Really fascinating talk with Simon Holliday - long-distance swimmer, Splash co-founder, and corporate wellness guy.
1. Simon recalls his childhood memories of swimming, both good and bad
2. How he prepared for the English Channel swim, both mentally and physically (not the healthiest! But necessary)
3. Why Simon decided to swim from Hong Kong to Macau and the people behind this amazing feat (shout out to Doug Woodring and Shu Pu)
4. He's the SECOND official person (a respective nod to Linda McGill being the first) to swim around Hong Kong Island - how to overcome mental challenges such as feeling stuck at the same spot
5. He co-founded Splash Foundation with Libby Alexander, a charitable organisation dedicated to helping adults and children from low income communities learn to swim. Simon talks about the importance of learning to swim for self confidence, as a life-saving skill, and the gateway sport to other water sports.
6. We then discuss the physical and mental benefits of swimming, what specific health benefits there are to cold water swimming, and why Simon feels it's different to other sports
7. Simon talks about his recent experience in a floatation tank - both scary and liberating
9. How Simon relates to his day job in corporate wellness
10. Simon combines his love of history with his passion for swimming - a sneak preview into what he's planning on swimming next year!
Here are the links to Simon's amazing swims and the Splash Foundation:
The Clean Cross: HK to Macau https://youtu.be/MnjDtDTpbJU
HK360: Swimming around HK Island https://youtu.be/K0HFF7FTFeg
Simon Holliday and Splash Foundation https://youtu.be/ikT31GN21pU