When Your Big Race / Swim Leg Gets Cancelled

Finding Strength in the Setback

Hey Swimmers,

You spend months preparing, sharpening your fitness, and tapering perfectly for race day. Then, out of nowhere, the announcement drops: cancelled.

That was the reality for me this past weekend when the Dart 10k - a bucket-list open water swim in the UK - was called off on both days due to high winds, heavy rain, and concerns over water quality. It was absolutely the right decision from the organisers, but still a gut-punch after 42 hours of flying from Perth to England. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting just a little bit.

The Journey to the UK

High above the English Channel!

This was the fittest and fastest I’ve been in over 25 years - gutted to not be able to put it to good use down the Dart!

Stop-over 1: Hong Kong with Coach Fenella Ng

Stop-over 2: Amsterdam - Flevoparkbad outdoor 50m pool

Time for a cheeky 1500m roll-over!

These numbers are unheard of for me - peaking at exactly the right time!

The Disappointment Is Real

When something you’ve invested so much time, energy, and heart into gets taken away, it’s natural to feel frustrated, even lost. Resilience doesn’t mean pretending you’re unaffected - it means acknowledging the hurt while still moving forward. That moment of standing in limbo, torn between sulking in disappointment and stepping into action, is where resilience is built.

Choosing to Move Forward

On the morning of the cancellation, I could easily have sat on the couch, scrolling through messages, replaying the frustration in my head. Instead, I grabbed my gear and headed down to Goodrington Beach in the English Channel for a swim.

What started as a battle against procrastination turned into a glorious 5.5km open water swim. The water was cool, the skies dramatic, and with every stroke I felt the reminder that all the training, all the tapering, had prepared me for this moment too. I may not have tested myself in the Dart 10k, but my body was primed and ready. I felt simply amazing, plus, it was my 47th birthday too, which probably added to it! That swim left me energised, grounded, and - ironically - grateful.

With 500m to go in my swim, I was passed by an old steam train which let out a toot! At first I thought it was a submarine somewhere deep beneath me, but when I saw the train go past it was such a deep, visceral moment.

Celebrating in Style

Straight after the swim, I headed for a birthday lunch with 84yr old Ron, who’d travelled from the Isle of Man just for me to sign his Swim Smooth book (on yer’ Ron!), and Claire from our last two Mallorca Swim Smooth Experiences who was down to volunteer for the Dart 10k. My two new mates, Oscar and Martin, from BuddySwim goggles had flown over from Europe to hopefully see me battle for the podium in their amazing OzeanX goggles. Whilst they missed out on that opportunity, they very kindly gave Ron and Claire a pair of goggles each and have offered all our readers a 20% discount on their goggles using the code SSMOOTH at checkout - use this link.

The Bigger Picture

Making lemonade from lemons with 26 coaches from British Triathlon

The Dart 10k may be off the calendar this year, but the journey doesn’t stop here. I took the opportunity to make some more lemonade from the ‘lemons’ by running a free coaching workshop at Mount Kelly College in Tavistock, Devon, UK for British Triathlon. The day was full of great Q&A as I worked with 2025 Weymouth 70.3 champion, Kerrianne Upham, to showcase our Swim Smooth Coaching in action.

Also, in just a few weeks, I’ll be taking on a 16km marathon swim in Malaysia on 4 October, and before that, I’ll be leading our Swim Smooth Experience in Croatia and Montenegro - twelve passionate swimmers ready to refine their technique and immerse themselves in some of the most breathtaking waters in Europe.

This shift in focus has been the lesson. Events are markers, not the destination. What remains constant is the training, the community we share, and the deeper purpose that drew us to swimming in the first place.

A Message for You

If you’ve had an event cancelled, a race postponed, or a goal derailed - remember this:

• Your training isn’t wasted. Fitness and skill are still yours.

• Your community is still here. Squad mates, fellow swimmers, and friends walk the journey with you.

• Your purpose hasn’t vanished. The love of swimming, the challenge, the joy-those remain, if you choose to keep showing up.

Cancelled events hurt. But they don’t define you. What defines you is the choice to put on your cap and goggles anyway, and take that first stroke forward.

So go on, get swimming!

Your Coach, Paul.