Women Who Travel Podcast: A Record-Setting Swimmer on Seeing the World by Water

Meet Jaimie Monahan, an ultramarathon and cold-water swimmer who has pitted herself against some of the world’s harshest bodies of water—from the choppy Pacific to the glacier-filled seascape of Antarctica—all for the sake of, as she puts it, “pursuing new experiences.” This month, Monahan embarked on what is perhaps her greatest challenge to date: to become the fastest person to swim six marathons on six continents in just 16 days (yes, it’s a very specific Guinness World Record). After beginning at New York’s Coney Island, she’ll spend the next few weeks swimming in the open waters of Cartagena, Sydney, Singapore, Sharm El Sheikh, and Geneva. Oh, and did we mention she also has a full-time day job? Tune in to this week’s episode to hear us grill her on what it’s like to submerge yourself in sub-zero temperatures, the cold-water swimming community (it’s global!), and how we can all become better travelers. Desperate to know how she gets through her toughest swims? “Just breathe through it and see what happens,” she says.

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