OUTDOOR SWIMMER: CHANGING SEASONS ISSUE

They say you should never meet your heroes. But what about pitting them against each other in a hypothetical ice mile contest? In the new 'Changing Seasons' issue of Outdoor Swimmer, Sarah Thomas (4-way English Channel swimmer, holder of the world record for longest unassisted current-neutral swim (an unfathomable 104.6 miles) and ice miler) places her sporting heroes on an imaginary start line to swim one mile in water below 5 degrees. How would Ronaldo fare against Katie Ledecky? Would Kipchoge's mental fortitude hold out when faced with a mile in the ice. And Serena? Personally, I reckon she could set a new world record!

It might not be winter yet, but as we swim through autumn it is certainly starting to feel as though it won't be long before we are breaking ice and shivering on the shores of bodies of water. In the Health section of the new issue we find out how long you should stay in cold water, how to deal with after-drop and how to reset your posture after winter swimming – all important considerations whether you are just starting out or are a more experienced cold water swimmer. 

How do you approach your cold water swims? Is it with stoicism or a sense of joy? Writer Joe Minihane explains his three tips for winter swimming – the most important being 'have fun.' I agree – life is too short to stuff a mushroom or grind out a cold swim through gritted teeth. As Joe says, winter swimming should be about "joy, happiness and connection." 

Joy, happiness and connection – whether with other swimmers or with nature – is surely the reason most of us swim. It is certainly the ethos behind Outdoor Swimmer magazine. In the new issue we meet swimmers from around the world who embody that ethos, from the group of Chilean women who swim together in the exposed landscape of Patagonia to the Danish researcher extending our knowledge of the science behind cold water immersion. 

Whatever your relationship with the water – whether you are a cold water dipper or a marathon swimmer – the new issue contains practical advice, location information and swimming stories to inspire your wild swims through the Changing Seasons. We publish Outdoor Swimmer magazine because we want to share the joy, happiness and connection that swimming outdoors brings us. Part of the way we connect with other swimmers is through the magazine and telling the stories of swimmers like you around the world. If you haven't read a copy of Outdoor Swimmer yet, I think this is a great issue to start with. 

Swim wild and free. 

Jonathan Cowie

Contributing editor