When I swim for distance, my mind constantly wanders on a wide spectrum of thoughts and ideas. I usually quickly forget my train of thought after I get out of the water. But these were some of myriad musings that ran through my mind this morning:
The Wisdom of a Physicist
Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win a Nobel Prize twice, and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields. Her vision of science and the future reminds me of what experienced channel swimmers focus on:
“One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done.”
Every stroke forward is a stroke closer to the finish.
Introducing Ocean Swimming and Channel Swimming To A Newbie
When someone wants to become an ocean swimmer, and maybe even cross a channel for the first time in their careers, I think the first best thing to do if they meet you on a beach with waves is to play in the waves and teach them the power of ocean swells.
They can always train long distances later. But showing them and giving them the opportunity to understand the propulsive power of waves and how to adjust their body position, hand position, and head position in the waves to make swimming either harder or easier is invaluable.
It is profoundly important for them to enjoy their first session, not to demonstrate to them how difficult their training can be or will be. That can come later. Start them off with a positive mindset and excited spirit of adventure.
Then teach breathing. Knowing how not to swallow water in rough water is invaluable. Getting to learn the rythm of the ocean under all conditions is key – and a valuable use of time in the first stages of introducing open water swimming to a newbie.
The Profound Value of Selecting a Good Coach
I remember this story well when people ask me about good open water swimming coaches:
A ship’s engine broke down and no one could repair it, so they hired a mechanical engineer with over 30 years of experience. He inspected the engine very carefully, from top to bottom. After seeing everything, the engineer unloaded his bag and pulled out a small hammer.
He knocked something gently. Soon, the engine came to life again. The engine has been fixed. A week later the engineer mentioned to the ship owner that the total cost of repairing the giant ship was $20,000.
“What?!” said the owner. “You did almost nothing. Give us a detailed bill.”
The answer is simple: Tap with a hammer: $2. Know where to knock and how much to knock: $19,998.
Great coaches will know what to do or what to say and how to say it, at just the right moment, that will enable or empower or entice you to finish a great workout or overcome obstacles in a channel crossing. Their decades of experience cannot be dismissed.
© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“
A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.