Be More Dan: In His Own Words

After the original “Be More Dan” post, a few people asked what it all looked like from the other side of the lane rope.

Dan kindly shared some of his own reflections – how it started, what changed, and what it felt like to finally swim 57 minutes at Ironman Leeds. Honest, grounded, and quietly driven – this is Dan in his own words.

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A Chance Meeting

I first met Bryan at David Lloyd.

I had no idea who he was – just a guy swimming in the lane next to me. At the time, I fancied myself as a decent swimmer, clocking around 1:50 per 100m. I noticed he was quick, but in my naivety, I thought I’d try to keep up with him for a 100m rep.

We pushed off the wall together. By 25m, I was blowing hard. I finished the rep more than a length behind him in what was, unbeknownst to Bryan, a one-man race. My immediate thought: “Wow. Who is this guy, and how do I swim like him?”

We got chatting, and not long after, I joined my first Swim Squad session.

Fast Forward A Few Years

From a 1:50 PB to a 1:10 100m and a 57-minute Ironman swim – how did that happen?

Some reasons are obvious. Others, maybe not.

1. Consistency

It’s not glamorous, but it works. I rarely miss a Monday night session. What else would I be doing from 9–10pm? Probably doom-scrolling social media. Showing up matters.

2. Effort

If I’ve bothered to turn up, then I might as well work hard. Going through the motions feels pointless to me.

3. Friendly Competition

Sometimes it’s mutual, sometimes it’s all in my head. Either way, it pushes me.

Mental Tricks That Help Me Push Through

Here are a few things I do when the set gets tough. They might help you too:

• Goggles stay on until the set is done. No faffing between reps – stay focused.
• Talk to yourself: “This pain won’t last forever – just do the next rep.”
• Remind yourself: “If you’re hurting, so is everyone else. It’s okay to go hard.”
• Respect rest periods. Chat after the set, not during.
• Don’t cruise mid-set. Stay on those toes in front – you’re not just cheating yourself.
• Set a benchmark pace. If it’s 10 x 100m, decide: “I won’t drop below X pace.”
• Move up a lane if needed. If it feels too easy, maybe you’re in the wrong place.

Pacing: The Game Changer

I’ve worked a lot on pacing – it used to be a weak point. I now know what 1:18 / 1:20 / 1:23 / 1:25 feels like. That awareness helps me stay consistent from rep 1 to rep 10.

A Nod to Rivalry

Shoutout to Matt Flood here – he probably doesn’t know this, but at the start of the year, he was improving fast. Quietly, I set myself a goal: Don’t let Matt progress past me. Thanks for the unintended motivation, Matt.

Easy Wins

One thing I notice: people take ages to turn off the wall. Touch, breathe, check the coast is clear… Just touch and go. Even without tumble turns, that alone can shave a few seconds off your 100m.

Ironman Leeds Swim Strategy

A one-to-one with Bryan a few weeks before the race was so important. I used to think a good time meant swimming fast and feeling fast and out of breath. He taught me to trust the easy pace – especially if you can draft off strong swimmers.

My Race Strategy:

• Start near the front with other strong swimmers.
• Trust the easy pace.
• Avoid traffic.
• Draft smart.

In-Race Mindset:

I stayed tuned in to how I was feeling and made decisions before they were needed:

• If someone passes, do I follow or stick?
• Do I trust the person ahead to swim straight?
• Is it worth the effort to stay on toes around this buoy?
• Does this feel like pool swimming? If not, what’s different? Fix it now.

These questions kept me focused and present. I didn’t drift.

Final Thoughts

I know everyone says this, but if I can do it, anyone can. I’m not a swimmer. I learned enough as a kid to survive on holiday, but never joined a swim club. Other sports were more appealing to 11-year-old Dan – mainly playing football for Ipswich Town or cricket for England – and I only started swimming properly when I joined Swim Squad.

If you want perfect technique, I’m not your guy – look at Jo Farrell or Bryan for that. But if you want effort, grit, and a “just get it done” attitude, maybe you’ll find something useful here.