Cath Pendleton: Triathlon to Antarctica swimming

If you got into open water swimming over the last couple of years, you'll love hearing this interview with Cath Pendleton. Cath is a record breaking ice swimmer from south Wales. She talks about enjoying triathlon before becoming addicted to the cold water. She explains how it helps her switch off, about her record breaking swim in Antartica, and the BBC Merthyr Mermaid documentary all about her.
You'll hear:
01:00 What is ice swimming? "With an ice swimming event, the water has to be under 5 degrees and you can only wear standard swimming costume and hat. There is also winter swimming, which is under 11 degrees. "
02:00 Cath says 'I did a novice triathlon and swore I would never do one again. But it was through triathlon that I fell in love with open water swimming '
06:00 "The first time I did it, I didn't know what to think. But the second time I did it, I got exactly the same buzz that I do now. It's afterwards. I'm absolutely buzzing afterwards.
08:35 "I never had that buzz when I did triathlon. I spent the swim going up and down thinking 'oh boring,' I spent the cycle scared of going downhill and I spent the run convincing myself it was ok.' But what I got from triathlon was friendship."
12:10 'Cath talks about some of the doubters. People said to me 'you've got two children, you might die!' But if someone tells me I can't do something, I'm like well watch me! I
14:50 'Cath talks about preparing for an ice mile 'I get myself in such a pickle sometimes. But I was the same in triathlons. Sometimes it's a lot of self doubt or because people have told me I can't do it. But once I'm doing it, I do have that determination inside me.
18:15 'Cath explains where the idea came from to do Antartica. Nothing will ever top it. I just want to win the lottery, go back and swim in my bobble hat and take it all in.'
20:30 'Cath explains what it's like to get into freezing cold water. 'When you get into any water under 5, or 3 degrees, your hands automatically feel like they have been put in a vice and crushed.
28:25 How you avoid the drop and recover after swimming in such cold water.
32:30 Cath trained by buying a big chest freezer. "You get an old freezer, fill it with water and wait until it freezers and then smash it all up and sit in it. I did it really to get my mind in the right place.
40:00 Cath's passion to help other women just to try something new.
Find out more about this week's guests
Cath Pendleton Instagram
Cath Pendleton The Merthyr Mermaid documentary
Like what you heard?
Let me know! Connect with Inside Tri Show across Social Media, just search Inside Tri Show or click on the icons below
Sponsors of the show
Resilient Nutrition provide formulated products to improve your cognitive and physical performance. From phenomenally tasty Long Range Fuel nut butters, to delicious dark chocolate drink Switch On. Get 10% off by using the code insidetri10 or go direct via this link.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices