Final Reflection - Laps for Life 2025

As my Laps for Life journey comes to an end, I’ve had time to reflect on everything I’ve achieved over the past month. This challenge wasn’t just about swimming a set distance—it was about pushing myself, setting goals, and raising awareness for an issue that truly matters: youth mental health.

Throughout the month, I swam countless laps, competed in major meets, and tested my limits in both the pool and open water. I chased national qualifying times, had moments of success, and faced moments of disappointment. But no matter what, I kept going. And that, in many ways, reflects the message behind Laps for Life—perseverance, resilience, and the importance of having support when things don’t go as planned.

One of the biggest takeaways from this experience has been the power of community. Whether it was my teammates, coaches, friends, or family, I was constantly surrounded by support. I saw firsthand how important it is to lift each other up, especially when things get tough. Not hitting my national times was disappointing, but knowing I had people backing me made all the difference. It reminded me why I took on this challenge in the first place—because so many young people struggle in silence, without that kind of support.

Laps for Life is about more than just swimming—it’s about raising awareness and making a difference. Mental health challenges affect so many young Australians, and knowing that my efforts have helped contribute to an important cause is something I’m incredibly proud of. This journey has shown me that even small actions—like swimming a few extra laps—can contribute to something bigger.

While this challenge has ended, the lessons I’ve learned won’t fade. I’ll carry this experience forward, not only in my swimming but in how I support those around me. Because just like in sport, in life, we’re all in this together.

Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this challenge—your generosity and encouragement have meant the world.

Until next time,
Callum

Day 31: Last Day of Laps for Life

Today marked the final session of Laps for Life, wrapping up an incredible month of swimming. I wanted to finish strong, so the session was a mix of both hard kicking and middle-distance aerobic work—a great balance of endurance and effort.

I started with a kick set, pushing hard through a mix of 50s and 100s, really working the legs and keeping the intensity up. After that, I moved into a middle-distance set with a focus on 200s and 100s, keeping it aerobic but still challenging. It was a solid way to end this journey—no easy laps, just hard work to the very end.

Day 28

After the intensity of APS Finals yesterday, today’s session was all about recovery while still getting in some solid kilometers. The set focused on longer-distance swimming, with a mix of 100s and steady endurance work, allowing me to loosen up while still maintaining good effort.

The total session was 4.98km, a solid way to get back into training mode after such a big race day. My body was definitely feeling a bit tired from all the sprinting yesterday, but pushing through a longer set like this helped shake out the fatigue and reset for the rest of the week. It wasn’t an all-out session, but it was exactly what I needed—building fitness, maintaining consistency, and keeping the momentum going as I look ahead to my next training and racing goals.

Day 27: APS Finals

Today was a huge day—the APS Finals! This is the biggest competition for APS swimming, where all the schools compete for the APS swimming trophy. It’s also the last APS meet of the year, so I was excited to give it my all. I had five events (the maximum allowed):

·      50m Freestyle (B Division)

·      6x50m Breaststroke Relay (one swimmer from each year level)

·      50m Backstroke (A Division)

·      50m Breaststroke (A Division)

·      4x50m Medley Relay (Breaststroke leg)

The atmosphere at this meet is always incredible—everyone is hyped up, the competition is intense, and it’s one of the most exciting events of the season.

I kicked off with the 50m freestyle, an event I wasn’t expecting much from since I’m not a sprinter. But I surprised myself with a 1-second PB and a first-place finish! Racing some of my friends made it even more fun.

Next up was the 6x50m breaststroke relay. I had a strong swim, and our team put in a great effort to finish 2nd overall.

Then came the 50m backstroke, which was a bit of a wildcard for me since backstroke is my least favorite stroke. Still, I gave it my best and managed to come 7th in a tight race, with a solid PB.

The 50m breaststroke was the race I was looking forward to the most. I put together a solid swim, coming 5th with a slight PB.

Finally, I finished the day with the 4x50m medley relay, where I swam the breaststroke leg. I clocked a similar time to my earlier breaststroke race, which I was happy with. Our team finished 5th overall—not quite the result we hoped for, but still a great effort from everyone.

Overall, today was an amazing experience. The racing, the atmosphere, and the energy of the crowd made it an unforgettable event. I was really happy with my swims, and as a school, Caulfield finished 4th in the boys’ overall standings, which was a great achievement. A fantastic way to wrap up the APS swimming season!

Days 24-25: Solid Start to the Week

Kicked off the week with some strong training sessions. Monday night was a tough kick set followed by sprint work at the end—getting the speed locked in for a big day on Thursday. Pushed hard through the set and had some fun racing in the sprints.

Tuesday was a double session. Started the morning with club training, focusing on aerobic endurance. The set was full of back-to-back efforts, mixing 100s and 50s to keep the intensity up. Later in the day, APS training was all about speed—short, explosive efforts and working on powerful sprints. Since it was the last APS session of the season, we finished off with some fun relays and games, keeping the energy high while saving some effort for the big APS session coming up.

Day 22 – APS Swimming Saturday

Today was my APS swim meet at Caulfield. The schools competing were Caulfield, Melbourne Grammar, and Haileybury. It wasn’t a major competition, more of a practice meet, but it was still a great chance to race and get in some solid swims.

I had a mix of individual and relay events, swimming every stroke throughout the meet. It was a fun day overall—I got to catch up with some friends and even raced against a few of them. While the meet wasn’t as intense as some others, it was still a proper competition and a good way to test my racing strategies.

With a big APS competition coming up soon, this was a great lead-up event. I can’t wait for the main meet—it’s going to be exciting!

Day 20 – Why Laps for Life Matters

Swimming has always been a huge part of my life—whether it’s racing, training, or just being in the water, it’s something that gives me purpose and structure. But for many young Australians, mental health struggles can make it hard to find that sense of direction. That’s why Laps for Life is such an important cause.

In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for young people, and so many struggle in silence. Laps for Life isn’t just about swimming laps—it’s about raising awareness, breaking the stigma around mental health, and making sure that no one feels alone in their struggles. Just like in training, where teammates push and support each other, mental health is something we can’t tackle alone. We all need people in our corner, cheering us on, helping us through setbacks, and reminding us that tough moments don’t define us.

That’s why I’m swimming—not just for myself, but for those who need support. Whether it’s a friend, a teammate, or someone I don’t even know, I hope that by taking part in this challenge, I can help spread the message that no one should have to struggle alone.

Days 18 – 21: Reset, Refocus, and Keep Moving Forward

After a big few weeks of racing, it was time to ease back into training. I focused on getting some solid swimming in without pushing too hard—just resetting my body and mind.

One of the biggest lessons from Laps for Life is that mental health is just as important as physical health, especially for young people in Australia. Not hitting my national times was disappointing, and in the past, I might have let that frustration get to me. But I’ve learned that setbacks don’t define me—it’s how I respond that matters. Swimming has always been my way to clear my mind and keep pushing forward, and that’s exactly what I’m doing now.

Even though I didn’t get the national time this time around, I’m resetting my goals and staying focused on improving. Just like with mental health, there are always ups and downs, but what’s important is that I keep showing up, keep working hard, and keep believing in myself.

Day 17 - Last Chance for National Qualifying Times

Today marked my final opportunity to hit a national qualifying time for the season. The competition took place at MSAC after school, and I had two events: the 200m freestyle and the 400m freestyle.

The 200m freestyle was first, and it was a big race for me. I knew I had to give it everything if I wanted to hit that national time. I pushed hard from the start, particularly focusing on the first 100m, knowing that if I was going to have a chance, it had to be there. I gave everything in that last 50m, leaving it all in the pool. In the end, I shaved off .1 of a second off my personal best, but I still missed the national time by just .35 seconds. Although I didn’t hit the mark, I was still incredibly happy with the swim— it was my absolute best time, and I’m proud of how I raced.

I still had one more shot with the 400m freestyle. My plan was to go for the 200m mark, touch the wall at that halfway point, and then coast through the second half. I followed my race plan, but I realized I needed to be faster on the third 50m. That was where the difference came. I had the right pacing for the first half, but I couldn’t quite finish as strong as I wanted. The short gap between my two races didn’t give me enough time to fully reset, which definitely impacted my performance. I ended up adding a few seconds to my time, but even so, I’m still proud of the effort I put in, especially after getting so close to the national time again.

In moments like these, when you just fall short of a goal, the support of teammates and friends makes a huge difference. I wasn’t the only one chasing national times today, and some of my teammates also just missed out. But instead of letting the disappointment bring us down, we encouraged each other, reminding ourselves that this isn’t the end—it’s just another step in the journey. Swimming can be tough mentally, but having people around who understand, who push you and lift you up, makes it easier to keep going. No matter the result, we all walked away knowing we gave it everything, and that’s what matters most.

And with that, my long-course season for swimming has come to an end. It’s been a great season, and even though I didn’t hit the national times this year, I know what I need to work on for next time. I’ll be back stronger, and I’ll make sure to push myself even harder to get there next year.

Day 16 - Caulfield Aquatics Swim Meet

Today, I raced at the Caulfield Aquatics swim meet, representing my club at my home pool—Caulfield Grammar. I was excited and ready to go, knowing this was another big opportunity to hit my national qualifying times.

I had three events:
50m Breaststroke
100m Breaststroke
200m Freestyle

I started the day with the 50m breaststroke—this was more of a warm-up swim, so I wasn’t too focused on the time. I added 0.5 seconds, but it wasn’t a big deal since I wasn’t aiming for a national time in this event.

Then came the 100m breaststroke, a big swim where I really wanted to hit the qualifying time. Unfortunately, it didn’t go to plan. I added 2 seconds, which meant I missed my last chance to qualify in this event. It was disappointing, but I couldn’t let it bring me down.

I had another shot at a national time—the 200m freestyle. Three other boys in my heat were also chasing the qualifying time, so I knew it was going to be a tough race. I went out hard, knowing that was my best chance to hit the time. I added 0.4 seconds to my PB and finished 0.9 seconds off the national time—so close, but not quite there.

Today wasn’t the day I wanted, but that’s how racing goes sometimes. Now, time to refocus—tomorrow is another big meet, and it’s my last chance to qualify. Time to give it everything.

Day 15 - Mentone 2.5KM Open Water Swim

Big day today! I competed in a 2.5km open water swim down at Mentone, and I was really excited for it. I’ve done a few open water swims before, so I’m starting to get used to it, but each race is still a new challenge.

Perfect conditions today—couldn’t have asked for better! The water was super flat, almost like a pool, and it was warmer than usual for ocean water (still a bit cold for me, though!). Since it wasn’t too cold, I didn’t need to wear a wetsuit, and the sun was peeking through the clouds, making it a great day for racing.

I started the race strong, getting used to the water temperature. I had some tough competition against an old friend from my previous club. In the pool, I’m usually faster than him, but he has a lot more open water experience, so I knew it was going to be a close race.

For most of the swim, we were side by side, pushing each other the whole way. It all came down to the final stretch—at the last buoy, where we had about 100m to the finish, the water got shallow early, meaning the last part of the race was mostly running through the water. My lack of experience in that situation gave him the edge, and he just beat me at the end.

Still, I was really happy with my race—I swam fast, had lots of fun, and ended up finishing 2nd in the junior boys! It was a great experience, and I’m excited to keep improving in open water racing.

Now, time to switch gears—back in the pool racing tomorrow!

Days 11-14: Recovery & Race Prep: Training After Metro Champs

After a big meet, training this week wasn’t too intense—I slowly eased back into it while still getting some solid work in.

Tuesday: APS session—focused on aerobic work with lots of 100s. A good session to build endurance after racing.

Wednesday: IM session, working on turns, skills, and distance. It was a solid workout, helping me clean up my technique while getting the meters in.

Thursday: Suit-up session—this was the main session of the week, really focusing on hitting race paces. The set was all about 200m pace, and I had a great session, hitting all my targets, swimming fast, and pushing through. This session was a huge confidence boost leading into the upcoming weekend, where I’ll be chasing national qualifying times.

Friday: Lighter session, with more aerobic work, but nothing too intense. I kept things controlled, making sure I didn’t overdo it with a big weekend of racing ahead. Still, it was a solid swim, getting the kilometers up while staying fresh.

Day 10 – Why I’m Swimming for Laps for Life

Ten days into Laps for Life, and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on why I’m doing this and why it’s so important.

Mental health is something that affects so many young people in Australia, yet it’s not always talked about enough. 1 in 4 young Australians experience mental health challenges, and 70% of them don’t get the help they need. That’s a heartbreaking statistic. Suicide remains the leading cause of death among young Australians—taking more lives than car accidents. That’s why Laps for Life is so important.

Swimming has always been something that helps me clear my mind. Whether it’s a tough session, a big race, or just an easy swim, being in the water gives me a break from everything else. But not everyone has an outlet like that. That’s why I’m supporting ReachOut, the charity behind Laps for Life—so that more young people can get the support and resources they need when they’re struggling.

This past week has been a mix of highs and lows. I’ve had some great races and PBs, but I’ve also missed out on national qualifying times. It’s easy to get caught up in results and let setbacks bring you down, but this challenge reminds me that it’s about showing up, pushing through, and focusing on the bigger picture.

Every lap I swim is for a cause bigger than myself, and I’m grateful for the support from everyone who has donated so far. Knowing that this challenge is helping to make a difference keeps me motivated to keep going. 

Day 10 - 2025 Metropolitan LC Champs (Day 3)

Last day of racing! Today, I swam the 100m Breaststroke in the morning and finished the meet with a medley relay at night, where I swam the breaststroke leg.

I was really excited for today—being the final day, I had a fun individual event in the morning and a relay with my team to wrap it all up.

My 100m Breaststroke went really well—I dropped a huge 3.5-second PB! I was super happy with that, especially because I got really close to the national qualifying time, missing it by just 0.6 seconds. This wasn’t an event I expected to be anywhere near a national time—I originally saw it as a fun sprint event, not something I usually focus on. To swim that fast was an awesome surprise!

At night, I raced in my team’s B Medley Relay, swimming the breaststroke leg. The atmosphere was electric, watching the finals and racing with my clubmates and friends. I put down a fast split, but unfortunately, our team was disqualified due to an early takeoff from one of our swimmers. Even though we got disqualified it was still such a fun race and a great way to end the meet.

Final Thoughts:

This competition was a massive success—I got PBs in every event, came so close to two national qualifying times, and most importantly, had an awesome time racing. All-around, an amazing weekend, and I couldn’t be happier with how it all went! I still have two more chances to get those national qualifying times next weekend, can’t wait for that.

Day 9 – 2025 Metropolitan LC Champs (Day 2)

Second day of racing! Today, I swam the 200m Freestyle and 400m Freestyle—two of my favourite and main events.

I started with the 200m Freestyle, and I was definitely feeling the nerves. It’s my main event, so I really wanted to put down a great swim. I was in the last heat, swimming in lane 9 (the outside lane). I went in with the mindset to go for it, and it paid off—I dropped a huge 3.13-second PB out of nowhere! I was super surprised and absolutely stoked with the result. I took it out hard and pushed all the way, especially on the last lap. Before this meet, I thought I was still too far off national qualifying times, but after this swim, I’m now only 0.45 seconds away! That was a massive confidence boost.

My second event was the 400m Freestyle, later in the day around midday, when it was hot and sunny. But I didn’t let that affect me. After my fast 200m, I was pumped and ready to go. Racing next to a teammate and close friend helped a lot—we pushed each other the entire way. I ended up dropping a 6-second PB, which I was super happy with. I swam exactly how I wanted to, stayed strong, and never gave up.

Overall, today was a huge success—two big PBs, nearly a national time, and all while still recovering from being sick. So many positives to take away, and I can’t wait for another big day tomorrow!

Day 8 – 2025 Metropolitan LC Champs (Day 1)

Today was the first day of the 2025 Metropolitan Long Course Championships—a three-day competition running from Saturday to Monday. I’m competing in five individual events and one relay over the weekend.

For Day 1, I swam the 200m Breaststroke and 200m IM.

In the 200m Breaststroke, I swam a personal best (PB), dropping 2.18 seconds. I was really happy with this swim—I took it out fast, even hitting a 100m PB in the first half of the race, and did my best to finish strong. Overall, it was a really solid swim.

My second event was the 200m IM, where I swam another PB, improving by 0.94 seconds. It was a tough race, but I felt strong all the way through and was really happy with the result.

Overall, today was a fun and successful day, achieving two PBs, which I’m especially proud of since I’ve been feeling a bit sick over the past few days. I’m really happy with my swims and can’t wait for tomorrow!

Day 6

Unfortunately, I woke up feeling sick today, which wasn’t ideal. I had to take a break from training and focus on resting up to recover. It’s always frustrating when illness sets in, but it’s important to listen to my body and give it the rest it needs.

The good news is, I’ve got a big weekend of swimming ahead, so I’m using today to rest and get prepared. Hopefully, by the weekend, I’ll be back to full strength and ready to give it my all in the water.

Day 5: IM Focus

Only one session today, but it was a tough one—an IM set that really pushed me. We worked on IM switch, getting faster as the set progressed, which meant building speed while keeping good form across all strokes. Short rest between reps made it even tougher, but I stayed focused and pushed through.

It was one of those sessions where you really have to dig deep, but I felt strong and worked hard. Good to get some IM in, felt good. Another solid day in the bank!

Day 4: Double Swim Session – Pushing Through

After a big night of racing at All Schools Relay Night, today was all about getting back to work with a tough double swim session. The morning was a 5.0km middle-distance endurance set, packed with 100s and lots of aerobic work. It was all about pushing through fatigue and keeping a strong pace, especially after racing the night before. Definitely a grind, but a solid session.

The night session was the complete opposite—a sprint-focused workout with lots of short, fast 25s and 50s, plus some dives. Mixed up the strokes adding some breaststroke and butterfly. Racing my teammates made it even more fun, keeping the intensity high and bringing out that competitive edge.

Overall, a big day of swimming, but I’m feeling good and getting into the rhythm of things. The body’s sore, but that just means the work is paying off!

Day 3: All Schools Relay Night – APS Swimming Competition

Tonight swimming was an exciting one—it was All Schools Relay Night, one of the big events in my APS(school sports) swimming calendar. Representing Caulfield Grammar, I had five swims, covering a total of 800m, including warm-up. With only 50 races in the entire competition, every swim counted, and the energy on pool deck was incredible.

I was really happy with how I swam, hitting some personal bests and putting down some fast times. It felt great to see all the training pay off and to race alongside my teammates in such a competitive environment. The boys team finished 2nd overall, which was an awesome achievement for us.

Beyond the competition, the night was just a lot of fun, the team spirit, the excitement of each race and the atmosphere of the crowd. Overall a very successful school competition. Looking forward to swim training tomorrow.

Day 2: Williamstown open water swim

Today’s swim was a challenge, but one I won’t forget. I completed a 2.5km open water swim at Williamstown, and while the conditions were far from ideal, choppy water, it was still a great experience.

This was my third open water swim, but my first time racing in tough conditions, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Despite the challenge, I pushed through and was really happy with my performance. I finished 2nd in the junior age group and 7th overall, which felt like a big achievement given the conditions.

Looking forward to racing tomorrow night!

Day 1: APS Swimming

Today marked the start of my Laps for Life journey, and I couldn’t be more excited. Mental health, especially among teenagers, is a growing concern across Australia, and that’s why I’ve chosen to participate. As someone who loves swimming, I know firsthand the incredible physical and mental benefits it offers.

For me, swimming isn’t just about fitness, it’s an escape from technology. It helps clear my mind, boosts my mood, and is a great way to manage stress.

Although I didn’t have any swim training today, I still got in some solid laps during my school sport session. I swam 500m, which included races and relays. It was a great start, but I’m looking forward to swimming longer distances tomorrow as I continue my journey.