- 15
- Episodes
- Weekly
- Cadence
- 2026
- First episode
About In At The Deep End
Inspring journeys from the pool to the everyday. Hosted by Salim Ahmed, a lifelong swimmer and swim coach with over 22 years experience, the show dives into the human stories behind the sport. Not just times and techniques, but the moments when water became an anchor, a lifeline, or a turning point. Each episode features honest, intimate conversations with everyday swimmers, Olympians, well-known names and unheard voices, all united by the role swimming has played in their lives. These are stories of resilience and reinvention, of grief and joy, of quiet victories and near-impossible comebacks. From open-water epiphanies to childhood pool memories, In at the Deep End explores how swimming steadies us, challenges us and carries us through life’s waves. If you love inspiring stories with depth, this is where you dive in.
- Publisher
- Salim Ahmed
- Category
- society & culture · sports
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 4 Feb 2026
- Latest episode
- 6 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
15 episodes in the feed.
6 Oct 2026
Coach's Corner: Breathing, front crawl top tips
This month, Salim tackles the one thing the majority adult swimmers worry about before they've even started a stroke: breathing. It's the first topic most adults raise in a swimming lesson, and it can quietly hold back your progress for years. If you're a confident runner, cyclist or triathlete who runs out of puff after two lengths, or a nervous beginner who holds their breath and hopes for the best, this episode is for you. Salim busts the myths and explains how to swim front crawl with calm, efficient breathing. In this Coach's Corner, Salim covers: Why super-fit runners, triathletes and Ironmen so often struggle in the pool, and the two questions Salim asks them first The "hoarding air" problem: why holding your breath leads to a build-up of carbon dioxide, a racing heart and early exhaustion Why breathing every two strokes is the default for top swimmers Why bilateral breathing is a great training skill but a poor default setting How to breathe like you do in any other activity How to get started A simple three-length breathing drill to build confidence on both sides Coaching tip of the episode Don't hoard air. Breathe out slowly and steadily while your face is in the water, and take in only a partial breath when you turn to breathe. Make the controlled exhale your secret weapon, and when you feel tired, glide a little longer and extend your out-breath rather than rushing your stroke. Be a part of Coach's Corner. Here's how to get in touch: Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com (mailto:inatthedeependpod@gmail.com) Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) — https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) — https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) — thegoodstudio.co.uk
29 Sept 2026
From dreading front crawl to swimming Lake Coniston - with Lise Thorne
Ten years ago, Lise Thorne turned up to her first swimming lesson able to do exactly one stroke, and desperate to avoid the other. Since then she's built Walking This Way into a community of 100,000 followers by talking honestly about midlife, reinvention and everything the brochures leave out, but front crawl was the one thing she'd quietly dodged for her entire adult life. In this episode of In At The Deep End, host and swim coach Salim Ahmed sits down with Lise to work out what changed: how she went from panicking halfway round a 750m lake loop to swimming Coniston's five and a half miles, and why she's now training for a 70km relay across Lake Geneva. Together, Salim and Lise explore: The first lesson that nearly ended in a panicked swim back to shore Why breaststroke feels safe but front crawl is actually the more efficient, lower-impact stroke How learning to breathe properly unlocked a stroke she'd avoided her whole adult life The mental leap from one triathlon in a borrowed wetsuit to a 5.5-mile lake swim Why speed and sprint training matter more, not less, as we get older How swimming became a physical route through issues that had nothing to do with the water Letting go of the fear of "holding the group back", in the pool and in life This is a conversation about learning to swim as an adult, yes, but it's really about what happens when you finally stop avoiding the thing that scares you. Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Follow Salim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/ (https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
15 Sept 2026
Coach's Corner: Why connection comes before everything else
This is the first ever Coach's Corner, a brand new monthly series from In at the Deep End. Between main episodes, Salim will take a deep dive into one coaching topic at a time, answering the questions you send in and sharing tips, techniques and advice picked up across 20 years of swim coaching. And you can help choose the topics, just email in or leave a voice message about what you struggle with, what you want to improve, or what's holding you back, and Salim could cover it in a future episode. To kick things off, this episode is all about connection, the thing most swim coaches skip straight past. Fear of open water doesn't care how fit or experienced you are. It's hit Olympic swimmers, seasoned triathletes mid-race, and pool swimmers who feel completely at home in a lane but freeze the moment they're in a lake or the sea. Salim breaks down why building a genuine connection with the water, before you even think about technique, is the real foundation of confident, efficient swimming. In this Coach's Corner, Salim covers: His five-step process for building water confidence Why coaching often has nothing to do with swimming at all What Vicki Anstey had to overcome before she could even begin training for her record-breaking Pacific row Why "the push and glide" is the fastest part of any length, and how top Olympians already use it The moment Joe Wicks, one of the fittest men in the country, panicked fifty metres into an open water swim, and how connection work turned that around The three pieces of kit Salim recommends once you're ready to start working on propulsion Why Salim describes swimming as a performance art rather than a sport, built on doing less to get more Coaching tip of the episode: Before you touch technique, get connected. Stand on the poolside or the water's edge and treat the water as your friend, not an obstacle. Calm heart rate and comfort in the water aren't a nice-to-have, they're the foundation everything else is built on. Coming up in future episodes: The perfect plod: finding your natural swimming rhythm Swimming like Katie Ledecki Breathing and building an adaptable repertoire The kick: two-beat, four-beat, six-beat, and fixing "sinky legs" The need for speed, and staying fast as you get older Be a part of Coach's Corner. Here's how to get in touch: Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com (mailto:inatthedeependpod@gmail.com) Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) — https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) — https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) — thegoodstudio.co.uk
1 Sept 2026
Rowing an ocean with a fear of open water - with adventurer Vicki Anstey
Ocean rower. World record-breaker. Deep water phobic. At six years old, a jetty gave way beneath Vicki Anstey and her sister, plunging them into deep water. Both survived, but the fear followed her for the next three decades: no diving into the deep end, no jumping off boats, a quiet, lifelong avoidance of anything past her depth. Then, in her forties, she said yes to rowing the Pacific, unsupported and with two crew-mates whose safety depended on her fear staying in check. In this fascinating episode, Vicki talks to Salim about the panic that surfaced when she agreed to take part in SAS: Who Dares Wins, the cognitive behavioural therapy that finally named what she was really afraid of, and the open water coaching - with Salim - that got her calm enough to cross one of the deepest stretches of ocean on the planet, and set a world record doing it. Together, Salim and Vicki explore: The near-drowning at six years old that shaped her relationship with water for 30 years What actually happened when a childhood fear resurfaced on SAS: Who Dares Wins How CBT uncovered the real fear underneath the fear, and why it wasn't about the water at all The open water coaching process used to prepare her, physically and mentally, for an unsupported ocean crossing Why 60 days at sea taught her more about people than about swimming The toxic team dynamics on board, and the coping mechanisms she built to survive them What the title of her book - Other people are like the weather - means, and how it changed the way she handles conflict Why she's about to do it all again, rowing the Atlantic this December Useful Links Vicki's website: vickianstey.co.uk (https://vickianstey.co.uk/) Vicki on Instagram: @vickianstey (https://www.instagram.com/vickianstey/) Vicki's book, Other People Are Like the Weather: Buy here (https://amzn.eu/d/0aeY3mNv) Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Follow Salim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/ (https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
11 Aug 2026
Mark Foster: Five Olympics, eight World Records, one double life
Olympian. Record-breaker. Flag bearer. Mark Foster was the fastest swimmer in Britain by 15, and one of the most enduring sprinters this country has ever produced. Across five Olympic Games and 23 years at the top, he won six world titles, eight world records and eleven European titles, carried the flag for Team GB in Beijing, and somehow kept finding another gear when sprinters are supposed to burn out. In this episode, Salim sits down with Mark to talk about the training revolution he helped pioneer, the double life he led for years before coming out, and what real longevity in sport actually looks like. Together, Salim and Mark explore: Knowing you're something special at 11, and becoming the fastest swimmer in the UK by 15 Why Mark helped reinvent British sprint training after the 1996 Olympics, borrowing from athletics and powerlifting The underwater pullout and starts that became his trademark, and the marginal gains behind them Chasing five Olympics without ever winning an individual medal, and what kept him coming back Living two separate lives for years, and the moment falling in love changed everything Ageing well, staying active in his fifties, and why he's finally ready to try open water Useful links Mark's book: My Double Life (https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/my-double-life-9781399425148/), published by Bloomsbury, out now. Mark's official website: markfoster.co.uk/ (https://www.markfoster.co.uk/) Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Follow Salim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/ (https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
21 Jul 2026
From set to sea: Bridgerton's Sabrina Bartlett on learning to swim for film
This week Salim is joined by actress Sabrina Bartlett, known for Bridgerton, Poldark, Knightfall, Victoria and that unforgettable Game of Thrones finale, and currently on screens in BBC One's I, Jack Wright. But this isn't a conversation about her impressive CV. Salim and Sabrina have history: he coached her back in 2013 for her breakout film role as a Channel swimmer, and this episode goes right back to where it all began, for both of them. Together, Salim and Sabrina explore: How a 2013 film shoot in Italy, playing a Channel swimmer, changed the course of both their lives The moment of pure overwhelm on a first open water swim, and the mental trick that got her through it Why performance artists, dancers and ballerinas often pick up swimming technique faster than anyone else The idea of swimming as a performance art rather than a sport, and what that shift in mindset actually does to technique Cold water swimming as a ritual before a working day and the anxiety that never quite goes away, even for experienced swimmers Setting boundaries on set and what it means to have someone advocating for your physical wellbeing when the job demands otherwise Sabrina's favourite open water spots, from Positano and Sorrento to Cornwall's lesser known coves Why October, not summer, is secretly the best month to swim in the Cornish sea Useful Links The Crossing (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3874450/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1), the 2013 short film that first brought Salim and Sabrina together The Last Sunrise, Sabrina's upcoming film, out on Amazon Prime from 26 August I, Jack Wright (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002x7jh/i-jack-wright?seriesId=m002x7jh-structural-1-m002x7jj), currently airing on BBC One and iPlayer Outdoor Swimmer Magazine: outdoorswimmer.com (https://www.outdoorswimmer.com/) Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Watergate Bay Hotel (https://watergatebay.co.uk/)- where Salim holds his swimming retreats: watergatebay.co.uk/ (https://watergatebay.co.uk/) Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Follow Salim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/ (https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
16 Jun 2026
Surfing for love: How Pete Abell built a life, business and family by the sea
Pete Abell grew up in Gloucestershire. No coastline, no surf breaks, no obvious reason to end up where he did. But when his dad took him to Mawgan Porth at the age of eight with a borrowed foam board, something clicked. He never really left. Over two decades on, he's still there - running King Surf, raising a family in the water, and quietly building something that goes well beyond a surf school. What's fascinating about Pete is his philosophy. He's not chasing performance or competing for the best wave. He rides old-school twin fins and single fins. He lets other people have the set. He'll watch someone catch their first wave and get just as much out of it as if he'd caught it himself. In a world that's always pushing harder and faster, there's something really refreshing about that. In this episode, Salim and Pete explore: How a childhood spent swimming and skating led Pete to surfing, and why a back injury at 15 became a turning point. The connection between swimming ability and surf safety, including what speed standards lifeguards and surf coaches are actually expected to meet. The River Severn proposal: how Pete caught a wave at 7am on a freezing January morning, produced a ring from his armpit and created one of the most-watched videos on the BBC website that week. The crossover between open-water swimming and surfing: why Salim can spot a surfer within two lengths, and whether swimmers should all have a go What changes as you get older, not just physically, but in what you want from the water and what brings you back to it every morning. Useful links Pete Abell and King Surf: kingsurf.co.uk (https://www.kingsurf.co.uk) Pete on LinkedIN: linkedin.com/in/peter-abell-9b688231/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-abell-9b688231/) Outdoor Swimmer Magazine: outdoorswimmer.com (https://www.outdoorswimmer.com/) Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Follow Salim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/ (https://www.instagram.com/salimswimlab/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
2 Jun 2026
How Simon Griffiths built a magazine from scratch and got faster as he got older.
In 2011, there was no magazine for people who swam outdoors. No shared home for the stories, the training, the destinations, the growing community of people quietly falling in love with open water. So Simon Griffiths made one. As the founder and publisher of Outdoor Swimmer, he helped give a movement a voice, and in doing so built one of the most quietly influential publications in UK sport. But the story behind the magazine is more personal, and more compelling, than the cover lines suggest. Simon started Outdoor Swimmer in the aftermath of the worst thing that had ever happened to him, driven by a need to keep moving, to build something and to stay afloat. More than a decade on, he is still doing exactly that, now turning 60 with a personal best 100m time, training across every stroke and distance, and launching the Renaissance Swimmer Project, a new venture that asks what swimming might unlock in the rest of your life. Together, Salim and Simon explore: How a grief-driven idea became a landmark publication, and what it actually took to launch a magazine with no funding and a Google search. Why the open water swimming community felt different from the start, and the names and early believers who helped the magazine find its feet. What it means to get faster as you age, and how Simon broke a lifetime personal best in the pool on his 59th birthday. The training principles that actually matter as you get older, including why sprint work is more important for long-distance swimmers than they think. The case for swimming everything: why mixing strokes, distances, and environments makes you a better swimmer in all of them. The Renaissance Swimmer Project, what it is, what it is not, and why Simon believes swimming is just the beginning of a bigger conversation about how we live. Whether technology belongs in open water, from GPS goggles to coaching headsets, and where the line between useful and reductive sits. Useful links Outdoor Swimmer Magazine: outdoorswimmer.com (https://www.outdoorswimmer.com) The Renaissance Swimmer Project: renaissanceswimmer.com (https://www.renaissanceswimmer.com) Simon's book, Swim Wild and Free: Available from all good book resellers now Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
19 May 2026
Trailblazing Olympian Alice Dearing: Burnout, belonging & The Black Swimming Association
Olympian. Marathon swimmer. History-maker. In this episode of In At The Deep End, Salim sits down with Alice Dearing, the first black woman to represent Team GB in Olympic swimming. But this conversation goes far beyond medals and Olympic qualification. Alice opens up about the emotional reality of elite sport: the burnout, the self-doubt, the pressure of representation and the strange tension between making history while simply wanting to perform well as an athlete. Together, Salim and Alice explore: Alice’s journey from Birmingham swimming clubs to the Tokyo Olympics Why she nearly walked away from swimming several times The hidden mental toll of high-performance sport The myths and stereotypes surrounding black people and swimming The work of the Black Swimming Association The Soul Cap controversy before Tokyo 2020 Identity, belonging and what it means to represent Britain today Life after retirement and Alice’s ambitions to shape the future of sport in the UK It’s an honest, thoughtful and timely conversation about water, identity, resilience and breaking down barriers. If you enjoy the episode, please follow In At The Deep End, leave a rating or review and share it with someone who’d love it too. Useful Links Alice Dearing Alice's website: http://www.alicedearing.com/ (http://www.alicedearing.com/) Team GB Profile: https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/alice-dearing/53rk1dw8eJYpYKnylE5rvD (https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/alice-dearing/53rk1dw8eJYpYKnylE5rvD) The Black Swimming Association: https://thebsa.co.uk/ (https://thebsa.co.uk/) LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-dearing-oly-5ab64517b/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-dearing-oly-5ab64517b/) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicedearingx/ (https://www.instagram.com/lorrainecandy/) Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Swimming & Open Water Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Outdoor Swimmer Magazine (https://outdoorswimmer.com/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
5 May 2026
How cold water carried me through midlife - with Lorraine Candy
Lorraine Candy is one of Britain's most recognisable media voices. She is the former editor of Cosmopolitan, Elle and The Sunday Times Style, she's also a Sunday Times bestselling author and co-host of the hugely popular Postcards from Midlife podcast. But in this episode, it's not the magazine covers or the bestseller lists that take centre stage. It's the water. Lorraine came to open water swimming at 47, after a panic attack during a sprint triathlon left her terrified and determined never to feel that way again. What followed was a decade-long journey that she describes, without exaggeration, as the single thing that has most improved her life. In this episode Salim and Lorraine talk about what cold water actually gave her during the hardest years of perimenopause, why community is the most underreported benefit of open water swimming, and how the two of them ended up working together on something many swimmers avoid facing: going faster. It's a rich, honest conversation about bravery, belonging, and what it means to find a sport that will carry you through the rest of your life. In this episode: How a panic attack in a triathlon lake became the start of Lorraine's real swimming journey Cold water swimming and perimenopause - the mental, physical, and community benefits Why the open water swimming community is one of the most inclusive and body-positive spaces Lorraine has ever found The moment she realised she'd been "plodding forever" and the mindful approach to speed that actually worked Favourite swims: Lake Geneva at sunrise, the Scilly Isles, swimming through a shoal of mackerel in Cornwall Fantasy swims on the horizon: the Strait of Gibraltar and Alcatraz Advice for midlife women and teenage girls - why getting in the water might be the best thing you can do for both of them Useful Links Lorraine Candy Postcards From Midlife podcast (https://www.postcardsfrommidlife.com/): https://www.postcardsfrommidlife.com/ (https://www.postcardsfrommidlife.com/) What's Wrong With Me? 101 Things Midlife Women Need to Know (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whats-Wrong-Me-Things-Midlife/dp/0008530092) Lorraine's Substack newsletter, The Candy Club: https://substack.com/@lorrainecandy (https://substack.com/@lorrainecandy) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorrainecandy/ (https://www.instagram.com/lorrainecandy/) Swimming & Open Water Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Hampton Pool (https://www.hamptonpool.co.uk/) Outdoor Swimmer Magazine (https://outdoorswimmer.com/) Watergate Bay Hotel (https://watergatebay.co.uk/)- where Salim holds his swimming retreats Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
21 Apr 2026
Breaking records at 95 and loving life - with the inspirational Jane Asher BEM
What does a life fully lived in the water look like? For Jane Asher, it looks like five world records broken in a single weekend, at the age of 95. A South London swimming legend and great-grandmother, Jane didn't even begin her competitive career until she was 55. Since then, she has become one of Masters swimming's most remarkable figures, currently holding world records in the 95–99 age group across the 50m, 100m, 200m, individual medley, and 50m backstroke. In this conversation, Salim sits down with Jane to trace the extraordinary arc of her life, from clandestine boarding school pool sessions in 1940s Johannesburg and witnessing apartheid at close quarters, to coaching the next generation and returning to competition in her late 50s. Jane reflects on the joy that has kept her in the water for over eight decades, the friendships swimming has given her across the world, and why she still does tumble turns. What's in this episode Growing up on Zambia's Copperbelt and swimming at a Johannesburg boarding school in the 1940s How apartheid shaped and troubled Jane's early life, and the moment swimming offered something different Teaching herself to swim competitively at 40, then discovering the Masters swimming world Building clubs and communities, from Jane's Extra Training sessions to the King's Cormorants in Wimbledon Breaking five World Records at the recent Guernsey Masters meet The meditative quality of swimming and why counting strokes keeps her present Her advice to anyone over 60 thinking about getting in the water for the first time Why Jane still gets up for a 9am swim three times a week. Useful Links Swimming & Open Water Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Hampton Pool (https://www.hamptonpool.co.uk/) Kings Cormorants Masters Swimming Club (https://kcswimmingclub.org.uk/) - Jane's local swimming club East Anglian Swallow Tails (https://www.swallowtails.co.uk/)- the club Jane set up with her friends Seymour Banning and Carol Buykx Kingfishers Swimming Club (https://kingfishersswimmingclub.org.uk/)- set up by Jane in Norwich Swim England Masters (https://www.swimming.org/masters/) - the national body for adult competitive swimming in England Outdoor Swimmer Magazine (https://outdoorswimmer.com/) Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Jane's record breaking achievements BBC article on Jane's five world records in April, 2026 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c248qzld0deo) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
7 Apr 2026
From operating table to open water - Adam Filby on liver donation, recovery and Ironman
In Episode 3, Salim is joined by Adam Filby - technology professional, fundraiser, triathlete and dad. In May 2017, on the same day the WannaCry cyberattack was tearing through NHS systems across the country, Adam was on an operating table donating part of his liver to his seven-year-old daughter Florence, who had been born with a life-threatening liver condition. He came round from the anaesthetic not in intensive care, but in a makeshift room in a hospital corridor, and within 24 hours had signed up for an Ironman. Adam's relationship with swimming began years earlier, quietly shaped by the knowledge that one day his daughter might need him to be in the best possible shape. What followed was a journey from a man who could barely swim 50 metres, through triathlons, half Ironmans and four full Ironmans, to someone for whom the open water has become the place he finds the same peace he once found running through a forest the night before the operation. This is a story about love, purpose, the human body's extraordinary capacity to heal and what happens when you refuse to set a limit on what you might be capable of. Key themes in this episode: Biliary atresia, the rare liver condition Florence was born with, and what it means for families waiting for a transplant Training for a triathlon in your early 30s with a quiet, deeper motivation behind it What it's like to be on the transplant list - the waiting, the restrictions, the fear The day of the operation - two theatres, a cyberattack, and a photo taken over a surgeon's shoulder Going from lying in a hospital bed to completing an Ironman in five and a half months How swimming and exercise became a vehicle for processing an enormous experience The calm that open water gives and why Adam can no longer train in a pool The case for living organ donation, and why fitness is no barrier to recovery Finding purpose through sport: from proving something to simply thriving Useful Links Swimming & Open Water Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Hampton Pool (https://www.hamptonpool.co.uk/) — where Mei-Ling rediscovered swimming during the pandemic Swim Serpentine (https://www.swimserpentine.co.uk/) — open-water event completed during her recovery Kingfisher Triathletes (https://www.kingfishertriathletes.co.uk/) - Triathlon club British Triathlon (https://www.britishtriathlon.org/) Outdoor Swimmer Magazine (https://outdoorswimmer.com/) Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Organ Donation NHS Organ Donation (https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk) — register as an organ donor Children's Liver Disease Foundation (https://childliverdisease.org) — supporting families affected by childhood liver disease Adam Filby Follow Adam on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ajfilby/) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
24 Mar 2026
When swimming becomes a breast cancer lifeline - with Dr Mei-Ling Lancashire
In Episode 2 of In At The Deep End, Salim is joined by Dr Mei-Ling Lancashire - GP, cancer survivor, single mum and swimmer. At the peak of her fitness, Mei-Ling discovered a breast lump and, as a GP with a background in breast cancer research, knew instantly what it meant. What followed was an aggressive diagnosis, gruelling chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and the challenge of holding everything together for her two young daughters. Swimming became her lifeline. From a childhood passion, cut short by societal misconceptions, to a primal fear of deep water and, eventually, open-water sessions at Shepperton Lake, her relationship with the water has been anything but simple. And that's exactly what makes her story so powerful. Key themes in this episode: Childhood swimming talent ended by 1980s attitudes towards women athletes Breast cancer diagnosis at peak fitness, and the shock of knowing immediately what it was Staying active through chemotherapy and surgery as a single parent Fundraising for Cancer Research UK and becoming the face of a national campaign Overcoming a deep-rooted fear of open water Nerve damage from surgery and chemo, and learning to reconnect with key swimming muscles The role of Pilates in unlocking a better swim stroke Swimming as the last sport standing when injury takes everything else away What it truly means to thrive, not just survive Useful Links Swimming & Open Water Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Hampton Pool (https://www.hamptonpool.co.uk) — where Mei-Ling rediscovered swimming during the pandemic Swim Serpentine (https://www.swimserpentine.co.uk) — open-water event completed during her recovery Swim with Salim SwimLab — Learn to swim with Salim (https://swimlab.org.uk/) Cancer Awareness Cancer Research UK (https://www.cancerresearchuk.org) — the charity Mei-Ling has fundraised for throughout her recovery Breast Cancer Now (https://breastcancernow.org) — helpline: 0808 800 6000 Dr Mei-Ling Lancashire Follow Mei-Ling on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thethrivologist/) Donate to Dr Mei Ling's Cancer Research UK fundraising page here: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/unite/mei-lings-giving-page (https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/unite/mei-lings-giving-page) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
10 Mar 2026
Swimming as an escape from work in a war zone - with Dr Victoria 'Rosie' Rose
In this debut episode of In At The Deep End, host and swim coach Salim Ahmed welcomes his first guest, Dr Victoria Rose - or 'Rosie' as he knows her - a consultant plastic surgeon whose life is defined by two remarkable worlds: the operating theatres of London hospitals and the war-torn hospitals of Gaza. Rosie shares her journey from dedicated runner to passionate swimmer, how a serious knee injury changed everything and why swimming has become a lifeline - not just physically, but mentally and emotionally - as she processes the harrowing work of treating children with blast, burn, and bullet injuries in one of the world's most dangerous conflict zones. Key themes in this episode: What plastic surgery really involves and why it has such an unfair reputation The IDEALS charity and its decades of work supporting surgeons in conflict zones Life in Gaza before and after October 2023 - the contrast between restaurants and rubble The friendship and responsibility that drives humanitarian volunteers back into danger The physiological magic of cold water and the body's response to immersion Swimming as community, fitness and mental health support Open-water swimming at Shepperton Lake, and the eureka moment Swimming for body, mind and soul: resilience, mindfulness and showing up Useful Links Swimming & Open Water Shepperton Open Water Swim: sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk (https://sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk/) Swim England — Find a Club (https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/find-a-club/) — find a Masters club near you British Masters Swimming (https://www.britishmasters.co.uk/) Outdoor Swimming Society (https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/) — open-water locations and resources Swim with Salim SwimLab (https://swimlab.org.uk/) - Learn to swim with Salim Organisations Mentioned IDEALS Charity (https://www.ideals.org.uk/) — supporting surgeons in conflict zones Dr Victoria Rose Follow Rosie on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/rosieplasticsurgeon/?hl=en-gb) Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
4 Feb 2026
Welcome to In At The Deep End
Welcome to In at the Deep End, a new podcast hosted by swim coach Salim Ahmed. In this trailer you'll get a glimpse into the kinds of stories featured on the show: honest conversations with people whose lives have been shaped by swimming in ways that go far beyond the pool. Stories about resilience, identity, loss, ambition and the moments when the water became a place to think, heal, push on or start again. If swimming has ever meant more to you than just lengths and times, this is where it begins. Be a part of the show: Here's how to get in touch... Email us: inatthedeependpod@gmail.com Use the get in touch form HERE (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show)- https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show (https://inatthedeepend.transistor.fm/be-a-part-of-the-show) Send us a voice message HERE (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd)- https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd (https://www.speakpipe.com/InAtTheDeepEnd) Produced by The Good Studio (https://thegoodstudio.co.uk/) - thegoodstudio.co.uk
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