December 2023 ‘The Gift Of Swimming’
Outdoor Swimmer Extra: Get the best of Outdoor Swimmer magazine online.
As the year flows to an end, it is easy to become reflective. December is a challenging month in many ways. In the northern hemisphere many readers are, like me, cold-water swimming to cope with short, dark days and changeable weather. While many of you may celebrate Christmas, lots of our community don’t and for some it can be a stressful and upsetting time. So this issue I wanted to focus on the gifts that swimming gives us. I am very fortunate to have learnt to swim at a young age, which has given me a life of joy in and around water. When I started to think of swimming as a gift, I realised how much it has brought to my life: a career, a hobby, a sport, friendship, challenge, joy, lessons, play and so much more. Have a think about your swimming and what it has gifted you…
In this issue Rowan Clarke explores how sponsored swims and charity communities have enabled more people to learn to swim, Pippa Best shares how sea swimming changed her life and Elaine K Howley shares a personal story of an unexpected gift of swimming in Mongolia. In our Gear section we test long sleeve swimwear for cooler swims, and in Travel, Abigail Whyte heads to Snowdonia for a swimming and pilates weekend. There is also some great technique and training content to see you through the winter season.
If you celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a lovely holiday and find the time for a festive swim too. Looking forward to another year of brilliant swimming in 2024.
Enjoy the issue!
Ella Foote, Editor
Sign up or log in to read Outdoor Swimmer Extra.
Read the December 2023 issue in full in flipbook format
Read our Christmas Gift Guide here.
Existing print subscribers have free access to the digital edition of Outdoor Swimmer on PocketMags. This includes all the content from Outdoor Swimmer Extra. See here for access instructions.
- The gift of swimming
There’s something special about gifting swimming to those who can’t access it themselves. Rowan Clarke looks at different ways to share your love of swimming. - How do I motivate myself to train through winter?
Swimming coach Cassie Patten believes the winter months are prime time for focusing on technique and maintaining fitness levels. - The Swim Nomad
Swedish adventurer Jari Cennet Tammi plans to swim the coast of the Mediterranean from Istanbul to Cadiz over seven years. How does one plan for this kind of journey, asks Jonathan Cowie. - The best long sleeve swimsuits and tops for outdoor swimmers
Whether for warmth, style or modesty, a long sleeve swimming suit or top can be a versatile addition to your kit bag – great for spring or autumn dips or to add a few extra degrees under a wetsuit in winter. Read on for our pick, in men’s and women’s styles - What is the bilateral breathing ladder, and is bilateral breathing really necessary?
We share some top tips for improving your bilateral breathing – and even if you can’t get it right, it’s not the end of the world! - Ultraswim 33.3 #2 Montenegro 2023
Part race, part holiday, part endurance challenge and one unforgettable adventure. Simon Griffiths reveals what it was like taking part in Ultraswim 33.3 #2 in Montenegro. - Winter freestyle refresher: body position, action and reaction
Here we look at your body position in the water, and how your body responds to various actions. - Into the wilds of Eryri
Abigail Whyte joined Ray Farr and Jade Evans-Scott for a swimming and Pilates weekend in Eryri (Snowdonia), exploring its rivers, waterfalls and mountain lakes. - Move of the month: Alternating superman
This is a great core strengthening exercise that involves minimal movement but improves strength in both the lower back and abs, says Vivienne Rickman. - Swimming to Freedom
In September 2023, Matt Newbury and his friend Queenie Martin attempted to swim from Robben Island to Cape Town, a swim of nearly five miles across cold, shark infested waters. - Heather Palmer: my first swimrun
For her first ever swimrun event, reader Heather Palmer took on the As Keen As Mustard Grafham Water challenge. Here’s how she got on. - Gratitude for sea swimming
Founder of Sea Soul Blessings, Pippa Best, shares how sea swimming changed her life, including alleviating her arthritis symptoms and giving her a sense of place in the world. - When you look back on your year, what do you see? What stands out?
Remember to look back on your swimming adventures as well as forwards, says Simon Griffiths - Oldest person to earn a Triple Crown
Ed Horne tackles 20 Bridges in ‘life-threatening’ rainstorm. Brooklyn-based journalist Margaret Hetherman reports.
