When Amanda joined Odyssey Health Club, she had a very specific goal in mind: to complete an Ironman 70.3.

There was just one problem. She couldn’t swim front crawl, wasn’t particularly comfortable in the water and had never swum anywhere close to the 1.9km required for the event.

A Big Goal

Amanda had already set her sights on completing an Ironman 70.3, but her breaststroke simply wasn’t fast enough to meet the swim cut-off.

She knew she needed to make a significant improvement in her swimming, so she joined Odyssey to make use of the pool and start 1-to-1 swimming lessons.

“One year ago I could not do front crawl and was not comfortable being in water. I really wanted to do an Ironman 70.3, but my breaststroke swimming was too slow for the cut-off time and I had never swum anywhere near 1.9km before.”

It was a big challenge, but Amanda was ready to see what she could achieve.

Building Confidence in the Water

With regular 1-to-1 swimming lessons and plenty of opportunities to practise in the pool, Amanda gradually developed both her technique and confidence.

The journey wasn’t simply about swimming further. Learning to feel comfortable in the water and developing the confidence to swim front crawl were just as important.

“Having regular 1-to-1 swimming lessons and access to the pool for practice really improved my swimming technique and, more importantly, gave me confidence in the water.”

She also credits the positive attitude and encouragement of her swim coach for helping make the journey easier.

“The positive attitude from my swim coach was really inspiring and made my journey a whole lot easier!”

Ironman 70.3: Goal Achieved

Fast forward one year and Amanda achieved exactly what she had set out to do.

She successfully completed Ironman 70.3 Erkner, completing the 1.9km swim with time to spare. 🏊‍♀️🎉

What started with Amanda feeling uncomfortable in the water and unable to swim front crawl had developed into the confidence and ability to tackle the swim leg of an Ironman 70.3.

It’s an incredible example of what can happen when you set yourself a challenging goal, commit to the process and have the right support around you.

From Pool to Finish Line

Amanda’s journey is a fantastic reminder that you don’t have to be an experienced swimmer to start working towards a big goal.

With regular practice, expert coaching and determination, significant progress can happen in a relatively short period of time.

We’re incredibly proud of Amanda and delighted that Odyssey’s pool, coaching and facilities could play a part in helping her cross that Ironman 70.3 finish line.

Congratulations, Amanda! What an achievement. 💙

 

Have you got a success story to share?

Whether you’ve achieved a major sporting goal, learnt a new skill, improved your fitness or simply feel better than when you started, we want to hear about it.

Share your Odyssey Success Story via the link in our bio and you could inspire another member to take their first step. Plus, every submission is entered into our monthly prize draw! 🏆