About three years ago, I got a message that simply said:
“Hi, I’m interested in the Swim Squad swimming sessions at Knowsley Leisure Centre. I’ve done a couple of triathlons over the last couple years. Am I good enough to join?”
A few minutes later, another message came through:
“I’m keen to get involved – just need some structure around my swim training. Got a couple of tri’s in May/June. At the moment I just swim aimlessly up and down until I get bored!”
It was from Dan.
No times. No targets. Just curiosity – and a quiet intent to get better.
Fast forward to today, and a few swimmers now say to me:
“I want to be more Dan.”
It always makes me smile.
But they usually follow it up with:
“… how can I do it?”
Here’s what I see – and what we’ve built, together.
Dan trains with focus and purpose.
He set a single, clear goal:
To break 60 minutes for the Ironman swim.
No ambiguity. No backup plan. Just clarity.
From that point on, everything in the pool had direction.
He showed up with intent. Swam harder – and smarter – than most.
He started chasing small, specific improvements: head position, catch, stroke length.
He’s tuned in to how swimming feels, not just how it looks.
And yet…
- He refuses to wear paddles
- Doesn’t believe in tumble turns
- Thinks swim caps are a waste of time
- And he’s never been especially fond of drills
Dan isn’t trying to be the perfect swimmer.
He’s building the swim that works for him – and it’s working.
There’s a respect for quicker swimmers, always.
But no mercy.
If Dan’s on your feet, he’s staying there.
If you’re on his, he expects you to hang on.
What helped him get here?
We focused on a few key things in training – none of them flashy, all of them effective:
Speed
Dan likes to push. He likes to swim fast. From a push-off – no tumble turns, no swim cap, 9:30pm on a Monday night – he can be seen hitting 1:10–1:12 for his fast 100m efforts. Not for show, not for the watch – just because that’s how he trains.
Holding consistent pace across broken sets
Rather than long continuous swims, we built longer sets of 100s and 200s – where the goal was to hit the same time on every rep. Controlled. Purposeful.
Teaching him how to manage effort
Dan learned how to shift gears with control – understanding the difference between holding strong & sustainable and chasing speed too early. That awareness now defines the way he trains.
Technical clarity, not overload
We didn’t over-complicate things with endless drills. We focused on the technical points that mattered most: posture, stroke length, rhythm, and power.
Training with intention, not just volume
Every set had a reason. Every swim had a focus. We trained with purpose, not just mileage.
And when the pool work was in place…
Dan still had one more job to do:
He had to figure out how to transfer pool speed into open water performance.
And that’s where things really came together.
It took:
- Trust – in his form, his pacing, his ability
- Pacing discipline – avoiding too hard, too soon and knowing when to push
- A race-specific stroke rate
- A strong, confident pull – not muscling it, but connecting with the water
- A clear race strategy – not just “swim hard,” but swim smart
In his recent race – Ironman Leeds – that mindset showed.
Old Dan might have forced the pace. Tried to break free. Swam strong, but solo.
This time? He was surrounded by fast swimmers – and he trusted his instinct:
“They’re swimming fast enough.”
Instead of battling for position, he tucked in.
Held the draft.
Swam with them, not against them.
And it paid off.
And maybe the most important part?
Dan is an experienced swimmer now.
Fast. Confident. Respected.
But he still leans in.
He asks questions.
Checks things.
Wants to understand what more he could be doing.
Because to him, progress isn’t a phase – it’s a mindset.
He’s coachable.
Curious.
Still learning.
And that, more than anything, might be what being more Dan is really about.
So what does it mean to Be More Dan?
It doesn’t mean doing everything “right.”
It doesn’t mean loving every drill or ticking every box.
It means knowing what matters – to you – and building around that.
It means showing up to those 9-10pm Swim Squad sessions … every week!
Training when you’re tired.
Trusting the work.
And holding yourself to a standard, even when no one else is watching.
“Be More Dan” isn’t a catchphrase.
It’s a mindset.
And it’s available to every swimmer willing to do the work.
Oh – and one more thing.
That 60 minute swim time he wanted to break?
Last week, Dan swam 57 minutes in his Ironman. One of the first swimmers out of the water.
Goal: ✅
That’s Dan. That’s the standard. Be more Dan.
Postscript: Want to Be More Dan?
Inspired? Here are five things other swimmers can take from Dan’s journey:
- Swim with purpose, not just distance
Stop swimming aimlessly up and down. Build sets with intention. Focus on holding pace, maintaining form, and learning how effort feels over time.- Consistency over perfection
Dan didn’t get faster by chasing perfection – he got faster by showing up. Week after week. Month after month. He swam even when it wasn’t exciting, even when it wasn’t perfect.- Learn to manage pace and effort
You don’t need to swim flat out all the time … but you do need to do it sometimes. Learn how to hold strong pace without tipping over.- Trust the process, then race smart
Training teaches you pace. Racing tests your patience. In the past, Dan might have forced the swim – now, he finds fast feet, drafts well, and trusts that he’s swimming “fast enough.”- Ask questions. Stay curious. Stay coachable.
Dan may be fast now – but he still leans in, asks questions, and looks for ways to improve. That mindset is what keeps him moving forward.
Discover more from Triathlon Swim Squad
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.