An Open Water Swimmer's Podcast

Bonus Episode! Sarah Thomas came to Sea Lanes in July 2024 for an interview in front of a live audience, hosted by me. It was such an honour to be able to speak to her face to face and hear first-hand her story and her recent epic swim around Maui... Apologies for the sound during the interview, I think you'll forgive me as it's a really great chat. I had the microphone placed next to a speaker and it's ever so slightly distorted. Happy Swimming and enjoy!

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!

My guest today is a former elite swimmer - having held Danish and Nordic Records in the pool and representing Denmark at various European and World championships over the years; but you may know him more from a new brand of goggle that is being seen more and more on pool-side: he launched The Magic 5 with his business partner a few years ago and they are going from strength to strength - a custom bespoke moulded goggle that fits your face and your face alone. It was my pleasure to welcome to the podcast and hear his swim story: Niklas Hedegaard… Happy Swimming!!

Episode 8 is with the super human Kate Steels. Kate is widely regarded as one of the toughest and most skilled OW swimmers on the planet. She was the third person to complete the Ice Seven (an ice mile on all seven continents); she is also a Triple Crown Swimmer and was WOWSA Woman of the Year 2021, and nominated again in 2022... Kate has overcome a number of devastating significant challenges in her life and yet continues to be a trailblazer in the sport. It was a real privilege to have her own the show. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. 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!

Episode 5 is with the incredibly inspirational Jessica Hepburn. This was such an awesome chat and I really don't want to give too much away on here. Jessica is an author ("In Pursuit of Motherhood" and "21 Miles") ... She is a Channel Swimmer and her swim story is a thing of beauty, that resonated with me on a very personal level. 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!!

Episode Two of Season Three is with fellow podcaster and marathon swimmer Shannon Keegan. Shannon is the host of the awesome "Marathon Swim Stories" so it was terrific to be able to interview her as opposed to her asking all the questions! Shannon is also a swim coach and has completed a gruelling 22 hour lake swim... I hope you enjoy this one! Happy Swimming!

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!!

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!

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...

It’s Episode Two / Season Two of An Open Water Swimmer’s Podcast with me Will Ellis. I’ve got a great chat for you today… My guest for episode this episode is an endurance swimmer, a Churchill Fellow on a mission to improve support for Children after suicide, a swim coach and a really inspiring woman. She took up swimming later in life - deciding to swim the channel with virtually a year’s notice having only ever swam a kilometre before. We talk about swimming through grief, self-worth and loosing consciousness through jelly fish stings. When it came to editing this one, I just couldn’t leave any of it out really, so this is a long one, virtually unabridged… it was so rich in content and really connected with me on many levels and I hope it will you too. 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…

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!