The Fear Beneath the Surface
For as long as I can remember, I was scared of the water. Not just a little nervous, but truly terrified.
The moment my feet could no longer touch the ground, panic took over. My heart raced, my breath shortened, and I hated the feeling of not being in control. Floating felt strange, almost like being suspended in nothingness.
So for years, I avoided it. Swimming pools, beaches, even water parks. I would sit by the side, cheering others on, convincing myself I just wasn’t a water person.
But deep down, I always wondered what it would feel like to glide through water effortlessly. To float, breathe, and just flow.
The Start of an Unexpected Journey
In June 2023, when I moved back to Vietnam, I had no idea the year ahead would completely change how I saw water and myself.
Running had always been my comfort zone. It started during my time in London, where I used to run through the parks after long workdays at a hedge fund. Running helped me clear my mind.
So when I returned to Vietnam, I kept up the habit. Every morning, I laced up my shoes and ran. Eventually, I decided to take part in something big: the Can Tho Heritage Marathon in December 2023.
I trained hard, really hard, and crossed the finish line in 4 hours and 6 minutes. That race became one of my proudest memories.
But it also opened a new door.
Through running, I met several triathletes in Ho Chi Minh City. They talked about Ironman races that involved swimming, cycling, and running back to back. Their eyes lit up when they described the moment of crossing the finish line after hours of pushing through physical and mental limits.
Something in me woke up that day.
Signing Up for the Impossible
Back in London, I used to admire my colleagues who trained for endurance events. They would casually sign up for 100-mile runs or Ironman races and still show up to the office the next day. I loved their discipline and strength.
So when I heard about Ironman 70.3 Da Nang 2024, I thought, why not me?
I clicked “Register.”
Then it hit me.
I had five months to train for one of the toughest endurance races in the world.
And I didn’t know how to swim.
It sounded ridiculous, even to me. But there was something about the idea that made my heart race. It scared me, and I’ve learned that the things that scare you often bring the biggest growth.
Learning to Swim at 4:30 in the Morning
My running coach at the time had done a few half Ironman races. He wasn’t a professional swim coach, but he offered to help. “I learned by myself,” he said. “If I can do it, you can too.”
So we began.
Every morning, I woke up at 4:30 AM. It was still dark and cold. I would put on my wetsuit and head to the pool while the city slept.
At first, I hated every minute.
The water was freezing. My goggles fogged up. Each time I put my face in the water, panic took over. My body stiffened, and I couldn’t breathe properly. I swallowed water, coughed, and sometimes came up gasping for air.
There were mornings when I wanted to quit right there.
Hitting the Wall
Three months before the race, I still couldn’t swim more than a few strokes without stopping.
My coach grew frustrated. He shouted a lot. I knew he meant well and wanted me to push harder, but his energy didn’t work for me.
The more he yelled, the more anxious I became. The more anxious I was, the more I sank.
There were days when I cried silently after training, wondering if I had made a huge mistake. My body was exhausted, and my confidence was running low.
But something inside me refused to give up. I reminded myself, you made this promise. Even if I failed, I would still learn something valuable from trying.
The Turning Point
Then one morning, something clicked.
I stopped fighting the water.
Instead of forcing my body to move faster, I tried to relax. I focused on breathing out slowly and feeling the rhythm of each stroke.
And for the first time, I swam 100 meters without stopping.
That moment felt magical. I remember reaching the pool wall, gasping for air, and smiling so wide that my goggles filled with water.
From that day on, everything changed.
100 meters turned into 500.
500 turned into 2 kilometers.
2 kilometers became 3 kilometers.
And slowly, the fear began to fade.
What Swimming Taught Me About Life
Swimming taught me something that running never did: the art of surrender.
When you run, you control your stride, pace, and breath. But in the water, control works differently. The more you resist, the more you sink.
Only when you relax do you begin to flow.
That realization hit me deeply. It wasn’t just about swimming. It was about life.
How many times do we try to force things to happen, only to end up tired and frustrated?
Sometimes what we need most isn’t to push harder, but to let go, trust the process, and breathe through it.
Finding My Flow
After completing my first Ironman 70.3 in Da Nang, I kept swimming. Not because I had to, but because I genuinely loved it.
I changed coaches and began training with Coach Khoa, one of the instructors from the Swimming Together team. He was patient, encouraging, and calm, the complete opposite of my first coach.
He never shouted. He just smiled and corrected me gently, reminding me to stay relaxed.
“Don’t fight the water,” he said. “The water always wins.”
That sentence stayed with me.
With his guidance, I joined several swimming camps. The sessions were tough, but the energy was light and fun. The team laughed, encouraged one another, and made the experience joyful.
Training didn’t have to feel like punishment. It could be something that filled you with energy instead of fear.
Lessons I Learned from Learning to Swim as an Adult
1. Fear is just unfamiliarity in disguise
What I called fear was really just lack of experience. Once I understood how my body floated and moved, fear started to disappear. Knowledge replaces fear.
2. Consistency matters more than talent
I wasn’t naturally gifted. I didn’t have perfect technique. But I showed up every morning, no matter what. Over time, my body learned what my mind repeated.
3. The right environment changes everything
Coaching styles matter. Being around kind, supportive people made all the difference. Once I found a coach who taught with patience, I began to enjoy every session.
4. Relaxation is power
Whether in water or in life, the more you resist, the harder things become. Once I learned to relax and breathe, everything started to flow naturally.
5. Growth happens outside of comfort
I had to face my biggest fear to find one of my greatest joys. Growth often hides behind discomfort, waiting for you to step closer.
The Beauty of Starting Late
People often ask if it’s too late to learn to swim as an adult. I always tell them, absolutely not.
In fact, I think learning later in life gives you a special kind of appreciation. You understand patience and discipline more deeply. You realize that mastery isn’t about being fearless, but about showing up despite fear.
When I think back to that terrified version of myself who couldn’t even put her face in the water, I feel proud. Not because I became a great swimmer, but because I didn’t give up.
Beyond the Pool
Now, when I swim, I feel peace. The world disappears underwater. There are no phones, no deadlines, no noise, just rhythm and breath.
It has become a form of moving meditation for me.
Even now, after taking three weeks off due to injury, I miss it terribly. I can’t wait to return to the pool, to the road for running, and to the open sky for cycling.
Endurance sports are no longer about racing. They are about living fully.
A Life-Long Journey
Looking back, I realize my swimming journey wasn’t really about swimming. It was about trust, trusting myself, my body, and the process.
It was about finding flow where I once found fear.
There are still moments when I feel nervous before open-water swims. But instead of panicking, I smile. Because fear and excitement often feel the same in the body. It is just energy waiting to be used.
Every time I dive into the water, I remember how far I have come, from fear to flow, from resistance to surrender.
For Anyone Who Is Afraid to Start
If you are reading this and thinking, “That could never be me,” it can.
You don’t need to become an Ironman. You don’t even need to swim kilometers. But if there’s something you have always feared, maybe it’s time to look at it differently.
Fear is only an unopened door. On the other side, you might find joy, peace, and strength you never knew you had.
Start small. Be patient. Keep showing up.
You might surprise yourself with how much you are capable of when you stop fighting and start flowing.
Learning to swim as an adult taught me to let go, not just in water but in life.
Somewhere between those first gasps for air and my first open-water race, I learned that peace doesn’t come from control. It comes from surrendering, breathing, and trusting that you will float.