SAWTELL swimmer Richie Goddard is swimming 20 kilometres in the annual Lake Argyle Swim in Western Australia, a freshwater open-water event to be held this year on Sunday 2 May.
President of the Mid North Coast Disabled Surfers Association, and a nominee in this year’s Australia Day Citizen of the Year Awards, Goddard dived into long-distance swimming last year at the 10km Bondi to Watson’s Bay event.
It planted the seed of ambition, so he applied for a place in the Lake Argyle Swim and got it.
“All tickets sold out within four minutes of going live, I was very lucky to get my place,” he told News Of The Area.
With the date in his diary, his next step was to knuckle down and get training.
He chose his long-time swim coach, friend and colleague, Kim “Kimbo” Roach to get him Lake Argyle-fit.
Since September he has been waking up at 5.30am, five mornings a week, heading to Coffs Harbour War Memorial Olympic Pool to swim at least 5000 metres.
“Sometimes an afternoon session and a weekend ocean swim is the cheeky bonus.”
The bigger objective is to do one long swim a month.
“I started at 10km in November, then each month I add two kilometres until April when I’ll get to 20km.”
When he started training, Goddard sought the recommendations of a dietician.
“More than just relying on swimming strength and muscle memory, it has made me look at what I actually need nutrition-wise rather than eating whatever food I can get my hands on.
“Especially before a big swim, I’ve learned to fuel myself up correctly and, afterwards, to replace the nutrients I’ve taken out of myself.”
Additionally, he went on an alcohol detox to aid his physical being and mental sharpness.
“Another aid in my physical prep and recovery is dry needling and magnesium baths.”
His training includes learning to repeat his strokes, and “getting used to moving through the water and making distance just a given.”
He has found the tricky thing in an endurance event is striking a balance between being mentally present and focused, which requires brain power, while being able to drive himself physically.
By relaxing into the swim and letting the practice and muscle memory carry him, there is the risk his mind will waft off onto other things.
“Above all else, I’ve had to keep mentally focused and push through exhaustion, and the time commitment has been huge, which is something that many high achievers don’t mention.”
Goddard is emerging from 18 months of challenges, making big life choices, and moving away from his lifetime career.
“I had to learn the lesson of how you think life will pan out in your mind… doesn’t do that most of the time, and it actually sends you off on a different path.
“I now look at big achievements and life so differently.”
The upshot, he said, is that doing this swim is the result of combined learning from what the last 18 months have given him; good, bad and otherwise.
“It’s taught me personal grit, to become self-aware of how to drive through discomfort and see the bigger picture.
“I can bring those skills to my pupils in that they become not only great swimmers, but great people for the future.”
By Andrea FERRARI
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
