Simon Griffiths, founder and publisher

Five things about swimming I wish I’d learnt sooner

1. Cold water is not as big a barrier as you think it will be This might seem a strange…
How do you stay a swimmer when swimming isn’t an option?

How do you stay a swimmer when swimming isn’t an option?
“What happened when I swam for 30 days in a row in the Thames in November”

In winter, I’m a pool swimmer. After a summer of swimming outdoors, I use the autumn and winter months to…
Why it’s OK to make a living from swimming

I saw a Facebook post today that railed bitterly against people making a profit from swimming. The accompanying comments suggested…
It’s cold, murky, there’s a strong current and it could be polluted – but yes, you can swim

The Thames on a chilly autumn morning. Surprisingly hard to resist swimming, apparently. Outdoor swimming has a habit of delivering…
The lockdown effect: how swimmers’ behaviours have changed this year

Simon Griffiths wonders if outdoor swimming is like chocolate: he wants more! I witnessed something remarkable on the first Sunday…
Madeira Island Ultra Swim 2020

A navigation error made this swim harder than it should have been, but ultimately more satisfying Swim events have been…
Exmoor open water swim 2020

Event director Mike Morris sent us his report from the 2020 edition of the Exmoor Swim, one of the few…
Running an outdoor swimming venue in the summer of covid

Bill Richmond reflects on his experience at Trifarm, an open water swimming venue, in the summer of 2020 Back in…
After a summer spent swimming exclusively outdoors, I’m strangely reluctant to return to the pool

Would you choose this or a pool? I typically swim four or five times a week in a pool. At…
What you told us – feedback from our swimming spending intentions and swimrun surveys

Many thanks to everyone who completed our recent spending intentions and swimrun surveys. And well done to Claire from Surrey…
When and how might we get back to outdoor swimming?

I’ve previously written about the impact of coronavirus on businesses involved in or connected to outdoor swimming (see “How Coronavirus…
Alternatives to swimming: the pros and cons

Does anyone remember those times before coronavirus? In that previous life, people would occasionally ask me, how do I find…
How to cope with life when you can’t swim

My working assumption is that everyone has bad stuff in their lives to deal with: traumatic events in the past,…
Seven reasons why an enforced break from swimming might be good for you

There’s been lots of social media chat this week about whether outdoor swimming could be acceptable as your allocated one…
How to keep swimming fit during the coronavirus pandemic

Thinking about keeping fit for swimming while there’s a coronavirus pandemic raging may seem, at best, a little odd, or,…
How to swim one million metres in a year

To swim a million metres in a year you need to average 83,333.3m per month or 19,230.8m per week. If…
Long distance breaststroke swimming

Simon Griffiths reflects on long distance breaststroke, one of open water swimming’s longest but now largely forgotten traditions, after he…
Nine years in outdoor swimming and still going strong

I launched Outdoor Swimmer magazine (H2Open as it was known then) in February 2011 – nine years (and 75 issues)…
Where are you swimming this winter? And how to make the most of it.

Last week we tested some neoprene accessories, posted pictures on Facebook and asked what Outdoor Swimmer readers would be doing…
How to swim 10km with Marathon Swims

Last November I completed a 10km pool swim with Marathon Swims at the London Aquatics Centre. The event has a…
Tempted by swimrun? How should you go about adding running to your swim training?

Last weekend I ran 30km. It was the longest run I’ve done in about 30 years, and my legs let…
The Henley Swim Festival Blogs 2019: Emily (Part 3)

The Outdoor Swimmer Henley Swim Festival 2019 took place on 14 July. It was a fabulous day of river fun…
What’s coming up in the August 2019 issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine

Our August 2019 issue is at the printer and will be on its way to subscribers early next week (w/c…
Interview: Alexis Charrier. “I personally think that a swimmer adapts better to swimrun.”

Swimrun athlete Alexis Charrier was the cover model of the August issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine. We caught up with…