How Open Water Swimming Saved My Life

On this purchaser weblog, MySwimPro Ambassador Diego De Los Rios shares how swimming helped him resurface all by way of a tough time in his life. 

My journey with swimming began with me sinking on the underside of the pool. I used to be 6 years outdated and I used to be drowning at a cocktail social gathering. My dad taught me the fundamentals after that, and he enrolled me in swimming packages. 

After my eighth birthday, he handed away. My swimming coach, Amaury Osorio, would develop to be the closest particular explicit individual I needed to a practice mannequin. And swimming was the compass that saved me on observe.

I swam so far as highschool in my hometown of Cartagena, Colombia. I used to be largely a sprinter centered on freestyle and butterfly. I managed to go to 4 nationals ahead of stopping at age 16.

Reconnecting with the Water

Years handed by and I used to be dwelling in Jacksonville, Florida. As rapidly as as shortly as further, I discovered myself sinking, nonetheless this time, in despair.

The Beijing Olympics have been on at the moment. Dara Torres, at 40 years outdated, gained an in depth end to position 2nd all by the 50 meter free. 

Associated: Recommendations on one of the simplest ways throughout which to Make a Swimming Comeback in 5 Steps

I used to be chubby and off type, nonetheless that race was the awakening that I wanted! 

I used to be fortunate to discover a pool shut by. It’s humorous, nonetheless the prepare of the pool is named “The Good Shepherd.” The water was calling me! 

In 2009, I set out for my first open water race. On the time, all I wanted was to cross the tip line. Little did I do know that I’d come out of the water in 2nd place full!

How I Put collectively At present

That first race obtained me hooked on open water swimming. As an alternative of sprinting like I did as shortly as I was youthful, at the moment I largely give consideration to open water and having good with the ocean.

Associated: How I Put collectively for Marathon Open Water Swims

I swim nearly each morning on the twelfth freeway ocean lifeguard station in Miami Seashore. Every single day I see one drawback nice! Lastly I’d like to do a marathon swim or a channel crossing.

I assist others recuperate from their fears of ocean swimming and assist them get additional accustomed to all kinds of situations. I need to present people who the ocean is a welcoming place. I encourage pool swimmers to check out open water and look earlier the black line!

I nonetheless swim all by the pool as precisely. All by way of my pool practice routines, I put collectively for very surroundings pleasant ocean situations, and as rapidly as I’ve to swim in opposition to the present!

I swim with a Garmin watch and the MySwimPro app on my Android. It’s truly useful to see the info behind my open water swims, as a substitute of merely going off of my truly actually truly actually really feel for the water. With MySwimPro, I can see my distance, tempo and coronary coronary coronary coronary coronary heart worth, not merely my entire time.

Associated: Recommendations on one of the simplest ways throughout which to Log Open Water Swims with MySwimPro & Garmin

Swimming has frequently been part of me. I’m proof that even in case you attain the underside, likelihood is you will frequently spring as rapidly as additional up. 

Normally, our fears and doubts can truly actually truly actually really feel as large as a result of ocean. It solely takes the necessity to stroll to the shoreline, have a look on the horizon and inform your self “I obtained this.” 

Modify to Diego’s swimming journey on Instagram @seawolfswim. Use code DIEGO20 for 20% off MySwimPro Coach!