Swims that shaped me: Simon Griffiths

Outdoor Swimmer founder Simon Griffiths shares the swims that have shaped his life over the years, from his childhood swimming galas to his bout of hypothermia during his Windermere challenge

Cheltenham Swimming & Water Polo Club – 1970s

Early morning training sessions and Saturday night coach trips to swimming galas featured prominently in my childhood. The early mornings sometimes caused me to fall asleep at school but I loved being part of a team and I’m still friends with some of the people I swam with (and they are still involved in swimming too).

Childhood holidays in Cornwall – 1970s and 80s

I remember my mum had a plywood bodyboard that I used to play in the waves on and I thought it somehow magically kept me warm – kids didn’t wear wetsuits back then. Later, when I was at university, my mum moved to Bude and I spent several summers swimming in the waves and exploring some of North Cornwall’s harder-to-access beaches. I still love that part of the country.

My first triathlon – late 1980s

I knew nothing about triathlon when someone talked me into doing one in Bedfordshire. I was unnecessarily worried about the cold so I wore a sleeveless wetsuit I had for kayaking. It was a disaster as it was too loose for swimming, filled with water and turned into a drag suit. I learned the importance of testing kit before you race in it and to use the right kit for the job. Swimming wetsuits were rare back then so I did my next few triathlons without.

The Gambia – early 1990s

I lived in The Gambia from 1992 to 1995 and spent many weekends at the beach, where I did a lot of swimming. I became very comfortable body surfing and swimming in the waves but I got caught a couple of times in strong currents and learned to watch out for those and respect the power of the sea.

First swim in London’s Royal Victoria Dock – early 2000s

I was the swimmer in a team triathlon. I bought my first swimming wetsuit for the occasion (an Orca Predator). I was terrified of swimming with so many people around me. I started in the middle of the pack. Above the water I could only see white spray from other swimmers’ frantic splashing. Below the water I couldn’t see anything. However, I ended up being one of the first to finish and was so quick my teammate wasn’t ready. This swim inspired me to do more triathlon with open water swims and, later, open water swimming events.

Great London Swim – 2010

I’m pretty sure this was my first stand-alone open water event although I can only find pictures from 2011 when I took part with a team from my masters swimming club. We had a great day and the creation of events such as the Great North Swim in 2008 and the Great London Swim in 2009 were one of the factors behind me starting Outdoor Swimmer magazine.

Length of Windermere – 2014

I learned on this swim that it’s easy to swim yourself into hypothermia. I have no recollection of finishing but I’ve got a certificate that says I did. I remember feeling cold and miserable in the middle and then waking up in an ambulance. I’ve been wary of getting too cold ever since. A couple of years later I swam Windermere in a wetsuit and it was one of the best swims I’ve ever done.

Fancy sharing swims that shaped you? Get in touch! Email: editor@outdoorswimmer.com