Rediscovering joy in swim challenges

Lifelong swimmer Hazel spent years focusing on her speed, technique and achievement in swimming. But now it’s all about slowing down and finding connection. She explains why joining the Outdoor Swimmer Shep Shifters team for Level Water’s Wild Swim Relay is helping her do just this.

Swimming outdoors is very much my comfort zone. It’s what I’ve done from a very young age, and it still gives me huge joy and wholeness. As a child, it was about the freedom and fun that being in the water offered. As an adult, swimming, outdoors and indoors, has been a constant in my life.

For a while, my outdoor swimming became about speed and technique, and achieving, and I think I lost a bit of the joy in the “just swimming” part. So, now with outdoor swimming, I try to slow down and seek connection. It’s about me connecting with the sensations of the water, the feel of the air, the sounds and the smells of the outdoors. It’s also about connecting with people and the community that it brings.

Sharing the joy

I currently work at Horseshoe Lake Activity Centre, Sandhurst, running the open water swimming sessions. In my job, I get the deep satisfaction of seeing how swimming outdoors can change people’s lives and seeing the amazing community that has grown among the swimmers. This spring there have been a lot of first timers coming to the lake, apprehensive and uncertain and sometimes out of their comfort zone, but with reassurance and encouragement from me and my team they take their first tentative steps (and strokes) and almost without fail come out of the water feeling empowered and alive. 

My regular swimmers come with anticipation and smiles, and I love listening to the bursts of laughter and catching snippets of hilarious conversations. They have been incredibly supportive of my plans to take part in the 24-hour Wild Swim Relay. 

So, why the Shepperton 24hr relay I hear you ask? One of the reasons I was drawn to this particular event was to have the opportunity to join a group of like-minded swimmers in a shared experience. I’m so thrilled that it has happened that we are all women. We are already forging a bond supporting each other in our preparation in our WhatsApp group, and I can’t wait to share the experience of the relay with them. I’m hoping it’s going to be a weekend of making new friends, supporting each other through the challenge, and, of course, lots of cake.

Training joyfully

My training for this big weekend started out mainly based indoors in a pool, but as the weather and water have warmed up, I’m doing more outdoor swims. I have to confess that I struggle with the cold. I must be the only menopausal woman in the world who is always cold! So, for me, it’s really important to follow Rowan’s training plan and get plenty of acclimatisation dips done!

I have recently been experimenting with finding a wetsuit that keeps me warm and is comfortable, but doesn’t detract from the connection with the water. I’ll report back!

One of the most positive parts of my preparation has been training with my swim buddy, the fabulous Holly. She is training for an upcoming Ironman, and we have been swimming together, encouraging each other, and sharing tips on healthy, nourishing bowls of grains, pulses, salads, and protein, interspersed with the occasional Tunnocks Teacake and plenty of chocolate milk. What I love is that we are women encouraging and supporting each other to do hard things.

Beautiful locations

In the past few weeks, I had a beautiful swim with my sister-in-law in Loch Voil. It was so bitingly cold, but a very precious moment in time, and the views up the Glen were stunning.  

 I’ve also been getting back into swimming in the lake where I work, and I had a fab swim at the newly reopened Guildford lido. I’ll certainly be going back. 

I aim to get the distance and times covered for my training, but not to lose the joy of the connection with the water. Looking forward to the big day!

Enjoyed Hazel’s blog? Read team member Debs’ brilliant words about why participating in an event helps build her swim confidence and how Jane is overcoming her fear of the deep. The Shep Shifters team is kindly supported by Zone3.