An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast

The final episode of Season 3 is with the Triple Crown and Original Triple Crown Swimmer, Martyn Webster. Martyn has completed numerous marathon swims over his illustrious time in the sport and is someone I am about to share a swimming holiday with in a matter of weeks... It was great to close the season chatting to someone who knows so much and had a plethora of knowledge to impart! Enjoy!

Today’s guest is one of the nicest guys you are ever likely to come across in the world of Marathon Swimming… a former top elite swimmer who ended up taking a little time away form the sport entirely; when he returned he embarked on his marathon swimming journey - he won the famous 25km Rottnest Swim in Australia, and then decided that he would aim to complete the famous Ocean 7 in one calendar year… for those who might not know, the Ocean7 is a set of seven ultra marathon swims across the globe, which are The English Channel, The North Channel, Gibraltar Strait, Catalina Channel, Molokai Channel, Cook Strait and the Tsugaru Strait … they vary from 44km to 16km in distance and really only a handful of people have completed all seven (21 so far, as of March 2023).

He broke the British Record with his English Channel swim last year in 8 hours and very recently broke the World Record for the 26km Cook Strait in a staggering 4 hours 33mins…

I was thrilled to welcome to the podcast Andy Donaldson…

I have been wanting to record today’s guest for quite some time… about 18 months ago I developed a shoulder issue outside of the pool which prevented me from swimming. Having never had any issues with my shoulders before in the pool and also having booked Jersey Solo and English Channel Swim attempts, I needed to fix it properly. I found a place many a Sussex-based swimmer has found solace before and he is a bit of local legend in getting broken swimmers back into the water. He is himself a swimmer and surfer and of course an Osteopath and Physiotherapist… It was terrific to welcome to the podcast Mark Andrews! Happy Swimming!

I loved talking to today’s guest - she is an author, editor and podcaster. She co-hosts the "Postcards From Midlife" podcast and her first book 'Mum what's wrong with you: 101 things only the mothers of teenage girls know" was a Sunday Times top 10 best seller. She is a former editor of Cosmo, ELLE and Sunday Times Style and a mum of four children aged 10 to 19. She is currently writing a new book about the experiences of women in midlife… and she is an avid swimmer and cold water dipper; and as you’ll see, uses the water as part of her mental health tool-kit. It was a great privilege to chat to Lorraine Candy. Enjoy!

I so enjoyed this talk with the legendary Steven Munatones: he has written about the sport since the 60’s and is one of the most influential people in the world of Open Water Swimming. He founded the World Open Water Swimming Association, the Oceans Seven and is a marathon swimmer, water polo player, commentator, race director, coach and recent winner of the annual SCAR race held in Arizona (more of that anon in the chat). He needs no introduction to anyone connected to the sport. It’s an honour to welcome him onto the show. Enjoy!!

Season 3 kicks off with the truly excellent Professor Greg Whyte O.B.E. Greg is a passionate OW Swimmer - having swam the length of the Thames: TWICE... He is a double Olympian; he won European bronze and World Championship silver medals, representing Great Britain in the Modern Pentathlon. He is a world renowned sport scientist and Physical Activity Expert and is a preeminent authority on Exercise Physiology and Sports and Exercise. I so enjoyed this chat and it was a fab way to kick start the new season. Enjoy and Happy Swimming!!

Bonus Episode for the final time off the back of Season 2... I caught up with Sally to ask her about her recent historic Channel Swim, which means she has crossed the Channel in every decade of her life from teens to now (six); obviously including her historic double crossing in 2016.

She is an utter inspiration and I was thrilled she was able to come on and share her experience - all for charity in memory of her dear late husband Charlie, please find the link to donate here: https://sportsgiving.co.uk/sponsorship/entry/23279

Season 2 Bonus Episode!!

I had the pleasure of speaking to Sally Minty-Gravett (M.B.E.), who this year is embarking on her sixth decade of solo Channel Swimming, having swam The English Channel in her previous five decades. She is the oldest person to have completed a double English channel solo, and has swam Catalina, Manhattan and much much more... she has a long list of swimming achievements, and was inducted into the Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as a result. Enjoy!!

Sally is swimming The English Channel (again!) in August and is raising money for Jersey Lifeboat Association & Dementia Jersey, in memory of her dear husband Charlie, here is the link as promised: https://sportsgiving.co.uk/sponsorship/entry/232791

If anyone is interested in hearing my swimming story then I was interviewed on Marathon Swim Stories here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/marathon-swim-stories/id1516104108?i=1000561523457

https://marathonswimstories.com/will-ellis/

It's the final episode of the season and what better way to close it than with one of the most well known marathon swimmers, Chloe McCardel. Chloe has swam The English Channel 44 times, surmounting Alison Streeter's record last year, in 2021 (those swims included a triple crossing and three double crossings!!) She also holds the record for the longest Ocean Swim at 124km in 42 hours, and is a total inspiration. It's Chloe McCardel!!

Episode 11 of Season 2 is the one and only Thomas Lurz... a total hero of mine and I was honoured that I got to be able to speak to him. He has won a staggering 39 medals at Europeans / Worlds and Olympic Races. He is by far and away the most decorated Open Water Swimmer of all time, and certainly one of the most decorated swimmers of all time. We chat about not living in the past; the fact that every race starts at point zero and a fear of Catfish... Enjoy!!

It's Episode 10 of Season 2, and I have the brilliant Caroline Saxon to share with you. She is a former GB swimmer turned GB Ice Swimmer... in fact, after we recorded this podcast she went to the Ice Swimming World Champs in Poland where she won medals and broke records. She has her own podcast "The Swimmer Tribe Podcast", where she may air this chat too. We talk about the Journey rather than the goal: "Becoming is better than Being", swimming being the glue that holds some relationships together and Cold Water Swimming being part of a larger toolkit for mental health. Enjoy...!

Episode 9 of Season 2 is with the awesome Ray Gibbs of "Swim Canary Wharf" Fame... Ray set up his coaching facility in response to watching GB swimmers swim at his local club and the lack of really concise technique coaching available to swimmers - especially distance swimmers. As a swim coach he teaches a whole range of swimmers and top athletes, and also competes as a distance swimmer himself. We chat about never regretting a swim, how fear can help you . . . and also the Posidonia 10km race in Ibiza which Ray swam in 2021, where he got stung a staggering 37 times by jellyfish: a race I will be swimming with Ray in 2022, so it was awesome to pick his brains about my most feared stretch of water anywhere in the world (as well as ask him the 6 questions!). Enjoy.

Episode 8 (S2) of An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast, with Will Ellis... today's guest is known as "The Adaptive Athlete", having lost full use of her legs in a cycling accident on her way to swim training as a triathlete. Not to be deterred, she began swimming again and recently completed a double Windermere crossing (similar distance to The English Channel). She also is a force advocating change in our sport to make Open Water abets more inclusive, and there are some important conversations that need to happen, which hopefully will result in action being taken by organisers really soon...  This chat was absolutely riveting and I have deliberately left it virtually unabridged in the edit as it was beautifully rich in content. Welcome to the podcast Sophie Etheridge!

Episode 7 (Season 2) of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast" and it was a real treat to chat to everyone's favourite editor Jonny Cowie. We chat about Cold Water Swimming being a bit daft, getting your fix behind Dulwich Picture Gallery, Windermere in the winter and lots of other things... Loved this one: Enjoy!!

Episode 6 (S2) of An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast; and it was my pleasure to chat to Alice Goodridge... Alice set up Swim Wild in 2018 as a way of sharing her passion for Open Water with those around her. She has tackled the English Channel and is quietly working her way through he cold lochs of the Scottish highlands, where she is now based. I loved this chat as Alice had so much passion for what she does which really shines through. Enjoy...!!

Episode five of An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast and I was honoured to chat to former Navy Seal John Doolittle. John swam The English Channel in memory of his friend Neil Roberts who was the first Seal killed in combat after 911; John continues to raise money for fallen and injured servicemen and their families through swimming. We chat about all sorts on this one including shallow water blackouts, hammerhead breeding grounds and boxing Eagle Rays... a man who has been around the world many times over as a special forces operative, seen it and done it: and what a lovely bloke to top it all off. Enjoy!

Episode 4 (Season 2) of An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast... It was awesome to be able to fire the six questions at The Merthyr Mermaid, Cath Pendleton. This episode was recorded during full lockdown in February 2021 and hearing it back, the episode is full of hope that we might actually get to swim again... one day... Anyway, Cath has a Guinness World record for the furthest northerly swim inside The Antarctic Circle and is on her way to conquering the Ice Seven; which is an Ice Mile on all seven continents. Thank goodness she loves the cold water. She was a wonderful guest, and I hope you enjoy listening to her.

It's Series 2 Episode 3 of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast" with me Will Ellis. I have a professional athlete for you today, and he answers quite beautifully the six questions; he raced on the FINA circuit for a number of years in the marathon 10km event and went to World Championships representing Ireland in that event for the first time. We chat about all sorts on this one, from having your own superpower to the temptations to swim The English Channel (and the temptation to do a fast time): We recorded this exactly a year ago (so in Jan 2021) and he had just recovered from Covid… so I thank him for his patience in being able to hear this one back! I really loved this one - enjoy...

I got to open Season 2 with this fantastic chat with Colin Hill, one of the most important people in the Open Water Swimming world here in the UK. He set up ChillSwim in 2013 which hosts swims all across the beautiful Lake district; he also worked closely with FINA (world swimming federation) bringing the elite marathon swimming events to Social Media and TV channels. He has a long list of swimming accolades (including dodging blue sharks in Madeira); he was the 1st official UK male ice mile swimmer and is widely recognised as one of the key figures organising the Olympic 10km Marathon Swimming Race to London's Serpentine; and swims, coaches and guides near his home in Ullswater. We recorded this in February 2021 in full lockdown and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did…

Just a little promo for Season Two for those of you maybe not following the Social Media channels... S2/E1 will be out on 1/01/22. (Make sure you follow @owswimpod on Instagram and Twitter for all news). Until next year, Happy Swimming. Will

It's Episode 12 of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast" . . . this is the final episode of the Season and it was a privilege to be able to speak to Sarah Thomas. Sarah became the first and only person to have completed a four way English Channel crossing in 2019, a swim that took her 54 hours. She also holds the record for the longest unassisted swim: in 2017 she swam the 168.3km across Lake Champlain, in a staggering 67 hours and 16 minutes. Sarah was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2017, shortly after this record breaking achievement; once in remission, not to be deterred, it was then she fulfilled her goal of swimming the four way English Channel. Her accomplishments in ultra marathon swimming are jaw dropping and it was a delight to be able to share this chat with you. She is humble yet superhuman and I am grateful for her time in closing Season One... Enjoy.

It's Episode 11 of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast" . . . it was an absolute joy to be able to chat to DJ, Radio Broadcaster and Wim Hoff devotee, Eddy Temple-Morris. Not only is Eddy a passionate advocate of the sea and all that lives within it, he is also a patron of the charity "My Black Dog"; a charity close to his heart that deals with anyone who needs help with their mental wellbeing. He started Wim Hoff a number of years ago as a way to improve his mental state, and now he is an ardent proponent of its benefits. We chat about swimming pools in Iran, Resveretrol, being chased by Trigger Fish and how the water wants to kill you... allegedly. Enjoy!

Episode eight of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast" . . . today's guest is one of the most decorated swimmers of all time having set 233 FINA World Records at Masters Level (33 of which still stand). She was inducted into the Swimming Hall of Fame in 2017 and is the author of "The Do Over": her autobiography telling the story of her struggles with addiction while at the same time being a swimming prodigy and Olympic hopeful. Her recovery and subsequent swimming accolades are riveting to read or listen to - both in and out of the pool. She is also a motivational speaker and swimming coach, teaching her 'Faster Freestyle' clinics around the world every year. It made for a compelling and brilliant chat, and I was fortunate enough to have some of her time form her home in Hawaii... Enjoy!

Episode six of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast" ... This episode's guest is a conservationist, surfer, swimmer and all round ocean lover. Tommy Kay is arguably the nicest man you will meet to set up a (cold water) surf brand. He set up his brand 'Finisterre' to marry this love of the sea with everything the brand encompasses. He has never deviated from his core values despite being tempted to do so by big business along his 15 year journey with Finisterre. The romanticism he has with the ocean is lovely to listen to, and his answers to the six questions are quite unique. Enjoy.

Episode five of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast"... it was such a treat to be able to speak to Jaimie Monahan from her home in NYC. She has completed the 28.5mile swim around Manhattan 27 times, including the only quadruple (in 45hours 24m) - just a few weeks after swimming it seven times in seven days. She is known as the "Queen of Manhattan" as a result. She is also known as the "Queen of the Ice" having become the first person to swim an Ice Mile on all seven continents, including one of the coldest ice miles ever recorded. She’s a Triple Crown Swimmer and in 2019 completed six marathon swims on six continents in 16 days. She's achieved so much - and I don't think she's finished yet! Enjoy...

Episode four of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast", and it was a delight to be able to interview the wonderful Kath Ferguson. Kath set up "Sea Birds" in 2017 as a Community Interest Company to take people into the water and make swimming accessible to all. Kath's work using the sea as a way to improve both her own and other's mental wellbeing has generated waves of support from all who dive into the "Sea Birds" world ... either in person or via her online blog. The pandemic has only increased the popularity of the community and I was super pleased that she was able to give up her morning dip to speak to me... Enjoy.

Episode three of "An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast". I was very lucky to be able to chat to actor, comedian and best selling children's author: David Walliams... We spoke about James Bond's flippers & mask, swimming with Pilot Whales, sea-sick parents, unaffordable houses along the Thames and Sport Relief (among other things). Enjoy...!

Episode one of "An Open Water Swimmer's" Podcast...! In this episode I chat with Olympic Silver Medalist and double world champion Keri-Anne Payne. We talk about South Africa, The Midmar Mile, serendipity, warming up for the Olympic 10km swim in Beijing, Sea Turtles and Swim Coaching. Enjoy...