I recently struck up a conversation with a gentleman training for his first triathlon on Twitter after he appeared on one my favorite podcasts, ( @WhyISocial on Twitter). Why I Social podcast offers candid conversations with folks who do social media right, as they put it featuring people "from average joe to CEO." Each podcast invites you to get to know guests on everything social media and beyond. The beauty of Why I Social is that it provides a platform for you to really understand and explore the unique journey's that people take in their careers.
After hearing this gentleman's story, naturally, me being me, I was very eager to meet my new best friend and talk all things swimming. I found (not surprisingly) that I couldn't quite convey in 140 characters or over direct messages all my thoughts on transitioning from the pool to open water and how I found, in my personal experience training for an open water event can be quite different from a leisurely dip in the wild waters. And in general, just sharing my background as a swimmer.
::Insert shameless self promotion:: I was on the podcast too! Want to hear what I sound like? Creepy but give it a listen: http://whyisocial.libsyn.com/episode-111-katy-spencer-johnson-katyb_spencer
After talking with this gentleman and appearing on the Why I Social podcast as a guest, I started thinking about origin stories and more specifically wild swimmer origin stories. The question that rolled around in my brain is:
I'd love to hear your story. In the coming weeks, I'll share my own Wild Swimming Origin Story. Did you pick up swimming after years away from the pool? Where you you lured to open water from the pool? Started with a single lap in a pool and made your way from there at a swim event? Are you simply a swimmer who likes the solace and quiet of a lake in the morning?How did we come to be the wild swimmers that we are?
I have met so many amazing individuals as a result of this blog and more prolifically as a result of shared experience: meeting at a swimming event, connecting on facebook over a shared love of the absurdly cold Atlantic, or interviewing amazing athletes, mothers, and casual swimmers. I want to share those stories, your story, and my story.