Meet Brendan!
Brendan O’Connor, our LAP it UP Champion from Woodend in the Macedon Ranges, was never much of a swimmer as a kid but things have changed!
He has always enjoyed mucking around in the water, especially in the ocean.
“Getting belted in the surf gives me a great sense of freedom and makes me feel like a kid,” he says.
For Brendan, swimming has become more a part of his routine since being less involved in team sports. He swims first thing in the morning.
“It just feels like you’re setting off into the world on the right foot,” Brendan says. “It’s a good form of exercise for my ailing body and good thinking time without distraction.”
Brendan made a splash for LAP it UP last year partly as motivation for himself to commit to regular exercise but also to get behind Live4Life. “What I found was it was a great opportunity to have conversations about mental health with work mates, friends and my teenage son who joined me in the pool from time to time.”
While swimming can be an individual pursuit, Brendan found joining LAP it UP made it feel like he was part of something bigger and a really worthwhile cause. “That motivation makes it a little easier to get to the pool at 6am too!”
Swimming at the Gisborne and Kyneton pools last year, Brendan met his goal of averaging a kilometre a day!
His plans for LAP it UP 2023? Brendan is looking to stretch the distance further this year and hopes to swim outdoors in the ocean or at the reservoir.
“LAP it UP is a really accessible way to get involved,” he says, “and I look forward to playing a small part in shining a spotlight on the great program run by Live 4 Life and issues around mental health awareness and support at a community level.”
