Covid survivor gets back in the pool for swimathon

When Catherine Cremona fell ill with coronavirus, she was left shocked at how the disease affected her.
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As an avid swimmer, Catherine prides herself on keeping fit and healthy – so as soon as swimming pools reopened, she was keen to get back in the water to build up her fitness again

after battling the virus.

The 42-year-old, from Bispham is now planning a Swimathon Foundation triple 5k swim this year to help raise funds for Marie Curie and Cancer Research UK.

Catherine Cremona, from Bispham, is back swimming five times a weekCatherine Cremona, from Bispham, is back swimming five times a week
Catherine Cremona, from Bispham, is back swimming five times a week
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Catherine said: “I caught Covid over Christmas and became very ill. My lowest point was sat in the back of an ambulance on Christmas Eve as it was so painful to breathe.

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“I couldn’t believe how ill I had become. There was absolutely nothing wrong with me, I was fit and Covid really did a number on me.

“The paramedics were brilliant and took advice of a doctor who prescribed antibiotics.

Catherine is now training for a swimathonCatherine is now training for a swimathon
Catherine is now training for a swimathon

“The antibiotics started to work after four days. I am very lucky as I know some people have had three rounds of antibiotics without success.

“I was fortunate enough to work from home and recover.”

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Catherine, a mum-of-two and primary school teacher, added: “For my first work out after recovering, I used my nine-year-old daughter’s weights and it felt like someone had poured cement

in them.

“My whole body ached from a 20-minute workout.

“I was so low thinking about how my fitness had been taken by Covid.

“It wasn’t until the end of February that I started to feel any sort of normal.

“I am back swimming five times a week now though so I’m definitely on the mend!”

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Indoor swimming pools reopened on April 12 as part of the government roadmap out of lockdown.

As well as putting in the lengths for her charity swim, Catherine is also training for the Masters European Championships next August.

She has completed two Swimathon events in previous years, and swims at both Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre in Bispham and Fleetwood Swimming Baths.

She added: “Swimming always gives me extra energy from feeling fit.

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“I have got arthritis from an accident I had as a child and swimming really helps. Physiologically, I get to switch off from the outside world and it can feel like a factory reset. “All I want to do

now is look to the future and find the part of me that is a swimmer again.”

Swimathon is the largest annual pool based fundraising swimming event. Visit www.swimathonfoundation.org.

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