THE MAIN EVENTS
Are events still the route into outdoor swimming?
Rowan Clarke investigates
In 2008, the start line at the inaugural Great North Swim was electrified by the jangling nerves of new outdoor swimmers in their new wetsuits. It was the ideal start to their outdoor swimming journey – calm, beautiful, a brilliantly achievable test of nerves as much as ability.
Those mass events were how we started open water swimming back in the day. Among our reasons for signing up, we wanted to improve our fitness and take on a personal challenge. We didn’t expect the many health and wellbeing benefits that came with swimming in open water, but we felt them, and so began our love of swimming outdoors.
It almost feels like that picture has flipped around now. With so many more reasons to starting swimming outdoors and so many options to join friends, organised groups, or go along to a paid venue, are outdoor swimming events still essential?
SETTING GOALS
That very first Great North Swim was modelled on mass participation running events. Attracting a mix of more than two thousand swimmers, from the elite, including five Olympic Open Water medallists, to ‘fun’ swimmers of all ages and abilities, it had a similar vibe to a half marathon.
Level Water offers a wide range of events
“I got into outdoor swimming when a friend signed me up for the first Swim Serpentine as they knew I had started swimming in a pool again after a 30-year break.”
That’s probably because people signed up for similar reasons to running events – to challenge themselves, stretch their pace or distance, and work towards a goal. It just took place in a lake rather than on tarmac.
“I got into outdoor swimming when a friend signed me up for the first Swim Serpentine as they knew I had started swimming in a pool again after a 30-year break,” says Cathy B, who used to compete as a child. “So, I did an introduction to outdoor swimming in the Lake District and now I enter one or two events every year and swim outdoors a lot.”