Dear fellow swimmers
This week, we're experimenting with a new shorter, simpler,
newsletter format. Our aim, as ever, is to share content and ideas to help you make more of swimming. Please feel free to hit reply and tell us what you think.
Last week, I (this is Simon, Outdoor Swimmer's founder at the keyboard) completed UltraSwim 33.3 #4Greece –
a 33.3km stage swim over four days. This was a significant for me as I've tried twice before at this format, and fallen short. In last week's newsletter, we suggested that failure is an intrinsic part of swimming. And, if you fail at something, try again – but differently.
This is what I did at UltraSwim 33.3, at least on my third attempt. I swapped my wetsuit for a racing suit (aided by the 26-degree water), took better care to refuel and rehydrate after every swim, was diligent with my nutrition during the swims, and managed my pacing differently. I won't say it was easy (it wasn't) but a few changes turned something I previously found impossible into a relatively straightforward series of swims. Failure to complete a swim may be
disappointing but it could be an opportunity, as we explore here.
Also last week, Andy Donaldson set a new record for swimming around Manhattan. As a young swimmer, Andy failed in his quest to reach the highest echelons of the sport and race in the Olympics. After a few years away from swimming, he's come back to do it differently – and is arguably reaching and helping more people than if he'd achieved his original dream. He's redefined himself
as a long distance swimmer, became the first person to complete the Oceans Seven in less than a year, and has started an impressive collection of world records. Watch our interview with Andy here.
Have you failed at something in swimming? What could you try next time? Let us know.
Simon Griffiths
Founder and publisher, Outdoor Swimmer
P.S. Thanks to this week's sponsor, Surfers Against Sewage, whose Dip a Day brings together ocean activists and water lovers from across the UK, dipping every day in cold water throughout October, to raise vital funds to help protect the wild blue spaces we love. If you'd like to put your brand in front of 35,000 swimmers, please get in touch.
