Dear fellow swimmers
Swimming might not solve life's difficulties, but it may help you face them
Glyn Marston took up outdoor swimming a few years ago when injuries put an end to his ultra-running. He did all the right things: signed up to Outdoor Swimmer magazine, bought books on swimming and joined a club. He approached swimming with the same dedication he'd had for running and made progress quickly, although the technical aspects of swimming sometimes frustrated him. He persevered and found an increasing sense of purpose in the water, which led him to sign up for a Channel relay with a dream of one day
doing a Channel solo.
But then he fell ill, wound up in hospital and had to give up his Channel relay slot. Just as he was recovering, he got the go ahead for long-awaited knee replacement surgery - a good thing, but it delayed his return to the water. Then, his father died. It seemed fate was determined to keep him from swimming.
Glyn emailed us last week and gave us permission to share his story. He said: "I was on the verge of giving up all activities and just staying at home feeling melancholy."
No doubt many of you can identify with how Glyn
felt. Luckily the next part of his email was more positive.
He said: "My wife pushed me out of the door and demanded I get myself back to normal."
He made his way to the local lake where his friends cheered his
return with a huge "Welcome Back" sign. Warmed by the love of the community, he stepped into the 4-degree water of the lake. He said the discomfort of the cold was more than compensated for as it eased the pain in his knee.
His email concluded as follows: "As I swam today, I felt my worries ease a little as the world looked a better place from the
water. Today I felt in a better place. Cold water swimming is more than a pastime, it's therapy. My issues are still with me, but I feel stronger and better able to deal with them, thanks to this morning."
Glyn has a long way to go to regain his strength and fitness and fulfil his swimming ambitions but he's taken the first and hardest step. We're
looking forward to hearing where swimming takes him next.
