Take on the Swimtag challenge

Swimtag provides participants with a smartwatch that enables them to track online their performance and progress in the pool over time.

It can be used to set long-term goals, record calories burned and track key statistics from each swimming session, even down to analysing each swimming stroke in detail.

Another key feature of Swimtag is that it allows users to take part in virtual swim challenges from the comfort of their own local pool. All they need to do is choose a competition from a list provided via Swimtag and they can compete against thousands of other swimmers from across the globe.

A team of customers from Hartlepool Borough Council’s Mill House Leisure Centre recently took part in a challenge which started on 14th March, to swim 105km as a team of ten before St Patrick’s Day on 17th March.

They competed against three other leisure centres and despite everyone’s busy day-to-day lives managed to complete the distance in just four days. The Mill House Team was the only one to reach the required distance before St Patrick’s Day, with the next closest team only completing around 70-80km.

Simon Almond, Assistant Manager – Aquatics with Active Hartlepool, said: “The team did so well to reach 105kms in just four days and all of the members thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The team members said that the competitive element of pitting themselves against other leisure centre spurred them on to swim as far as they possibly could, and they are looking forward to participating in similar events in the future.

“We would also encourage other people in Hartlepool to get in touch and discover the fun, enjoyment and sense of achievement that can be gained from being involved with Swimtag.

“Whilst we do quarterly Swimtag challenges, people can also take part in their own personal virtual events and compete against themselves with their own training plans.”

The next virtual Swimtag challenge, a Commonwealth Games Swim, will run from 13th May-13th June, with participants set a target of swimming 16km in 32 days or 3,549 metres a week. All swimmers who complete the challenge will receive an Active Hartlepool water bottle and the winner will receive a month’s free membership.

All people need to do to take part is download the Swimtag app and link it to their smartwatch or to one of Active Hartlepool’s Swimtags which are available to all customers with an Active Card when they swipe in at Mill House Leisure Centre. Everyone registered at Mill House Leisure Centre will also receive an email inviting them to take part in the challenge. Anyone wanting to find out more can email simon.almond@hartlepool.gov.uk

For more information about Swimtag visit www.activehartlepool.co.uk/swimtag

For full details of all Active Hartlepool memberships go to www.activehartlepool.co.uk/memberships