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There are moments in life that change us.

For Brendan Cullen, swimming the English Channel was never just about reaching France. It was about finding a way forward after hitting rock bottom, rebuilding relationships, and discovering what was possible on the other side of struggle.

In this powerful moment from our conversation with Brendan, he reflects on the finish of his Channel swim, the embrace with his wife after 29 years of marriage, and how that journey opened the door to something even bigger. Helping others.

"I know what rock bottom looks like. But I also know what coming out the other side looks like."

The full conversation is now available on After Swim. Link to website in the Bio.

#AfterSwim #BrendanCullen #TheDesertSwimmer #EnglishChannel #OpenWaterSwimming #MentalHealth #Resilience #SwimmingJourney #Endurance #FindingYourWhy by @afterswimcommunity

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2 months ago

“Training starts when you stop.”
— Brendan Cullen

It’s a reminder that growth rarely happens when things feel easy.

Real training often begins in the moments where motivation fades. When the alarm goes off early. When it’s cold, uncomfortable and easier to stay where you are.

That’s the space where commitment gets tested.

On Episode 9 of the After Swim Show, Brendan Cullen, author of The Desert Swimmer, spoke about swimming alone before sunrise in freezing conditions and the mental battle that comes with returning day after day.

Because endurance is rarely built in one big moment.

It’s built in the small decisions made consistently over time.

Getting up. Showing up. Continuing on when the initial excitement has worn off.

Discipline begins where motivation ends.

That’s why this was our Words of the Week on Episode 9 of the After Swim Show featuring the author of the book “The Desert Swimmer” - Brendan Cullen.

Because the moments that challenge our commitment are often the moments that shape us the most.

If you would like to hear our chat with Brendan, head over to our website (link in our Bio) and register for access to the conversation.

#AfterSwim #WordsOfTheWeek #OpenWaterSwimming #Discipline #Resilience by @afterswimcommunity

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2 months ago

Recently on AfterSwim, we sat down with Brendan Cullen, author of The Desert Swimmer.

To watch the full conversation, register via our website link in our bio. Our subscribers will receive early access and the replay link directly to their inbox.

What began as a goal to swim the English Channel became something far deeper.

A conversation about rock bottom. Mental health. Identity. Vulnerability. Recovery. Purpose. And the healing power of open water swimming.

Brendan shares the raw reality behind the journey, the lessons learned through struggle, and why “no one does it alone.”

This is more than a swimming story.

It is a human story.

Episode 9 drops this Sunday.

This is for anyone who has ever felt stuck, challenged, or unsure of what comes next.

#AfterSwim #OpenWaterSwimming #TheDesertSwimmer #EnglishChannel #MentalHealth #MarathonSwimming #OpenWaterCommunity #SwimmingJourney by @afterswimcommunity

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2 months ago

Sometimes the conditions aren’t perfect.
The timing isn’t ideal.
And the outcome is uncertain. 🌊

On Episode 4 of the After Swim Show, Andy spoke about travelling to New Zealand to attempt the Cook Strait under conditions that were far from comfortable.

Strong tides.
Unpredictable weather.
A narrow window of opportunity.

There was no guarantee it would work.

But there was also an understanding that not every meaningful challenge arrives wrapped in certainty.

At some point, all you can do is prepare as best you can… and then let go of trying to control the outcome.

A few reflections from the conversation:

• Uncertainty doesn’t always mean impossibility
• Preparation builds trust when conditions become unpredictable
• Letting go of the outcome can actually create freedom
• Sometimes growth comes from saying yes before you feel completely ready

The lead up doesn’t always have to be perfect for something meaningful to happen.

That’s part of what we explore on the After Swim Show.

Follow @AfterSwimShow for more conversations about endurance, mindset and the lessons found in open water.

#AfterSwim #OpenWaterSwimming #CookStrait #Mindset #Resilience by @afterswimcommunity

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2 months ago

Sometimes things don’t go the way we planned.

Months of preparation.
Early mornings.
Late nights.
Long sessions.

All building toward something that suddenly changes, disappears, or doesn’t unfold the way we hoped.

In those moments it’s easy to feel frustration or disappointment.

But effort is never wasted.

Every session builds strength.
Every setback builds perspective.
Every challenge builds resilience.

Circumstances may change the outcome of a moment, but they never erase the work that was done to get there.

That’s why this was our Words of the Week on episode 3 of the After Swim Show.

Because setbacks don’t define where the journey ends.
They simply remind us where the journey begins.

What challenges have helped shape your journey?

#AfterSwim #WordsOfTheWeek #Resilience #SwimmingLife by @afterswimcommunity

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2 months ago

Sometimes the stories around adventures become bigger than the adventures themselves. 🌊😂

On Episode 3 of the After Swim Show, we somehow found ourselves discussing the infamous Lion’s Mane jellyfish from the North Channel… and whether they’re actually the size of a Volkswagen Beetle!

Turns out, some swimming stories may have become slightly embellished in the retelling over the years. 😅

But if you spend enough time around open water swimmers, you quickly realise every location has its myths, legends and horror stories.

Usually told right before you’re about to get in the water!

A few takeaways from the conversation:

• Swimmers are excellent storytellers
• Urban myths somehow get bigger every year
• Fear often comes from the unknown
• And sometimes humour is part of what makes the swimming community so enjoyable

At the end of the day, the stories, laughs and conversations are often just as memorable as the swims themselves.

That’s part of what After Swim is all about.

Follow @afterswimcommunity for more conversations, stories and questionable swimming folklore.

#AfterSwim #OpenWaterSwimming #SwimmingCommunity #SwimLife #MarathonSwimming by @afterswimcommunity

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2 months ago

Sometimes you just have to laugh about it. 🌊

After the Rottnest Swim was cancelled this year due to rough conditions, we found ourselves standing on the beach on the island with a little too much energy and nowhere to swim.

So naturally in Episode 3, we had some fun…We recreated one of our favourite moments from the previous year.

In 2025, our teammate Max absolutely emptied the tank to win the channel swim, collapsing across the finish line after giving everything he had. For context (and a good laugh) see Episode 2 of our show 😉

This was our very unofficial recreation of that moment. Featuring Andy Donaldson and some questionable acting skills. 😂

But underneath the fun, there’s probably a deeper reminder too:

• Not every big build up ends the way you hoped
• Sometimes the best thing you can do is keep perspective
• Humour can be part of resilience too
• And the friendships built through swimming are often just as meaningful as the events themselves

That balance between challenge, disappointment and not taking ourselves too seriously is something we talk about a lot on the After Swim Show.

Because swimming isn’t only about the result.
Sometimes it’s about the stories that come afterwards.

Follow @AfterSwimShow for more conversations, stories and moments from the open water community.

#AfterSwim #RottnestChannelSwim #OpenWaterSwimming #SwimCommunity #SwimmingLife by @afterswimcommunity

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2 months ago

It’s a reminder that growth rarely happens in perfect conditions.

Skill, resilience and confidence are usually built when things are less than ideal. When the water is rough.

When the wind picks up. When things don’t quite go to plan.

Every swim brings something different.
- Changing conditions.
- Unexpected challenges.
- Moments where you have to adapt, stay calm and keep moving forward.

Those experiences build patience, resilience and perspective.

Progress isn’t made when everything is calm.
It’s made when we learn how to move through the tougher conditions.

That’s why this was our Words of the Week on Episode 2 of the After Swim Show.

Because the moments that challenge us are often the ones that shape us the most.

#AfterSwim #WordsOfTheWeek #OpenWaterSwimming #Resilience by @afterswimcommunity

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4 months ago

You might be someone’s hero and not even realise it. 🌊

During a conversation on the After Swim Show, we touched on something simple, but powerful.

Most of us have people we look up to… mentors, role models, people who inspire us.

But what we sometimes forget is that someone may be looking up to us as well.

Maybe a training partner.
A teammate.
A friend.
Someone quietly watching how you show up.

In that sense, we’re all someone else’s lighthouse.

A few reflections from the conversation:

• The way we show up matters more than we often realise
• Small actions can influence people in quiet ways
• Leadership doesn’t always look like a title or position
• Living in line with your values sends a message to those around you

Sometimes, inspiration isn’t loud or obvious.
Sometimes it’s just someone consistently showing up.

Follow @afterswimcommunity for more conversations about the human side of swimming and endurance.

#AfterSwim #SwimmingCommunity #Leadership #OpenWaterSwimming #SwimLife by @afterswimcommunity

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4 months ago

“Your brain will give up before your body does.”

It’s a line that emerged during one of our conversations on the After Swim Show.

Anyone who has spent time in the water has probably felt that moment… when the mind starts suggesting that maybe it’s time to stop, even though the body still has more to give.

There’s a saying in marathon swimming that it’s 80% mental and 20% physical.

Long before the body truly reaches its limit, the mind starts negotiating.

This is getting uncomfortable. 🥵
Slow down. 🐌
Stop. ✋️

A few reflections from that conversation:

• The mind often reaches its limit before the body does

• Resilience is something that can be trained and develops over time

• Sometimes the hardest part is simply taking one more step

• And occasionally, the mind just needs a gentle reminder that it’s capable of more

Sometimes the difference between stopping and finishing is simply learning not to believe the first voice that tells you to quit.

That balance between mind and body is something we talk about a lot on the After Swim Show.

Because the real stories behind swimming often start long before the finish line.

Follow @afterswimcommunity for more conversations like this.

#AfterSwim #OpenWaterSwimming #SwimMindset #Resilience #MarathonSwimming by @afterswimcommunity

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4 months ago

Our very first Words of the Week on the After Swim Show:

In Episode 1, we explored the idea of resilience vs. being robust.

Swimming teaches this in a quiet but powerful way.

Every session adds something.
Some bring clarity.
Some bring challenge.
All of them build resilience.

Swimming has a way of building that resilience. Not through one perfect session, but through the quiet accumulation of many swims over time.

The moments in the water that slowly shape the person you become.

These are the conversations we explore on the After Swim Show.

#AfterSwim #SwimmingLife #Resilience #WordsOfTheWeek by @afterswimcommunity

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4 months ago

Sometimes you don’t realise something is saving you until things start to fall apart 🌊

This story from the After Swim Show isn’t really about swimming or goals.

It’s about what happens when life feels chaotic and you return to something familiar.

In the middle of a marriage breakdown, there wasn’t a need for extremes.

There was a need for:
• Structure 🏛
• Discipline 💪
• Belonging 👨‍👩‍👦

Swimming became an anchor. ⚓️

Early mornings. Familiar water. A community that felt like family.

That’s what After Swim is about.

The human side of sport.
The conversations beneath the training.
The stories that shape us long after the session ends.

If you’ve ever found clarity in the water, you’ll understand this.

Follow @AfterSwimShow and be part of the conversation ❤️

#AfterSwim #SwimmingSavedMe #OpenWaterSwimming #SwimCommunity #MentalResilience by @afterswimcommunity

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5 months ago