Ryan Leong’s Marathon Swim Story

When Ryan Leong woke up intubated in the ICU following open heart surgery he made a promise to challenge himself both physically and mentally every single day after that so that he could stay as far as away from that hospital bed as possible. Now Ryan calls himself a “recovering triathlete” and blames his “poor friend choices” and this internal […]

Marathon Swim Stories meets SwimOut Podcast

The very first time that I listened to the SwimOut podcast, I found myself wanting to talk to the creators. The production quality and swimming themes that they cover are amazing! Fortunately, they were just an email away.. and graciously took time out of their day to share their stories. In this episode, Hunter Charlton and Vicki Carter transport me […]

Brenton Ford’s Marathon Swim Story

Hello and welcome to the 108th episode of marathon swim stories where we explore the human side of the super human feats of endurance swimmers. I’m marathon swimmer and coach, Shannon Keegan. We had a bit of an unplanned hiatus the last few weeks, I hope you used the opportunity to explore some of the older episodes. I’ve recently returned […]

Stefan Reinke’s Marathon Swim Story

Do you ever have that moment when someone’s name sounds so familiar but you’re not sure why? That’s exactly what happened to me today! Of course Stefan Reinke would be familiar to me, we’ve shared the water on multiple occasions. In 2014 we cruised down the flooded Red River of the North at END-WET, and again at the inaugural Cliff […]

Sam Whelpton’s Marathon Swim Story

Today I spoke with Captonian ironman, marathon and ice swimmer, Sam Whlepton. Sam’s self proclaimed stubbornness and sense of adventure, has taken her on a wild ride from triathlon to the English Channel, and despite an aversion to cold, Sam has completed several ice kilometers! At the end of the day, Sam reminds us how great it feels to swim […]

Dean Summers’ Marathon Swim Story

Today I travelled through time. I spoke with Dean Summers in what will be my tomorrow… his today. In hot pursuit of the Oceans Seven, the Australian has ticked off 6 of the 7 channels. The 7th, the Tsugaru Strait continues to allude him. At home in and one the water, Dean is perfectly suited for the challenge. He even […]

Edie Hu’s Marathon Swim Story

What do you think? Does learning to swim give you confidence that seeps into other areas of your life? What about learning to push your limits in the water? How does that translate to your day to day life? This is what I’m contemplating these days. Share your thoughts, email me: shannon@intrepidwater.com Today I had the pleasure of catching up […]

Melanie Tyrrell’s Marathon Swim Story

Resilient. It wasn’t something that Melanie Tyrrell considered herself. Despite falling off a horse, requiring multiple surgeries to regain mobility! It took Melanie completing the English Channel for her to realize it herself. Hello and welcome to Marathon Swim Stories where we explore the human side of the super human feats of endurance swimmers and those who support them. I’m […]

Marathon Swim Stories Deep Dive: My Pod

Today I have the distinct pleasure of introducing my pod! These are the people who encourage me to get in the water, stick by me through the winter, stay up late to swim at night, and support me when I want to swim a long time. Todd, Celeste, and Jocelyn have done everything from commit entire weekends to camping by […]

Bob Fernald’s Marathon Swim Story

Today I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Bob Fernald’s marathon swim story. While the late onset swimmer is a theme in marathon swimming, I don’t consider his a typical story. While he dabbled in triathlon, like other runners turned triathlete, he hated the swim. Ultimately, Bob found comfort and efficiency in the water by way of Pilates. My clients […]