Apart from some of the How To articles this index includes many of the site’s most popular articles, particularly the long swim reports covering my friends Trent Grimsey, Sylvain Estadieu, Stephen Redmond and Finbarr Hedderman. Thanks once again to those people for allowing me to provide such fascinating first-hand accounts of the largely hidden world of marathon swimming. There are also two of the controversial series covering the MIMS 2013 swim, and the long series reflecting on the Diana Nyad debacle which so damaged our sport. I’ve also included the specific marathon swimming articles I’ve written which also appear in the How To Index, and a number of miscellaneous related articles.
Many posts display very erratic formatting resulting from the theme change subsequent to winning Best Sports & Recreation blog for the second time in 2014. Finding and fixing these is an even longer task so if you find one please let me know and I’ll fix it asap.
General Principles
The Unwritten Rules of Open Water Swimming. Concerning open water swimming more generally, I feel it’s important, partially in the light of frauds in the open water swimming world, whether sub-marathon, marathon or Ice Mile swimming, to specify an ethos of open water swimming.
Two Golden Rules of Open Water and/or Marathon Swims. A regular reading of the blog will realise that I like to itemise all the relevant factors I can think of with regards to various subjects. But I also like to distil to essentials for brevity where possible afterwards. These came out of the same principle as the previous “Unwritten Rules”. My two Golden Rules were later integrated into the first Global Ruleset of Marathon Swimming.
Introducing new Global standardised Marathon Swimming Rules. All this fed into the work of Evan Morrison, Andrew Malinak, Elaine Howley and myself to write the first ever global ruleset for marathon swims done outside existing organisations.
Guides and practical articles
July 24th, 1883. The life and death of Captain Matthew Webb.
A guide to Dover for Swimmers – Part 1 – Dover Harbour. Visiting and swimming the most famous open water swimming location in the world.
A guide to Dover for Swimmers – Part 2 – Varne Ridge Caravan Park. One of the places in the world for open water swimmers run by two of my favourite people in the world.
A guide to Dover for Swimmers – Part 3 – Bits ‘n Pieces. Useful miscellaneous information for Dover visitors.
How To: Remotely follow a swim during Channel season. Following a Channel swim remotely.
How To: Sample marathon swim feed schedule (MIMS). Not prescriptive, but a feed example. Adjust or even discard based on experience.
How To: Marathon and Channel Swimming Swimmer and Crew Checklist (updated for 2013). Tried, tested & updated.
How To: Select a Channel pilot & boat. A much requested item.
How To: Generic marathon swim Observer’s Report. May be of use for your new pioneering swim.
How To: Understand Important Factors in Marathon Swim Feeding. One needs to understand the parameters to make informed choices.
How To: Crew selection in marathon swimming. I feel strongly that many swimmers still neglect this most important aspect of Channel swim planning.
How To: Apply lubrication for distance sea swimming. Marathon swimmers have to learn everything. Inspired by the FINA World Number 1 who had never needed to previously use any lubrication.
Use of choline supplementation in marathon swims (or ultra-endurance events). Nutrition and supplementation for marathon swimming is still a subject we are trying to improve. This is a consideration of one possible supplement.
Evidence-based Carb loading plans- possible strategies for a marathon swim. A post from the early days of the site, considering different ways to adapt diet prior to a marathon swim.
How do you poop when swimming the English Channel? Or any marathon swim? Because I know you want to know, as your search terms give you away.
Limiting Factors in Marathon Swimming – Part 1 – Physical Factors. What stops marathon swims and swimmers? An exploration of the limiting physical factors.
Limiting Factors in Marathon Swimming – Part 2 – Environmental Factors. Further consideration of the limiting factors in marathon swimming.
Limiting Factors in Marathon Swimming – Part 3 – Psychological Factors. More consideration of the limiting factors in marathon swimming.
English Channel Swim Reports
Sylvain Estadieu’s English Channel Butterfly – Part 1. The inside story of the first man to swim the English Channel doing butterfly.
Sylvain Estadieu’s English Channel Butterfly – Part 2. With most of my series swim reports, coverage of the actual swim will start in the second part.
Sylvain Estadieu’s English Channel Butterfly – Part 3
Sylvain Estadieu’s English Channel Butterfly – Part 4
Sylvain Estadieu’s English Channel Butterfly – Part 5
Sylvain Estadieu’s English Channel Butterfly – Part 6 – Le Français Volant. Concluding the story of Sylvain Estadieu’s English Channel butterfly swim.
Trent Grimsey’s English Channel World Record – Part 1 – From close-up. The inside story of the new English Channel solo record, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Trent Grimsey’s English Channel World Record – Part 2 – Record Day dawns. Coverage of Trent’s actual swim starts on the second part.
Trent Grimsey’s English Channel World Record – Part 3 – Dolphin Dreams
Trent Grimsey’s English Channel World Record – Part 4 – “Now’s the hard bit”
Trent Grimsey’s English Channel World Record – Part 5 – “You have burned so very brightly”
Trent Grimsey’s English Channel World Record – Part 6 – Nothing Great Is Easy
Trent Grimsey’s World Record English Channel – Returning to Dover
Have you skin in the game? Wave swimming in English Channel swims. Extensive discussion of a controversial aspect of English Channel swimming.
Miscellaneous
Announcing: marathonswimmers.org. A major announcement in the world of marathon swimming.
Brief lessons from marathon swimming – I – Never eat a curry the night before a long swim. First of a likely continuing series of brief lessons I’ve learned from marathon swimming.
More brief lessons from marathon swimming – II – Marathon swimming is like childbirth
The Seven Ps of Long Swims. A guiding principle for any marathon swim Aspirant.
The English Channel from Space. Swim across that? Are you serious?
Captain Webb’s English Channel chart. The first English Channel crossing charts.
The sound of Dover, Port of Kings. Will only be appreciated or even understood by someone who has actually swum in Dover Harbour.
Crazy water in the English Channel. Just how rough can the English Channel get?
How stands the wind for France? Written, like some other articles, while waiting for a weather window in Dover.
The bond of the English Channel. Reflecting on friendships made in English Channel swimming.
Havoc. A very brief personal reflection on the after effects of a Channel swim.
What’s the best possible English Channel record? My own thoughts based on various discussions and first hand experience.
The loneswimmer autograph book. A fun ongoing small project of mine that’s become better know in the marathon swimming community.
Guest Article: Dr. Karen Throsby, on the complicated issue of fat amongst Channel swimmers. A valuable article on a subject of interest to marathon swimmers.
Kevin Murphy on the North Channel. King of the English Channel Kevin Murphy’s brief consideration of the North Channel.
Why is the English Channel the Everest of Open Water Swimming? English Channel swimmers can be defensive when the English channel is dismissed by those who haven’t swum it.
Just Wow. Frenchman and quadriplegic Phillipe Croizon crosses English Channel.
North Channel & others
Tom Blower and the first successful North Channel swim. An external account of the first North Channel swim from the Sports Illustrated archives.
Finbarr Hedderman and the North Channel – II – Famous Pilot, Famous Boat. Getting closer to the swim.
Finbarr Hedderman and the North Channel – III – Anyone For An Early Morning Dip? The first hours of the swim.
Finbarr Hedderman and the North Channel – IV – Just Eight laps of Sandycove. The middle portion of the swim.
Finbarr Hedderman and the North Channel – V – “That’s It, I’m Done.” Into the second half of the swim.
Finbarr Hedderman and the North Channel – VI – The Sharp End. What happened at the end.
Mercedes Gleitze and the Vindication Swim. A story from the early days of Channel Swimming by the first person to attempt the North Channel.
“I Know Nothing” – Amazing Stephen Redmond talks about 2011. Stephen Redmond was the first person to complete the Ocean’s Seven series of swims.
44 Miles of Hell – Stephen Redmond’s Molokai swim report. Stephen’s own account of his Molokai swim.
Stephen Redmond’s own Cook Strait report & GPS – Widowmaker swim. Stephen’s own account of his Cook Strait swim.
“Kampei Time, Baby!” – Tsugaru Channel by Steve Redmond. Another personal account from Stephen Redmond.
Two men. Two Channels. Two Heroes. Two heroes andl friends of mine, Robert Bohane & Stephen Redmond.
Six hour swim in sub-eleven degree Celsius water – my longest very cold water swim. Just one day of Channel training. Just one day In hell.
Considering Diana Nyad, the Lance Armstrong swim of marathon swimming?
The Diana Nyad Controversy, a personal reflection – Part 1 – Some History.
The Diana Nyad Controversy, a personal reflection – Part 2 – The Panel Invitation
The Diana Nyad Controversy, a personal reflection – Part 3 – Diana Nyad, Penny Dean and me
The Diana Nyad Controversy, a personal reflection – Part 4 – Assisted or Unassisted? Assisted. The jury has spoken.
The Diana Nyad Controversy, a personal reflection – Part 5 – Probity & Integrity. One of the most passionately-felt articles I’ve written.
Comments on Diana Nyad’s Heat Drip device
This post has been approved by The Sport Of Open Water Swimming
Manhattan Island Marathon Swim
A report and analysis of the controversial 2013 swim. Another series that made a couple of people angry but which wasn’t refuted.
MIMS 2013 – Part 1 – An outsider’s opinion – Introduction
MIMS 2013 – Part 2 – An outsider’s opinion – Start timing & boat availability
MIMS 2013 – Part 3 – Water contamination and shared boats
MIMS 2013 – Part 4 – An outsider’s opinion – Swimmer control and some miscellaneous items
MIMS 2013 – Part 5 – Conclusion and Recommendations
Finally here’s an actual swim report of my own from the MIMS 2012 swim. Ever since I’ve been referred to by the MIMS organiser as “an Irish blog” which is hilarious.
MIMS 2012 – Part 1 – Three Rivers
MIMS 2012 – Part 3 – The start and the first hour
LoneSwimmer 
Pingback: To neoprene, or not to neoprene? | wildbigswim
Pingback: Swimming cold: to neoprene, or not to neoprene | wildbigswim