Stories from the Water

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Emma Levy swam competitively as a child, and since then has continued swimming either in the pool or in open water, depending what’s available.  This year it finally occurred to her that for the purposes of open water swimming she is an adaptive athlete, so she will tackle future swim challenges with new strategies.

She is a SwimMastery High Performance Coach.  She supported Tracey Baumann as a thinking partner in creating the book The SwimMastery Way.

As an Improvement Advisor, trained by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, she applies the science of improvement in her work with all her clients, drawing on a wide range of methods and approaches to support them to thrive in everyday life and in striving towards specific physical activity goals.  These may relate to swimming, joint mechanics and re-organisation of movement patterns for other areas of physical activity, as well as cognitive function, self-regulation, and pain management.

Emma believes that there is no single ‘average athlete’ whose needs can safely stand in for everyone else’s.  A standard recommendation designed for the average does not see the whole complex system of the unique individual.  Improvement science helps us to personalise, to shift from 'apply the average' to 'learn what works'. Emma’s online courses in improvement science aim to empower athletes, coaches, and everyday movers to make better decisions on their day-to-day activities with confidence, based on choosing the most useful changes to try out, applying curiosity to make small adjustments systematically, and using simple rules for data analysis.  Find out more about these courses at https://emmalevylearning.com

Are you ready to change the way you experience the water? Join the SwimMastery Open Water Camp in Loreto, Mexico in 2027. Find out more: SwimMastery Open Water Swim Camps

 Learn more and plan your Lake Shasta adventure at Houseboats.com

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

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Margarethe Denk is a SwimMastery High Performance Coach, Marathon and Ice Swimmer. After years of competing in the pool I discovered Open Water swimming. When the pandemic hit the only chance to swim was outdoors throughout the winter. And I realised that I really like swimming in cold water - and my body can stand low temperatures. So I expanded the time and eventually got into Ice Swimming, which is my passion. Swim-arts.com
Facebook: @swim-arts & @swim.mentor
Instagram: @swimartsbasel & @swim.mentor

Are you ready to change the way you experience the water? Join the SwimMastery Open Water Camp in Loreto, Mexico in 2027. Find out more: SwimMastery Open Water Swim Camps

 Learn more and plan your Lake Shasta adventure at Houseboats.com

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

Send us Fan Mail

In her own words:

I've been a pool swimmer since age of 9 and swam competitivelyfor UCSD Tritons 

I started swimming open water regularly since 1990 My first channel swim (not ratified) was Maui Channel in 2009 

Other ratified solo marathon swims include Catalina Channel (Sept 2013), English Channel (June 2021 j, 20 Bridges (tandem, June 2023), Length of Tahoe (Aug. 2023), and Around Jersey Island (Aug 2025) 

I retired from my career in the Oil & Gas industry as an engineer and manager in 2022 

I am currently a UCSD Masters Swim Coach and Swim Instructor, and I swim regularly at La Jolla Cove and at UCSD pool 

I'm in the process of planning future marathon swims as I recover from foot surgery. Some of the ones on the 10-year horizon include Anacapa (cross & around), Otsego Lake, Maui Nui, Robben Island, Strait of Gibraltar, Cook Strait, and wherever else sounds fun. I'm open to any and all suggestions as well as putting new swims on a map. 

Are you ready to change the way you experience the water? Join the SwimMastery Open Water Camp in Loreto, Mexico in 2027. Find out more: SwimMastery Open Water Swim Camps

 Learn more and plan your Lake Shasta adventure at Houseboats.com

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

Send us Fan Mail

Are you ready to change the way you experience the water? Join the SwimMastery Open Water Camp in Loreto, Mexico in 2027. Find out more: SwimMastery Open Water Swim Camps

 Learn more and plan your Lake Shasta adventure at Houseboats.com

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

Send us Fan Mail

Edward (“Ted”) Lomicka is a healthcare finance and innovation strategist at Community Health Systems and an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University. He is also a husband to Michelle and father of two daughters, Ashton and Emory. Ted, an American ultra-endurance triathlete and marathon swimmer, is known for pursuing large-scale endurance challenges. He has completed 35 IRONMAN triathlons, including the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship, as well as two ULTRAMAN triathlons, including the 2019 ULTRAMAN World Championship.  He has also finished the first five sequential events in the ANVIL ultra-distance triathlon race series, ranging from 140.6 miles to 703.0 miles. 

In the open water, Ted Lomicka has completed the Kaiwi Channel crossing from Molokai to Oahu, multiple Caribbean marathon swims, and most recently, the Triple Maui Nui Swim—becoming the first man and second person in history to complete the 34-mile, three-channel, nonstop crossing. He is currently writing First to Five: The Five Hammers of a Do Anything Mindset, a forthcoming book exploring the psychological frameworks, preparation strategies, and decision-making principles that drive ultra-endurance performance and other high-stakes pursuits. He trains in Tennessee and competes internationally. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University and an MBA from Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

Contact Ted on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/TedLomicka/

Are you ready to change the way you experience the water? Join the SwimMastery Open Water Camp in Loreto, Mexico in 2027. Find out more: SwimMastery Open Water Swim Camps

 Learn more and plan your Lake Shasta adventure at Houseboats.com

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

Send us Fan Mail

​Chris is a journalist and the author of five books. The latest, The Plunge: Maverick Swimmers, an Unlikely Quest, and the Transformative Power of Cold Water, it is a globe-trotting narrative about swimmers, the science of discomfort, and the psychology of endurance. 

Lynne Cox called it "brilliant."  Jeff Pearlman described it as "masterful" and "life-affirming." And Adam Grant deemed it, "mesmerizing," adding, "I still loathe cold water but I loved this book."

Booklist and Publisher's Weekly gave it starred reviews, describing it as "entertaining," "ambitious," "thrumming with energy," and "a jubilant exploration."

You can pre-order at Simon & Schuster.

For two decades, I was a Senior Writer at Sports Illustrated, writing features, profiles, and investigations. My work has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, and other publications.

Are you ready to change the way you experience the water? Join the SwimMastery Open Water Camp in Loreto, Mexico in 2027. Find out more: SwimMastery Open Water Swim Camps

 Learn more and plan your Lake Shasta adventure at Houseboats.com

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

Send us Fan Mail

Lev Goldberg (he/him) became the first openly transgender person to swim across Lake Ontario or any Great Lake on September 3, 2025, finishing his crossing in 24 hours 25 minutes and 15 seconds. He is currently working towards becoming the first openly transgender person to swim across all 5 Great Lakes, and is training to swim 55km across Lake Huron in August 2026, raising funds for LGBT Youthline. 

Although gender dysphoria led him to stop swimming at age 9, he found his way back to the water at age 27 after a eighteen-year hiatus and quickly began to dream of marathon swimming. Less than three years later, he swam across Lake Ontario raising $7,000 for LGBT Youthline, a peer support service for 2SLGBTQ+ youth in Ontario.

Lev was born in Philadelphia and moved to Toronto to attend university thirteen years ago, where he now works as a therapist supporting 2SLGBTQ+ youth. He is also an avid runner and has completed more than twenty running races including two full marathons. 

You can learn more about Lev and his swims at levswimslakes.ca, @lev.swims.lakes on instagram, and @the.leviathn on Tiktok.

Are you ready to change the way you experience the water? Join the SwimMastery Open Water Camp in Loreto, Mexico in 2027. Find out more: SwimMastery Open Water Swim Camps

 Learn more and plan your Lake Shasta adventure at Houseboats.com

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.

Send us Fan Mail

Are you ready to change the way you experience the water? Join the SwimMastery Open Water Camp in Loreto, Mexico in 2027. Find out more: SwimMastery Open Water Swim Camps

 Learn more and plan your Lake Shasta adventure at Houseboats.com

Support the show

If these stories and questions resonate with you, there are a few ways to swim alongside me:

Join my email list for occasional updates about coaching, clinics, gatherings, and opportunities to get in the water together.

Subscribe to Lessons from the Water on Substack for my writing and reflections on swimming, water, awareness, trust, and the edges we meet along the way.

Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.

Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.

Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.com

Music credit:
Epic Inspiration  by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.