When the mind believes you are still a 20-something year old, but the body is definitely not any more! I have had to take a break from swimming for a couple of weeks as I have managed to over-load the tendons in my shoulder. I had my first rowing race on the Saturday, then swam at Shepperton on the Sunday.

It is so frustrating when the body starts to complain and all you are trying to do is maintain a healthy lifestyle! I have given up running (honestly, no big loss!) and reduced my cycling due to knee problems over the past few years, and thought rowing & swimming would be less impact on the body. Oh, how the shoulder soon reminded me that I cannot go at sports & exercise as if I was still 20!

However, this week I was fortunate enough to have a coaching session with an amazing swimming coach, Salim, at my local lake, Shepperton, thanks to the Help For Heroes Sports Recovery Team. The support given to me and many other veterans by Help For Heroes is life-changing, always there in the background ready to support veterans. There were 3 veterans for the coaching session, interestingly all 3 were women, which was the first time that has happened for me at any programme I have participated in with Help For Heroes.

I had been told to rest the shoulder for a few weeks but, the coaching session was too good an opportunity to pass. I had a chat with Salim beforehand and he gave me a few tips to prevent over-rotation in the shoulder….possibly a technique I should have been using anyway.

Before we entered the water, Salim, asked us to stop and connect with the water. To make friends with the body of water, so if you enter the water with that mindset, it will set you at peace.

A very powerful moment, I have used mindfulness in my recovery from PTSD, and find swimming a powerful tool for mindfulness. All I need to do when swimming is count to 3 (breaths) and focus on what I am doing in that moment. The theory works in the pool for me, but I have struggled to find the same calm and peacefulness when open water swimming. The anxiety kicks in and becomes all-encompassing.

Salim’s swim coaching was excellent, introduced new techniques, and reinforced some techniques some I have previously been taught. But, the real result of the session, was to focus my mind to be at peace with the water and embrace it. The lake was so peaceful and calm; still, which allowed my mind to be still.