Find your own long distance

Simon Griffiths looks at what makes a long-distance swim

As a child, I swam with Cheltenham Swimming and Water Polo Club. My favourite race was the 100m backstroke. I might have done 200m at a push – but I already considered that to be a long way to race.

Once a year, the club held a mile race at Sandford Lido. I entered a few times but was always intimidated by the distance and water temperature. I’d emerge blue-lipped and shivering. The experience made me cautious when I started open water swimming.

Reframing distance

When I first discovered triathlon, the idea of swimming 1500m in open water sounded crazy, so I entered events that had 400m pool swims. It took time to realise triathlon swims are relatively short compared to the bike and run sections – and that my open water confidence and swimming experience was a huge advantage.

Even so, when I stopped doing triathlon to spend more time swimming, it still took me a long time before I felt ready to tackle a 10km marathon swim. I now realise that my slowbuild approach to long-distance was framed by the pool-swimming mindset I developed as a child.

Starting points

Since then, I’ve met people who have crossed the English Channel within a few years (or less!) of taking up swimming. They think something like, “I could probably walk 21 miles in a day without too much trouble, so surely I can swim it.”

They might have missed out on some of the swimming technique benefit you get from starting young, but they benefit from having no pre-conceptions about distance.

And then, of course, there are the people who swim ultra distances: multiple crossings of the Channel, 24-hour swims, and more. There’s a phrase I hear these incredible endurance athletes use: “You always have a 10km swim in you.” What many of us think of as a marathon swim is their baseline.

I know swimmers who get massive joy and satisfaction from ultra-distance swims. I have huge respect and admiration for their ability to withstand discomfort and cold for hours on end. But I recognise it’s not for me.

The beauty of open water swimming is that you can always find a challenge to suit your preferences and abilities. My favourite open water racing distances are between 3km and 5km. I also enjoy unhurried longer swims of up to 15km. I can (and have) swum further but I’m not motivated by it.

So, what makes a long-distance swim? It’s not a fixed distance. Instead, it’s shaped by your background, your mindset, your goals, and your enjoyment. For some, a mile is a monumental achievement. For others, it’s just the warm-up.

Finding your own long distance

It’s not how far you swim, but how you feel about it. If you’re excited by the challenge, then that’s your long-distance. Here’s how I would go about finding the right distance:

• Start with joy: Choose swims you think you’ll enjoy, even if they intimidate you.
• Build gradually: Increase distance at a pace that feels sustainable.
• Challenge assumptions: Don’t let early swimming experiences define your limits.
• Celebrate your milestones: Whether it’s your first 1km or your tenth 10km, every swim counts.

We live in a culture that loves to set benchmarks and definitions. But don’t feel compelled to target those if they don’t appeal. Go out, explore, and find the distances that bring you joy.