We are trying something new on The Swim Tribe Podcast in this episode!

Caroline is joined by fellow open water swimming coaches Laura Nesbitt (Outlaur Swim Coaching) and Fenwick Ridley (H2O Trails) to debunk common misconceptions about winter and ice swimming. We all have over 50 years of combined outdoor swimming experience and are seasoned ice swimmers with all of us having completed bucket list swims from ice miles, to marathon swims and to the English Channel. 

Caroline coaches at Cliff Lakes, near Tamworth; Laura coaches from Clevedon Marine Lake and Fenwick from Sweethope Lough, Northumberland providing a great geographical spread across England demonstrating the different conditions we experience. 

In an attempt to counteract incorrect information seen online, we provide you with a 'dos and don'ts' checklist to consider when stepping foot into the ice for the first time, which we hope will also act as a reminder for more seasoned swimmers to think about. 

In such a new, growing sport, it is essential for us to be role models to you and if we can change the approach of just one of you, we will be doing good in the community to improve safety. 

We discuss a number of topics such as having the correct spotter, swimming on your own, social media influence on outdoor / winter swimming, starting winter swimming in winter, listening to your own body, the effects of biological factors on swims such as periods and your build, the after drop, bad recoveries and essential kit.

For more information on the coaches in this episode, please follow:

Laura Nesbitt: @lauraemmakate / @outlaurswimcoaching

Fenwick Ridley: @fenwickridley / @h2otrails

Caroline Saxon: @cxs084 / @TheSwimTribePodcast