FEATURES

In-depth features that celebrate the vibrant outdoor swimming community, spotlighting extraordinary individuals and their stories.

Don’t be put off by your first open water swim

This is the time of year when many commercial open water venues start up for the season. If you’ve been…
What’s the point of all that swimming?

Last weekend I did a 400m freestyle race in a pool at the Gloucester Masters meet. I posted a time…
To race or not to race?

Open water swimming events give me a dilemma that never seems to come up in pool competitions: should I push…
Capturing that magic swimming feeling

Not all swims are created equal. Some days the water is light and gentle and swimming is easy. If you…
Capturing that magic swimming feeling

Not all swims are created equal. Some days the water is light and gentle and swimming is easy. If you…
Eight ways to clear a swimming lane

Apologies if you think I’ve possibly lured you here using the exaggerated headline trick. I don’t have a magical solution…
Is this the best use of our Olympic legacy pool?

Last weekend I visited the London Aquatics Centre – the venue for the 2012 Olympics and the premier training and…
What can we learn about swimming from kids – and what can we do to keep kids swimming?

This weekend my daughter took part in our local swimming club championships. It was pool swimming obviously, not open water,…
Local variations in pool etiquette and why don’t people talk to each other?

Over the Christmas break I swam in a pool I don’t often visit. It’s not a particularly easy pool to…
Why I’m not planning an Ice Mile

If you’re involved in open water swimming, you can’t help but notice the growing popularity of cold water swimming. In…
Thirteen hacks and tips for cold water swimming events

At Outdoor Swimmer we like to practise what we preach and join events when we can. If this means stripping…
The times when swimmers really need courage

Open water swimmers – and especially cold water swimmers – are often described as brave. We try to avoid using…
The times when swimmers really need courage

Open water swimmers – and especially cold water swimmers – are often described as brave. We try to avoid using…
Can we learn from obstacle racing?

We’ve been talking to the publisher of Obstacle Race Magazine about some cross promotion ideas, so last weekend I went…
Seven types of open water swimmer

A few weeks back SwimSwam put out a light-hearted article about different types of swimmer. That prompted us to think…
A toast to rebellious ladies of a certain age

You may already have seen this picture. Julie Lloyd shared it via Twitter earlier this week. What does it say…
What other people think about open water swimming

In last week’s blog post I mentioned I’d been in Brighton and did a little sea swimming. While I was…
Developing a swimmer’s sixth sense

Last week I was lucky enough to meet Karen Pickering. For those who don’t know, Karen is one of GB’s…
A visit to Serpentine Swimming Club

A while ago, a committee member at Serpentine Swimming Club accused me of being “remiss”, if not “negligent”, in failing…
Even the best swimmers get nervous about open water

Last weekend was the Great North Swim, which takes place on Windermere in the Lake District. It’s Britain’s largest mass…
Stop worrying about your finish time in open water

At a recent event I came across a young man (late teenager I guess) who was bitterly disappointed about his…
Race, play, just swim, workout, train or practise?

Last week we asked, “what are you swimming for?” and looked at the pleasure to be had from simply joining…
It’s all open water swimming to me

The old docks in Salford and Lake Coniston only have one thing in common, and that’s water. This means, of…
What to do if your swim is cancelled

Swim cancellations and postponements are a fact of life, especially in places with fickle weather. This week I had hoped…
How much do you need to train in your wetsuit?

Earlier this summer, southern England was blessed with unusually warm weather and a number of our gravel pit lakes hit…