Colin McCard - Antrim, Northern Ireland
Name: Colin McCard Age. 52 years young
Known as: No nicknames but some of the kids I teach reckon I’m Aquaman’s brother due to the large build, beard and tattoos (lol)
Where do you live. I was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland. Now live in Lisburn, Co. Antrim Northern Ireland.
Occupation. Swim Teacher and Open Water Swim Coach
I transitioned to swim teaching after filling in for a swim teacher with a series of school swim lessons. I noticed none of the teachers were coaching in-the-water and quite a few kids were being left behind. I saw the need to be in the pool with the kids. Coaching in the water gives the kids much more confidence during their learning.
I now teach in pools, the sea, and the occasional lesson in the local fresh water rock pools in my area.
Connect with Colin
How many times per week do you swim?
The number of swims each week vary depending on my clients. But I am usually in the water for 16-20 swims per week.
What are a couple of your frequent coaching tips Colin?
My most common technique message to my students is to find a rhythm which suits their individual stroke, and find a song they can sing to themselves to keep this tempo.
When coaching in the sea I focus on the kick effort. It is common for swimmers who are novice ocean swimmers to over kick. Relaxing the kick helps them stay controlled in their breathing, reducing fatigue.
And lastly, for sea swimming; when swimming parallel to the shore, breathe towards the shore. This lessens the chance of inhaling sea water (wave motion blowing into the face), gives an idea of how far you have swum, and acts as a distance indicator to the shoreline.
And your own swimming Colin, excluding your coaching sessions.
Excluding my coaching sessions, a regular swim for me is around 1000m, wearing a wetsuit, singing songs, finding a comfortable rhythm. I love the feeling of smoothly gliding without counting my strokes. I don't really have a favourite swim set or distance; I just like to swim.
I also swim occasionally with members of a local swim group @HelensBaywatch.
Where do you swim?
My regular swim spot is a lovely beach just outside Belfast, Helens Bay.
Once a week I also swim in picturesque Newcastle County Down which sits in the shadows of The Mourne Mountains.
Why do you swim Colin?
For my personal swims the main purpose is fitness. But I also use the swims for pain relief and to clear my head, particularly if I've had a busy week
I use the cold water to relieve pain on a bulging L5/S1 disc, an injury from years ago, which still causes me trouble. The colder the water the better which reduces the inflammation and allows me more freedom of movement.
Do you have a current goal or ‘Bucket List’ swim or event in mind?
A goal I would love to do is to complete a year of swimming each day . . . in skins.
The coldest temperatures I am expecting will be as low as 1.4 degrees Celsius (34.5 Fahrenheit), which I will experience in the months of March and April. . . . cannot wait for this!
A bucket list swim for me is to swim at Bondi Beach (Sydney, Australia) or Waikiki Beach (Hawaii, USA)
What’s the best place (or 2) you’ve swum?
13 years ago, while holidaying in Australia I swam at Yanchep (West Australia).
Seeing so much marine life in this small lagoon just blew me away. There was abundance of sea life. I can almost recall every fish I saw, including a blue ringed octopus.
If a visitor came to your town, where would you recommend they swim?
I would recommend they swim in either Newcastle County Down and just check out the view of the mountains or I would take them to one of its many fresh water rock pools at a place called Bloody Bridge.....simply stunning.
Tell us about one of your proudest swimming achievements / moments.
I was never a competitive swimmer, all my swimming has been recreational. My proudest moment was a solo swim to raise money. I raised almost £1000 for a critically ill 6-year-old boy who lived in our street. Unfortunately, the young boy passed away before the swim took place, so the swim was a memorial swim.
The swim was approximately 2 miles across Ballymastocker Bay in Donegal. Halfway through the swim we encountered a Sunfish (Mola Mola).
An amazing reception awaited me at the end . . . and the best pint of Guinness ever.
And a Virtual Channel Challenge recently completed by myself, and several my clients. We raised just over £10,000 for a local Children’s Charity. The object was to swim the 22-mile distance over a 3-month period. But four of us pushed on after mile 22, swimming over 100 miles each during the 3-months.
Physical, mental, and social
Swimming has changed my life in so many ways. Improving not just my physical self, but also my mental health. And I have met so many new friends through swimming. I am never without a swim buddy or someone to chat to at the beach.
Swimming has given me a much better understanding of how the sea works, what to look for, and how to recover from difficult situations which crop up from time to time when we are in the ocean. Information I now pass on to my clients and others.
What’s a fun fact about yourself Colin?
. . . not many people know, but before I became a swim teacher, I was an Undertaker. Maybe not fun but it gets a conversation going, lol!
