Every coaching partnership has an origin story. Ours began with an eight-hour training swim, a kayak, and a shared love of open water. What started as one volunteer supporting another grew into a friendship, coaching partnership, and eventually Swim Open Waters. Along the way, marathon swims, fueling research, stroke analysis, and a relentless curiosity shaped the approach we now share with every swimmer we coach.

Marathon swimming is not just about getting to the other side. It is about preparing for the journey physically, mentally, and experientially. In this personal story, coach Sidney Russell shares how overtraining for her Catalina Channel swim changed the way she approaches marathon swimming and why every training plan should be built around the individual, not a template.