For my mental and physical health
Real reason: I want to stop overthinking.
True reason: I want to be able to chat easily while climbing stairs or hills without breaking a sweat or huffing and puffing as my friends are gasping for air
It makes me feel good both mentally and physically. I’m still a beginner, so for now, I’m just enjoying steady progress
I started swimming at 14, which is later than most serious swimmers. When I first started, I had some dreams that seemed impossible, but I trained because it gave me purpose. I was going through tough times, and training motivated me to improve, even though I couldn’t compete with girls who had been swimming their whole lives. I set small goals that made me feel like I was improving.
Now, a little over a year later, I’ve achieved some incredible things I never dreamed possible. I qualified for nationals and earned a state medal. I come from a place where none of this has much value. No matter how good I get, I can’t go to college because of swimming and there’s no money for a pro career, plus I’m not at that level yet. But I keep pushing myself and giving it my all because I want to improve for myself, even if it doesn’t lead anywhere externally. Swimming clears my mind and has motivated me to improve in life. What keeps me going is the love for the sport
I’m training to get my Molchanovs Wave 1 Freediving License
I enjoy the body shape swimming gives me. I transitioned from being a gym rat to becoming a swimmer, and it feels great. It seems more sustainable than gym workouts too.
I also have a 12-kilometer open water swim planned for this summer 
I started training because I wanted to prepare for a diving test. However, lap swimming turned into a hobby when I realized how much it helped manage my stress and anxiety
I’m in my mid-50s and came back after almost 35 years. I mostly compete in 50+ meets but have participated in a couple of masters events. I’m training and competing to avoid getting bored swimming laps. Plus, I’m on a great team with ages ranging from 40 to 90!
I used to be a long-distance freestyle swimmer, and now I also compete in backstroke and butterfly. I’ve significantly improved my fitness: lost weight, gained muscle, and built stamina while dropping my times
I’m training so I can indulge in junk food as an adult (which doesn’t really work, I can outwork a bad diet)
To keep myself in shape. It’s a great full body cardio workout
I’m training to survive the swim segment of triathlons. When I say survive, I mean getting through an open water swim alive.
During my first ocean triathlon, I had a panic attack about 400 meters in. I rolled onto my back and kicked for about 100 meters, which was something I had practiced in the pool.
I can’t wait until swimming feels easier
It’s always the same goal: the next USMS nationals
I swim laps to prepare for lake swimming in the summer and to build endurance so I can swim and snorkel as much as I want whenever I find beautiful turquoise water.
I’m trying to convince my husband to join me for a wild swimming vacation, which they have in places like Mallorca, Greece, and Turkey
For weight loss, fitness, and mental health (I have Asperger’s syndrome)
I can’t compete in strongman competitions anymore due to back injuries, so I push myself in the pool, learning proper swimming techniques, trying out drills, and different workouts. I plan to do triathlons someday (I did a sprint triathlon over a decade ago and loved it, but it didn’t fit well with strongman training)
I’m training for open water swimming later this year. I participated last year but could only manage breaststroke. I’m focusing on my front crawl technique now and feel like I’ve made progress
I’m trying to delay the day and severity of an impending stroke - Kathleen Madigan
I’ve got some sciatica issues going on, and I’m in law school, so swimming helps with the pain. Besides that, I want to be a better swimmer. I enjoy being in the water, and swimming benefits my mental health, especially since I have limitations on other activities right now because of my condition
Thanks for sharing your experiences! I think you should keep trying to improve despite your doubts! I stopped swimming in high school and restarted last year at 32. I have my own concerns about making it in para swimming because most of my peers are in their late teens or 20s and have more training experience. Even with my doubts and age, I’m going to keep pushing myself, and I hope you find the motivation to do the same 
I watched a girl swim all four strokes and made that my goal. I’m three-quarters of the way there (still need to learn the butterfly). I don’t like exercises that make me sore, and swimming is the only one that doesn’t, so I love it 