21 December 2025 marked a special milestone for Swimathon as it celebrated its 10th anniversary—a decade of bringing swimmers together to challenge limits, build endurance, and experience the joy of marathon swimming.
My journey with Swimathon began back in 2016, and I participated for four straight years before the pandemic disrupted the racing calendar. What I’ve always loved about Swimathon is its unique and inclusive race concept: 10 loops of 1 km. This format allows beginners to attempt their first 10 km swim with the option to rest every kilometer, while seasoned swimmers can push for a personal best on a fast-paced, pool-like race course.
With a 6-hour cut-off time, Swimathon remains one of the most beginner-friendly marathon swim events, while still offering competitive depth for experienced athletes.
A Return After a Break
Due to work commitments and personal motivation challenges, I did not race any 10 km open water swim in 2024, breaking my usual routine of completing at least one marathon swim annually. That made Swimathon 2025, held in Pattaya, Thailand, especially meaningful—it marked my return to the 10 km distance.
This year, three Fishlike coaches took on the same event:
Coach Felicia Lim – her 4th 10 km marathon
Coach Leon Neo – a seasoned open-water marathon swimmer
Coach Fish Tang – with over 20 marathon swims completed
We arrived in Thailand on a special day, which coincided with the 4 × 1500 m Open Water Relay at the 33rd SEA Games. After witnessing an exciting and closely fought race between Team Singapore, Team Vietnam, and Team Bangkok, we headed straight to the Swimathon race site to collect our race kits.
Challenging Conditions and Smart Preparation
During our afternoon warm-up swim, we noticed something unusual—the sea was very choppy, unlike the calm and flat conditions Swimathon is known for. Complicating matters further, the race venue had been changed just one week before the event, and Coach Leon shared the official race briefing video with us.
According to the organisers, the “golden window” to complete the swim was within 4 hours, before sea conditions deteriorated.
Race morning proved the briefing right.
At 6:30 am, the water was calm and quiet.
Race Execution and Strategy
Without my Garmin watch (sadly spoiled), I relied on a $10 Decathlon watch, tracking each loop and aiming to keep every kilometer under 20 minutes, targeting 2:00 per 100 m. To avoid miscounting laps and losing time at feeding stations, I planned to:
Eat a heavy breakfast
Take one energy bar before the start
Swim the first 5 km nonstop (about 90 minutes)
Consume one gel at 5 km and another at 8 km
Sprint the final 2 km
The plan worked perfectly.
I crossed the finish line in 3:13:07, improving significantly from my 2019 time of 3:31:31 on the same course.
Fishlike Coaches on the Podium
All three Fishlike coaches delivered outstanding performances, each earning a podium finish:
30–39 Women, 10 km
🥉 3rd – Felicia Lim – 3:41:18
40–49 Men, 10 km
🥈 2nd – Fish Tang – 3:13:07
50–59 Men, 10 km
🥉 3rd – Leon Neo – 3:16:38
The 4R Principles of Success
This race reinforced a belief I strongly stand by—success is achievable when you follow the 4R principles:
- Right mindset
- Right mentors
- Right techniques
- Right network
Setting a clear goal of 3:20 for the 10 km gave me focus and direction. Years of guidance from the right mentors provided proven training strategies. Coaching both long-distance swimmers and sprinters helped refine my techniques. Most importantly, training consistently with the right group of people at 5:30 am every morning pushed me to regain my fitness and speed over the past three months—even on days when I ran on just three hours of sleep.
Final Thoughts
I’ll end this race report with my favourite quote:
“If you think you can, or if you think you can’t—you are right.”
Your mind ultimately decides your results.
Here’s to 10 years of Swimathon, and many more kilometers ahead. 🏊♂️💪
