People eat more when they dine together than when they eat alone.

But we often find that open water swimmers are much more likely to mimic the good traits – or challenges – of their open water friends, teammates and colleagues than not.

When pushing themselves, many open water swimmers seem to be able to push themselves in cold water or rough water, and for long distances more when swimming with a friend or teammate.

They get up earlier and hit the shoreline with a purpose when they know that other swimmers will be there. And they are always curious how far, how often, and occasionally how fast their open water friends are training. Gotta like that kind of aquatic behavioral mimicry.

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