The Swim Tribe Podcast Caroline Saxon

This is part 2 of my chat with Jonty Warneken. This part we get a bit more serious and talk about slightly deeper topics.
We chat about how our experiences were similar, but very different, as young people and how these events have shaped our futures. We chat about losing a limb, losing identities and losing a whole person in weight.
Jonty is a great friend of mine and we chat quite openly about some of the things we have been though.
There maybe some accidental small swears. Apologies.
**Please note this podcast was recorded in Feb 2020. The world has changed!**
@fatgrev - Jonty's Instagram
@theswimtribepodcast - Caroline's Instagram
Part 2 to follow!
Jonty, thank you for being part of my swim tribe.

Today I chat to Jonty Warneken, an all round proper good chap, who is much smaller than he was when I met him! Jonty is a cold water swimming, mega skiing, former rugby playing, dog loving amputee who has massively inspired me hugely on my journey though the ice. 
He is an ice miler, global board member for IISA and top pal of mine.
We chat about how our experiences were similar, but very different, as young people and how these events have shaped our futures. We chat about losing a limb, losing identities and losing a whole person in weight. 
We chat rugby, swimming and learning about ourselves. We discuss Jonty's accident, amputation, bariatric surgery and commitment to sport as well as aspirations, body dysmorphia, expectation, disappointment, Russia, ice miles, my mother eating porn, and lots of other random stuff.
Jonty is a great friend of mine and we chat quite openly about some of the things we have been though.
There maybe some accidental small swears. Apologies. 
**Please note this podcast was recorded in Feb 2020. The world has changed!**
@fatgrev - Jonty's Instagram
@theswimtribepodcast - Caroline's Instagram
Part 2 to follow!
Jonty, thank you for being part of my swim tribe. 

I AM BACK!!

I am joined by Laura Nesbitt and John Myatt who I have had some magic swim-ventures with. Together we are The River Otters and we have some INCREDIBLE things in the pipeline for the future. I keep pinching myself at what we have planned. Laura and John kept me sane through the whirlwind of 2020 and we spent many hours in rivers, and the Bristol Channel. They have become great friends of mine. Otters, thank you and I am super proud of you both.

In this episode we discuss many different topics: mental health, eating disorders, abuse, loss of identity, guilt, not achieving our potential, longevity in swimming, being treated as a person (not a number), the beauty of swimming, sunrises, our epic swim from the Prince of Wales Bridge to Clevedon Pier, John's ice barrel challenge, ice miles, channel swims and the usual kit tips. 

As a group, we always swim within our abilities and we have a huge amount of experience between us. All decisions are made collectively and sensibly. The swims we discuss should not be attempted unless you are of high enough skill level, and have prepared fully. If you do want to attempt them, please do notify the coastguard of your intention (if in the Bristol Channel) and always prepare properly by researching your entry and exit points, as well as bail points along the way.

We do discuss very personal matters and I do say sh!t once. Sorry mum. 

Big thank you as always to those people who supported us on our epic swim: Geoff, Dave and Brad - you are ace.

"When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming." — Dory

*please note that this was recorded in December 2020 when there were different covid restrictions*

In today's episode, I have a natter with my wonderful friend Kate Steels who is currently six swims into her Ice Sevens Challenge. Ice Sevens is the pinnacle of ice swimming: it consists of swimming one ice mile on every continent, of which one must be swum at zero degrees, and has only ever been completed by two people. Kate is on track to become Britain's first. 

Covid restricted Kate's swimming plans to reach South America in 2020 but it is very much on the cards for 2021 when the world opens back up again. Kate has secured sponsorship from Axa Insurance to complete her final swim. Read more about Kate's challenge here: https://selkieswim.com/blogs/news/kate-steels

Kate has an unbelievable swimming CV (https://www.iceswimminghalloffame.com/steels-kate)  but also gives a lot back to ice swimming through her work as the Chair of the IISA GB Board, and is secretary to the IISA Global Board, as well as competing herself. Kate was inducted into the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame in 2020. 

We have a chat about Kate's journey into outdoor swimming, stepping up to swimming the channel, first steps into ice swimming, building up to an ice mile, ice zero (an ice mile at under 1 degrees), ice swimming safely, rewarming, and three pieces of kit Kate recommends you own. 

Kate believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. We need people like Kate around us, otherwise we would miss out on so much. Thank you Kate for what you have done for me and for all of us on Team GB Ice Swimming. Your unwavering support of us when you had so much to deal with yourself is phenomenal. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 

We are trying something new on The Swim Tribe Podcast in this episode!

Caroline is joined by fellow open water swimming coaches Laura Nesbitt (Outlaur Swim Coaching) and Fenwick Ridley (H2O Trails) to debunk common misconceptions about winter and ice swimming. We all have over 50 years of combined outdoor swimming experience and are seasoned ice swimmers with all of us having completed bucket list swims from ice miles, to marathon swims and to the English Channel. 

Caroline coaches at Cliff Lakes, near Tamworth; Laura coaches from Clevedon Marine Lake and Fenwick from Sweethope Lough, Northumberland providing a great geographical spread across England demonstrating the different conditions we experience. 

In an attempt to counteract incorrect information seen online, we provide you with a 'dos and don'ts' checklist to consider when stepping foot into the ice for the first time, which we hope will also act as a reminder for more seasoned swimmers to think about. 

In such a new, growing sport, it is essential for us to be role models to you and if we can change the approach of just one of you, we will be doing good in the community to improve safety. 

We discuss a number of topics such as having the correct spotter, swimming on your own, social media influence on outdoor / winter swimming, starting winter swimming in winter, listening to your own body, the effects of biological factors on swims such as periods and your build, the after drop, bad recoveries and essential kit.

For more information on the coaches in this episode, please follow:

Laura Nesbitt: @lauraemmakate / @outlaurswimcoaching

Fenwick Ridley: @fenwickridley / @h2otrails

Caroline Saxon: @cxs084 / @TheSwimTribePodcast