Big swim, big feelings

Mental Health Swims Community Engagement Manager Sarah Groves updates us on her training and plans to swim the length of Windermere

You may have seen in last month’s event supplement that this August I am swimming the length of Windermere as part of the WOW event and I’ll be keeping you updated with how I’m getting on with training and preparation whilst navigating anxiety and body dysmorphia.

By the time you read this, I will be halfway through my training plan, which was put together by the amazing ultra-marathon swimmer and endurance swim coach Amy Ennion. The plan covers everything from drills, distance, sets and pace, to encouraging me to think about nutrition, swimming cozzies and the meal I’ll eat the night before the big day. Amy makes sure you consider ALL the things and as someone who experiences anxiety about ALL the things, I couldn’t be more grateful.

The training itself is going well so far. I am enjoying swimming several times a week and building up distance steadily, and I am surprised to say that I have a newfound love for speed sets. As well as this, since my last article, I’m now the proud owner of a pull buoy and we are getting along wonderfully.

However, it’s not all rose-tinted goggles. Pool politics and kit calamities have tested my patience; I’ve had my feet poked and grabbed and I’ve been stuck in ‘traffic jams’ during peak pool times. On top of this, I recently had not one, but two pairs of goggles snap on me mid-swim over the course of a week – flippin’ nightmare! I can envisage the Dryrobe-clad cold water crowd knowingly shaking their heads and asking when I’m going to get out of the pool and into a pond. I hear you and the answer is, soon. I am dipping outside fairly regularly but the long swims will begin in about a month (probably when you’re reading this) and that’s when things will become more challenging.

Right now I’m feeling good about it all, excited too, and although I regularly experience anxiety, swimming has been very soothing, and I often leave the pool feeling calm. There’s something about getting into a rhythm, thinking about how I’m moving my arms and legs and having to control my breathing that helps me relax. The anxiety I experience often presents itself very physically with a tightening in my chest and throat, a racing heart and a general feeling of restlessness. Being in the pool gives me a break from all of that. Body dysmorphia on the other hand means that pool trips are often tough, and I’ll be honest, I have struggled with this. What with bright lights, busy changing rooms and lots of people hanging about on the pool side, it’s a constant battle.

How I feel changes each week but I know that sometimes it’s best to take it swim by swim, sometimes even stroke by stroke.

Follow Sarah’s swim adventure on Instagram @adventure_sair

Donate to Sarah’s fundraiser: givewheel.com/fundraising/6312/sarah-swims-windermere/