Read Nicky’s story of her epic swim adventure and how building a strong mental attitude helped her to prepare and succeed at the challenge. She swam nonstop for 16.5 hours!

This is a bit of a different post from usual. It is not about a career change, career management, or mental health and well-being. It is about an enormous challenge my friend Nicky set herself, how we worked together, and how she achieved it. Only 50-60 people have ever officially swum Loch Lomond.

I met Nicky Mather years ago in the swimming pool, years before open water became as popular as it is now (because of COVID-19 and not having access to swimming pools). We went on many open-water swim training, swim holidays, and trips together. Whether that was sea swimming abroad or loch swimming in Scotland. We swam The English Channel and Loch Ness on a four-person team with our Irish friends Lyndsey Dunne and Maighread McMahon. So, I was delighted to be able to support Nicky in her big challenge.

Long-distance swimming is hugely enjoyable but presents challenges. Coldwater (we don’t wear wet suits), weather conditions, strong tides, jellyfish and jellyfish stings, rough seas and seasickness are a few things you must deal with. Knowing and being properly supported whilst open water swimming is vital to safety. Having the right food and drink intake is also crucial. In a loch, you don’t get jellyfish or salty water but strong tides and unpredictable weather. Apart from getting physically prepared, you also have to get mentally prepared. Long-distance swimming is notorious for messing with your head! Boredom, fatigue, and unhelpful thoughts are all part of swimming by yourself for hours.

I believe that coping with adversity, whether at work or out, can build your overall resilience. Gaining resilience in one area of your life can help to make it in other areas. The jury is out on this, but from my experience, achieving great things with work can help your self-belief, confidence, and resilience in work. You can build strategies to relax, think positively and manage those unhelpful thoughts and feelings in one sphere of your life that you can use in other parts.

It was terrific to work with Nicky beforehand on her mental preparation and to swim with her during this enormous swim. The Open Water Swim Association has strict rules, and they permit swimming with another person after some hours of swimming alone. So, I could swim with Nicky at intervals and ended up swimming with her five times during her epic swim.

Nicky is raising money for the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat (https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NicolaGraham2). They do excellent work rescuing people on the loch.

Nicky’s Story

“On Tuesday, August 10, I fulfilled a dream to swim the full length of Loch Lomond non-wet-suited, escorted by the excellent https://inchbaggers.com. I completed the 21.6 miles in 16 hours and 27 minutes, entering at 5.10 a.m. and crawling out (literally!) at 9.37 p.m.

This is my account of the adventure:

The Scottish weather was proving very changeable the week before my swim, and I didn’t know if I’d get to swim. This is one of the many mental challenges I encountered in the run-up to and during the swim. I was so grateful to have the help of my friend Diana in her professional capacity as a Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist https://www.workingcareer.co.uk to prepare myself mentally for the swim. The relaxation techniques, visualisation exercises, thought diaries and hypnotherapy sessions helped me to manage my nerves in the run-up to the swim. They offered strategies I could employ when it got tough on the day.

Finally, a weather window opened, and alarms were set for 3 am to boil kettles for hot swim feeds and attempt breakfast. At 4.15 we met the Inchbaggers boat, crew and my kayaker; safety briefings were given, and I was reminded of the swim rules:

· One standard costume, swim cap, pair of goggles, and earplugs, all without any thermal or buoyancy aids

· Entry and exit un-aided; touching the boat or anyone during the swim is forbidden

· Support swimmer allowed for up to an hour after 2 hours and then only at specific intervals

At 5:10 a.m., I attached my night lights to my goggles and walked down the Duncan Mills Slipway in Balloch, watching the mist rise off the water. I took my first strokes towards my kayaker, Rich, who had created a disco kayak with numerous light sticks! There was no chance I would lose him on the loch in the twilight!

The first hour passed swiftly. The loch was flat, calm, and peaceful. Over the past 12 years, I’ve done most of my open-water swimming at Threipmuir Reservoir and Portobello Beach early in the morning at home in Edinburgh because I love the tranquillity and light at this time.

My first hot carbohydrate and electrolyte liquid feed was delivered on the hour via a high-tech kit: a milk carton on a rope and a cereal bar in a Tupperware mug. My husband Elliot is a master of swim feed logistics and made sure I was fed every 45 minutes afterwards and that every feed was the preferred temperature and volume.

I joined Nicky at intervals over the course of the swim

Later on, I was delighted to see Diana's smiling face appear beside me – the sun had risen, and we swam together, enjoying the fabulous island and mountain views that appeared before us. We have been on many swim adventures together, including the English Channel and Loch Ness relay; there is nothing like enjoying a beautiful swim with a friend! Ahead of time, we had practised visualising a fun day out together on the water, and this memory was present for me every time Diana joined me in the water at the permitted intervals during the day.

As the day went on, the loch became busier. My ever-alert kayaker, Rich, carefully watched for any jet skiers or boats who might come closer than we would like. I reflected that it was probably more painful to kayak for nearly 17 hours than to swim! We think we met two of the three MacLean brothers and Atlantic rowing champions out on a training row; they stopped at the boat to say hello and ask what I was up to but were so fast that I only caught a glimpse!

The wind picked up, which created a bit of chop, and the temperature dropped as we progressed North into the deeper waters. My body and mind started to grumble and suggest I might like to stop now, please. I knew I had at least another 4 hours to go, and it suddenly felt never-ending, and doubts crept into my mind – could I do this? I looked at Diana, who knew I was struggling, and just her re-assuring smile took me back to the work we had done on what to do when it got tough – the affirmations and feelings of confidence came back to me, and I found myself saying out loud, “ I’ll try to do a bit more”. Headphones are not allowed on the swim, but I have a playlist in my head that I “activate” at times like this when it gets hard – it’s an eclectic mix of everything from Donald Where’re Your Trousers to 60s disco, 80s rock, 90s Indie and a few dance classics. The combination of stating my intention to continue and the playlist in my head somehow “flicked the switch”, and I was back to swimming.

We swam on and on and on…, and the sky grew dark again. After numerous “false endings” and a little detour to look at the lambs on the beach ( I can’t resist a fluffy sheep!), finally, the white chalets, caravans, and orange marina lights of Ardlui were close! I crawled out to be greeted by my crew, a welcoming party of midges, and a few curious campers.

After 16.5 hours Nicky finishes the swim

It was a magical day, and I hope to raise as much money as possible for the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat (https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NicolaGraham2). I was distraught by the recent tragic incidents in Scottish waters, and I wanted to show my appreciation for this volunteer crew and, indeed, all rescue crews who selflessly assist those in need.

If you want a tremendous splashing day out on Loch Lomond, look no further than https://inchbaggers.com. If you need help facing your demons and preparing for a mental challenge like this swim, I can wholeheartedly recommend Diana: https://www.workingcareer.co.uk.

I have had my fair share of mental implosions and crises of self-doubt on big swims. Diana had the expertise and experience to know exactly which strategies to employ with me. These gifts will benefit me in all aspects of my life, and I am hugely grateful to Diana for her support.”

Nicky Mather 19 August 2021

Note from Diana: Well done, Nicky! I couldn’t be more delighted. You are an inspiration for sticking with something to get it done, coping with adversity, and coming back stronger. Well done, the rest of the team, too!

want help to build resilience or acheive your dreams at work?

I am Diana Dawson, Founder of Working Career. As a Professional Career Coach, Career Psychologist, Career Counsellor, Career Consultant, Executive Coach and Wellbeing at Work Coach, I work with organisations and individuals to help manage their careers.

I am an Accredited Master Coach with the Association for Coaching, a Coaching Psychologist and Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist with nearly 20 years of experience in the field.

I work with professional people from different sectors and backgrounds to cope and flourish at work. I also run Career Workshops and Wellbeing Workshops for organisations.

I can provide one-to-one career coaching in Edinburgh or zoom sessions worldwide. I can provide Career Workshops at your organisation or remotely. Find out more about me here

Contact me to find out how I can help you or people in your organisation