š 4 minute read
Inspired by the winter wild swimmers Iāve been following and talking to on Instagram, I did something that at the start of this year, Iād never have dreamt Iād be doing and booked myself onto a āpolarā open water swim.

The swim was due to take place at Boundary Water Park near where I live in Cheshire on Sunday 6th December. Swimming outdoors in December both intrigued me and seemed like utter madness at the same time. Shortly after booking, with the water temperature dropping day by day, I started to wonder if I hadnāt gone slightly mad.
If youād have told me 6 months ago Iād be swimming outside in December I simply wouldnāt have believed it.
The day before my swim I received an email warning me that the water was considered āvery coldā at 6.5° and Iāll be honest, I was super worried It would be too cold for me. The coldest water Iād swum in at that point was 10° before the second lockdown and I found that tough.
Despite my anxiety ramping up in the hours before my swim, I was determined not to back out, so I told myself Iād give it a try. If I only went in up to my waist and had to come straight back out again, at least Iād given it a good go and Iād know my personal limits.

I genuinely had no idea whether Iād be able to do it and suspected Iād be straight in and out!
My FiancƩ came with me to offer moral support and to help me get out of my wetsuit quickly after my swim and the Uswim team were also on hand with friendly words of encouragement.
As I prepared to enter the water a group of ladies started chatting and we ended up entering the water together ā hearing theyād never swum in water so cold either and cheering each other on really did help. Thatās one of the things Iāve come to love about Uswim. Everyone is so chatty and friendly and we encourage each other which really does give you a confidence boost.

After my previous swim a few weeks ago, Iād invested in gloves (turns out they were too big, as suspected, but better than nothing!) and my wetsuit boots and 4/3 wetsuit (albeit a surf rather than open water specific suit) did a decent job of insulating me. I spent a good length of time bobbing in and out of the water when I first got in, getting used to the temperature before we set off to do the short course.
My fingers fared worst and remained very, very cold throughout, painfully so for the first 10 minutes, but the rest of me didnāt feel too bad which surprised me hugely. I still have no clue how people can go in without a wetsuit though, I feel like they must be superhuman!
For me personally, my swim today felt like a huge personal achievement having overcome both phsicial and mental limitations to do it.
After doing the short course, we decided weād have a crack at the full course and it was so lovely to be swimming with company, as I usually donāt have anyone to swim with and Iām not sure Iād have had the courage to have a crack at it on my own.

We certainly didnāt break any speed records, but I think itās fair to say for all of us, upon finishing the bigger course, we surprised ourselves and it felt like a massive accomplishment.
I know that loads of people do cold, and indeed, colder swims and itās really not that special, but for me personally, my swim today felt like a huge personal achievement having overcome both physical and mental barriers to do it.
The positive effects of cold water swimming are well documented and I love the endorphin high it gives me. The heightened sense of wellbeing can stay with me for a good 24 hours too and I think you can see the elation in my post-swim face.

Iām not going to say there wasnāt physical discomfort and that it wasnāt tough, but I absolutely loved it!
Once again, huge thanks to Dave and all the team at Uswim for their guidance and encouragement. If youād have told me 6 months ago Iād be swimming outside in December I simply wouldnāt have believed it.
I feel like Iāve benefited so much from pushing myself this year, like Iāve achieved some amazing things that Iām proud of, despite the year being so tough and limiting in so many other ways.
Inspired to swim?
Find out more about Uswim open water and read about my first experience of open water swimming here.
Take a look at what the Black Swimming Association are doing or have a look at Metal Health Swims, a community of wild swimmers who do group swims all over the UK in all seasons.
Where to next?
This article was originally published by Campingwithstyle.co.uk. Read the original article here.