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''A hugely enjoyable love letter to swimming and open water adventures'' - Sophie Raworth A joyful dive into the wonderful waters of wild swimming. Vassos Alexander found solace and distraction swimming in the Thames during a difficult summer, and was bitten by the bug. Told through the story of training for a solo Channel swim, Swimmingly takes you on a journey across the world from Bournemouth Beach to San Francisco Bay. Vassos discovers that outdoor swimming is not about being the fastest or the best, it''s about finding that little bit of magic in every stroke. Working with elite coaches and interviewing the great and the good of swimming, he uncovers the massive sense of community at the heart of this time-honoured pastime. He meets Olympic champions and Channel legends - including Diana Nyad, who in her 60s became the first person to swim between Cuba and Florida; Lewis Pugh, the UN Patron of the Oceans and Lynne Cox, a woman who went for a swim and saved the world. It''s about the everyday swims, too - the tips shared and friendships forged over coffee and cake after a morning dip. With the sport exploding in popularity over recent years, we all know someone (or are that someone!) who swims outside throughout the year. Swimmingly will leave you with a renewed sense of connection to the world, and perhaps even inspire you to dive into your nearest lake, river or sea with gleeful abandon.
List of contents
Introduction1 Swimming Alcatraz
2 Swimming Solent
3 Swimming Downhill I
4 Swimming Bluetits
5 Swimming Sally
6 Swimming Downhill II
7 Swimming Journey
8 Swimming Marathon
9 Swimming Downhill III
10 Swimming Pool
11 Swimming History
12 Swimming Downhill IV
13 Swimming Serpentine
14 Swimming London
15 Swimming Ice
16 Swimming Downhill V
17 Swimming Hours
18 Swimming Fat
19 Swimming Sixties
20 Swimming Poo
21 Swimming Downhill VI
22 Swimming USA
23 Swimming Around
AppendixAcknowledgements
About the author
Vassos Alexander is one of the best-known sports presenters in the UK. He is a presenter on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio and has commentated on everything from tennis to diving. Vassos is a seasoned endurance runner with a sub-3hr marathon PB and has completed some of the longest and most gruelling races on earth. He is the author of two bestselling books on running: Don’t Stop Me Now and Running Up That Hill. He lives in London with his wife Caroline and three children.
