness, and I love that… I am hooked and my wife and I will be back in 2026.”

While Raj ultimately wasn’t able to complete all the swims due to time limits, his determination to keep swimming was inspirational for so many people at the event that he was presented with a special award by the organisers. In long-distance swimming, it’s not just the speedy swimmers that win our admiration.

HIGHS AND LOWS

As for me, long-distance swimming offers a compelling mixture of highs and lows. I love both the meditative rhythm of striking across a calm lake and the exhilaration of forging a path through rough seas. But I also get ground down by fatigue and cold, and sometimes the frustration of horribly slow progress. At the end of any long swim, I feel both satisfaction and relief. And, for me, the memories of discomfort fade quickly, whereas those of the joyous parts stay with me.

FIND YOUR WHY

If you haven’t already tried long-distance swimming (and remember, long-distance is relative – if you’re starting out, then 1,500m is a long swim), I hope this inspires you to try. And if you’re already a fan, take a moment to reflect on your own motivations. When I struggle on a long swim, I find turning to ‘why’ can help me through those difficult patches. Maybe it helps you, too.