Open water swimming is my life buoy
Ihad been a runner all my life. I have run the New York Marathon twice, the London Marathon and lots of other races over the past 25 years.
For many years I also worked in an apparently solid large Spanish bank but in 2013 the bank collapsed and I was laid off, along with all my colleagues. I received severance pay but after 25 years’ working that was my only compensation.
The first months after being made redundant were very difficult for me. I was depressed. I was used to working 10 to 12 hours every day and only having free time to run on weekends. I had to fill my life again. I spent a lot of my free time thinking, but the the only thought that would go round and round my mind was “why me?” I had to find something to fill my life again. So I decided to learn to swim.
In the past, I had often promised myself that I would learn to swim, but every time I had abandoned the plan. Now was the moment! I started to learn to swim in a pool in Easter 2013.
The first few days, when I couldn’t even swim one length of the 25-metre pool, were awful. But I tried not to lose heart. When finally I was able to swim 1000m, in one hour, it was incredible for me and I cried for joy.
It was the end of summer 2013 and I had never swum in the sea. One day, in September, I decided to do it. I swam 100m from the shore but I had a panic attack and had to return to the beach. But I wasn’t deterred. After that panic attack, I slowly increased my distances — first 100m, then 200m until I was able to swim 1000m in the sea. I also continued training in the pool.
Finally, in summer 2014, I did my first open water crossing. When I reached the finish line I couldn’t stop crying. I was very happy, because I had done it!
On the Alicante coast there are many organised races from April until the end of October so I signed up and did lots more races over the summer. And finally, in July 2015, I did my first swim away from Alicante. It was the 5th Neda el Món Zoggs Swim Barcelona, along the beach of the Catalonia capital. It was a very difficult 6km swim because the sea, initially calm, suddenly became very choppy and we had to fight a lot with the waves. I arrived exhausted at the finish line, but it was a very exciting experience.
Now I continue to train for new swims on the Alicante coast and in new places too, while my mind is dreaming about new adventures… the Straits of Gibraltar perhaps?
I have discovered a new way to live my life. Open water swimming was my life buoy!
Outdoor Swimmer
Outdoor Swimmer is the magazine for outdoor swimmers by outdoor swimmers. We write about fabulous wild swimming locations, amazing swim challenges, swim training advice and swimming gear reviews.
