Melissa Donaldson’s Marathon Swim Story
On today’s episode I’m thrilled to share my coach colleague, Melissa Donaldson’s story. You may recognize Melissa’s voice from the Deep Dive episode of my 22 hour swim in Lake George in 2022.
Melissa discovered a love of swimming as an adult. And in just a short time she has doubled her longest swim from around 10km to in excess of 20km!
In addition to digging in to Melissa’s remarkable story, we touch on the ways that SwimMastery has revolutionized our approach to swimming, taking us from pain and struggle to having the confidence and courage to swim further than we ever thought possible.
If you’re looking for a prescriptive method to find ease and efficiency in the water, check out Tracey Baumann and Emma Levy’s new book that brings proper joint mechanics to the forefront so that swimmers can reduce their chance of injury and swim for the rest of their lives! Get a paperback or kindle copy of The Swim Mastery Way on Amazon, find out more at http://SwimMastery.online.
I hope you enjoy Melissa’s story!
In her own words:
I commenced swimming 6 years ago at the age of 49. At this time in my life my mind was everywhere and nowhere. I was on the Corporate treadmill. The demands of the fast-paced business world had scattered my focus and was eroding my confidence. I remember my first 1km open water swim in Noosa with 150 others thrashing and kicking their way through the turbulent waters. My monkey mind was amplified. I yearned for moments of clarity and stillness.
The following year I dabbled with 1k, 2k, and 3km swims. The year after I tested myself with a 4km and then a 5km swim. Something wasn’t clicking for me. I felt the water drawing me in but I was resisting it and would emerge from each swim feeling disillusioned. I soon learnt it was not a physical activity I was searching for. It was something more profound. I was looking for a deeper connection with myself and the water was my portal.
I found the SwimMastery technique and began my training as a coach. Using this technique led to so much more than just improving my swimming skills. Complex movements became simple steps. I was pushing past my limits in the pool, open water and in my life. I learned to focus on whole body movements, breathing and the subtle sensations of the water around me. I began coaching others and noticed their rapid transformations.
In June 2023, I was invited to swim my longest distance ever. It was a 22.3 km swim across the Apolima Strait from the Island of Upolu to the Island of Savai’I in the South Pacific. I had a total of 8 weeks to train for the swim. My ignorance of the world of marathon swimming was a blessing and a curse. My coach told me I had the fundamentals in place and I could do it. Her words and my insatiable hunger and curiosity to feel a deep connection with the vastness of the ocean and its beauty that helped me cross the Apolima Strait and complete my first real Marathon swim.
I haven’t fully embraced the label ‘Marathon Swimmer’ and I’m not sure where my swimming will take me. My husband and I recently opened a SwimMastery Swim Studio in Brisbane Australia where we are coaching adults and children to build confidence in themselves and their swimming. To be able to pass on the gifts the water has given me, is what inspires me.
