A year ago I struggled to complete a length, I swam really close to the edge of the pool as I felt panicky when my feet couldn't reach bottom. Now, thanks to my mums encouragement I have been swimming regularly (at least once a week) for about 5 months and am so much more confident (and a little fitter).
Today I swam 20 lengths. I will never win awards for style, but I am proud that I can do it. I have started doing back stroke and today did 3 lengths of (very bad) front crawl. Swimming has built up my confidence except for when the schoolkids have their lessons and I see 8 yr olds swimming twice as fast as me! 
Swimming is so relaxing. Nobody pays any attention to me and I can free my thoughts up to daydream. I have become more and more competitive, checking my times against the clock, against different strokes and am not as scared as I was.
Recently too I have started trying to jump and dive in to the water from the edge of the pool, and to see how far I can swim underwater.
Swimming is fab, and when I have kids I will be sure to take them. I want them to have the confidence I lacked for all those years.
If you haven't been swimming for a while I would definitely recommend you give it a go. It soon comes back to you.
Happy
x
philghodg
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Good for you! Well done! Swimming is great for toning up. And you can swim as fast or slow as you like