From 57 seconds to 51: My Swimming Comeback

There's so much I want to say about swimming right now.

It started with the Commonwealth Games. Watching those athletes fly through the water put everything into perspective for me. The last time I timed myself swimming 50m, I clocked 57 seconds. I was chasing the police assessment time, which asks for under a minute.

Meanwhile, the Games athletes were swimming 100m in around 55 seconds Flynn Southam swam the fastest 100m freestyle in Commonwealth Games history on July 25, 2026, 47.09 seconds. Wild!

And here I am, quietly proud, having swum 50m in 51 seconds yesterday 😄 (today I faffed the speed on my tumble turn and glide making 54 seconds but hey it's all progress and feedback right 😀)

Why I'm back

A few things brought me here:

1. I love swimming. I'm good at it. It's non-weight-bearing, which makes it perfect for supporting and healing my body and my pelvis.

2. Dave pointed out I was paying for a membership I wasn't using. Instead of making excuses, I decided to actually use it ... and I'm so glad I did.

3. I want to move with ease again. Maybe even run again one day. Swimming is how I'll build back to that.

4. I want to be the best swimmer I can be. Truly. Swimming is my favourite sport, full stop. Cardio, injury prevention, strength, it does it all. I used to take the boys swimming after their league games for exactly this reason.

5. I love the mindset insights, energy shifts and epiphanies I receive after a swim too. I have also been my most creative afterwards (blogging and even writing stories for my Creative Soul Podcast). Have you ever found that? It was similar when I would go for a run too (which I'm working towards) the expenditure of energy made room for creativity to flow in ❤

There's also the honesty of how I actually got back in the water: watching the Games reignited something, but it was Dave's comment about the membership that lit the fire under me. Call it determination, call it a little pride (I am a Leo after all) either way, I went back the very next day. I've been five times since 💪

How the swims have gone

Day One: Just 10 easy lengths of the 25m pool, stopping every second one. The goal wasn't speed, it was easing my body back in. I was also premenstrual, and I always train with my cycle in mind, pushing hard during that window has been linked to a higher injury risk, and after ten years out and a pelvic injury from having kids, I listen to that closely. After the swim I relaxed in the spa, then jumped back in for two fast lengths. That shock of cold-to-fast after the warm spa is honestly my favourite part of the whole session.

Day Two: Same shape as Day One, just a little more: 12 mixed lengths, spa, then two quick ones to finish followed by a few rest days. I still don't have the confidence to swim during my period, and that's fine. I rest more and listen to my body during that time anyway, and it always pays off in my energy and how connected I feel to myself and the people around me.

Day Three: Aimed to add 2 lengths, ended up doing 18, then 20. This session was about technique: I'd noticed the Commonwealth swimmers holding their breath through different parts of the tumble turn than I do, releasing right before surfacing. I practiced that breath timing and it worked beautifully.

Day Four: It was snowing. I went anyway, and it turned into my best swim yet. On the last two lengths I managed a breath every 4 to 6 strokes and it felt tremendous - possibly my fastest swim so far, though I didn't time it. Bugger lol although that ignited something for day five's swim.

Day Five: Another beautiful session. I'd planned just 10 lengths since I was feeling a bit flat, but ended up doing 24 in total mixing free, back and breast, and working on tumble turns from back to free and back again. My stamina is clearly building; I swam 4 lengths non-stop, and when I needed a breather mid-set, I turned onto my back for backstroke rather than stopping.

After the spa, I timed my 50m freestyle: 51 seconds. A 6-second improvement! Imagine if I had stopped at 10! It also helped that another swimmer I admired came into the lane too when I was about to stop. I told myself "just 2 more" (right up to 22 lol). She was in the same lane as me last year too. Knowing we can swim around each other at our own pace brings a sense of connection and trust (even though I don't really know her - just a couple of passing chats). What I mean by this is I know I can continue to swim at my pace and she's fast enough and experienced eough to overtake me if needed and if we tumbleturn together we read which side the other is on. Plus I don't feel any tenseness or irritation coming from her energy as I mention in day six below.

Day Six: Today's swim was interesting, I did have a moment of "perhaps I'll have today off" but then I remembered the feel of the water against my skin as I glide in the water. That was enough to pack my bag and go after dropping the children to school.

When I got there the fast and medium lanes already had two people in them varying speeds, props and training. I stood there for a moment trying to figure out which lane to enter. who else finds it a bit daunting enetering a swimmng lane with two people in there already? Especially the 25m pool.

I entered the fast lane who had someone doing some hard out training with props. Paddles with her stroke and a pull buoy between the thighs. I haven't used any props since I was at swim club and then we only used flippers and flutterboards but I'm curious to look into them, the benefits and how to use. Looking into this more I can see this allows the swimmer to focus entirely on the arm stroke, body rotation and core stability.

Anyways, I managed to time my lengths to be either ahead or to pull over as she was approaching. Some swimmers you can "feel" (like I mentioned above in day 5) whether you can swim alongside and around each other. The water holds the energy; I can feel it within my body (drawbacks or advantages of being highly sensitive to energy and intuitive). I managed my first 10 lengths like this. I then noticed the lane beside us was free. I switched lanes and ended up after a few lengths sharing with a lovely older lady who shared the lane with me a bit later.

Today's swim I managed 30 lengths again mixing up freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke. I noticed I was a little more in my head today but managed either 4 or 6 lengths non-stop, had a short breather and then continued on. My focus today was the 4 or 6 lengths non-stop.

Tomorrows focus I think I will stick to the 30 lengths and attempt slow and steady and less stopping. Perhaps 5 sets of 6 lengths. We shall see.

The two lengths after the spa was nice but awkward too. As I mentioned above I faffed the tumbleturn a little and instead of keeping my stroke to the end I stopped prematurely, that took off the 4 seconds making it 54 seconds today for the 50m swim sprint after the spa.

Where this is headed

I'm so looking forward to this journey. Every swim is teaching me something - about pacing, about listening to my body, about the quiet confidence that builds one length at a time.

Improving every swim, one stroke at a time.