Kristin Valentine’s Marathon Swim Story

In this episode of Marathon Swim Stories we chat with an adventure addicted cyclist and Ironman triathlete who taught herself how to swim. Kristin Valentine completed her first marathon swim event in 2019 when she swam 9 miles across Lake Massawippi as part of the Northeast Kingdom Swim Week in far northern Vermont. We laugh about not being attached to the outcome, resetting expectations, enjoying the adventure, the community, and so much more!

In her own words: I grew up swimming in cold lakes and rivers in the Pacific Northwest, although I didn’t actually learn any actual swim strokes until I decided to do a triathlon in 2007. I got a book out from the library, watched a few videos online, and figured it out. After a few triathlons, I focused on cycling for the next decade and didn’t get back into the water until 2017 when I got talked into doing an Ironman. I met open water swimmers through triathlon and it wasn’t long until I found myself swimming 5 miles down the Columbia river, swimming in freezing water in January, and staying up all night to swim in the Bay in February. My first marathon event was swimming across Lake Massawippi (9 miles) as part of the Northeast Kingdom Swim Week last summer.