Hi guys, hope you’ve all had a great April!
This months theme is – Extraordinary Athletes. Extraordinary Conditions.
As we edge ever closer to race season, I wanted to shine a light on two of our athletes who did something genuinely special this month — not just in terms of performance, but in terms of what they had to overcome to even get to the start line.
I tip my coaching hat to both of them. Wholeheartedly.
What makes their stories so compelling is how completely opposite they are. One was battling extreme cold. The other, extreme heat. Both were operating in conditions that push long-distance sport into a different category entirely — where it stops being just a physical challenge and becomes a true test of resilience.
Sami Robertson — Cook Strait, New Zealand
First up is our legendary swimmer and Wildpool founder, Sami Robertson, who took on one of the most fearsome swims on the planet — the Cook Strait, between the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
I once crossed it on a ferry and genuinely thought I was going to die. And I was just a passenger.
To give you some sense of what Sami was up against:
- Fewer than 200 people have ever completed this swim. To put that in perspective, more people have summited Everest.
- The strait is around 26km of cold, rough water — but due to the powerful tidal flows and swirling currents caused by the underlying mountainous geography, the actual swimming distance ends up significantly longer.
- Around 1 in 20 swimmers experiences a shark sighting during the crossing.
- It’s been described as one of the few remaining “Everest challenges” left on the planet.
- It forms part of the Oceans Seven — the seven iconic marathon swims that represent the pinnacle of open water achievement worldwide.
- The first successful crossing wasn’t made until 1962, and many who have attempted it since have failed — some multiple times — before finally conquering it.
Sami has completed some remarkable swims in his time, including the English Channel and the Round Manhattan (48km). But the Cook Strait, despite being shorter at 26km, has a brutal reputation all of its own.
And getting there was an adventure in itself. With flights cancelled out of Dubai due to the conflict in the Middle East, Sami had to completely reroute his journey just to reach New Zealand. By the time he arrived, he’d already completed what most people would call an ordeal. And that was before he’d even looked at the water.
Then, on his first swim window, the conditions were deemed too dangerous to attempt. A decision had to be made: go home, or dig in and wait three more weeks for the next opportunity. Sami took the punt. I’m very glad he did.
Those three weeks tested his patience as much as any swim ever could — but when the window finally opened, he got in the water and he got it done. 9 hours and 46 minutes. In 15 degree water. No wetsuit.
And he had the perfect person in his corner. His crew was led by the legendary Philip Rush — quite possibly the greatest open water swimmer New Zealand has ever produced. Rush holds the world records for the fastest two-way and three-way crossings of the English Channel, completing the triple crossing in 1987 in 28 hours 21 minutes — a feat only four other people in history have ever managed. He has crossed the English Channel ten times and the Cook Strait eight times, including one of only two ever double crossings of the Strait. He has been named one of the Greatest Watermen in Open Water Swimming History by the World Open Water Swimming Association and now dedicates himself to guiding and crewing swimmers through the very same waters he once dominated. Having Philip Rush in your boat on the Cook Strait is about as good as it gets.
Sami described it as the hardest swim he has ever done. He also said it was a life-changing experience — and that he loved every moment of it. No wetsuit, 15 degrees, a rerouted journey across the globe, a cancelled first window, and three weeks of waiting. And he came out the other side saying he loved it.
That tells you everything about Sami Robertson.
Oh — and one more thing worth mentioning. To prepare for the cold, Sami had to deliberately gain 10kg of body weight to help him cope with the water temperature. The training commitment for these big swims goes far beyond the pool.
For the full insight on this swim please read Sami’s Cook Strait blog at the bottom of this newsletter.
Vicki Hill — Ironman Taiwan
Then there’s our pocket rocket Vicki Hill, who took on Ironman Taiwan this month — and absolutely smashed it.
Not only did she win her age group and punch her ticket to Kona, she won it by over 90 minutes.
An extraordinary performance in what she described as one of her toughest ever races. And that’s really saying something when you understand what racing in Taiwan actually involves:
- The race is widely considered one of the most mentally taxing full-distance Ironman events in the Asia-Pacific region — renowned for relentless crosswinds and tropical humidity above 90%.
- The bike course crosses multiple islands, with the most notorious section being a stretch of bridge infamous for severe crosswinds — where high-profile race wheels become genuinely dangerous to handle.
- Temperatures during the marathon can tip well into the 30s, with humidity that makes every degree feel like five more.
- Experienced Coaches and race guides describe it as one of the toughest races out there.
Vicki is well known for her ability to perform in the heat — but Taiwan was something else. And what makes her performance even more impressive is the context of her everyday training. Based in Singapore, she trains in conditions most of us would consider a bad day — temperatures regularly hitting 30–40 degrees with stifling humidity before she even starts a session.
She didn’t just cope on race day. She led from start to finish, topping every single discipline along the way. And the numbers tell the full story:
🏊 Swim: 1:13:26
🚴 Bike: 5:59:09
🏃 Run: 3:54:23
⏱️ Total time: 11:18:06
1st in the 50–54 age group. 6th female overall.
After an outstanding swim, backing it up with a sub-6 hour bike split in those conditions is seriously impressive. And then there’s the run — and here’s the bit that really puts it all into perspective. Vicki headed out onto the marathon with a 45-minute lead in her age group. By that point she was dealing with stomach issues and back pain, so she did the smart thing — she managed it home rather than pushing through. The 3:54 you see there is essentially a controlled cruise to the finish line. Which means the margin of victory could have been even bigger.
Oh — and she did all of this after a mini travel Ironman just to reach the start line. Plane. Train. Boat.
With her Kona slot secured, Vicki can now enjoy some very well-earned downtime before the fun and games kicks off all over again.
Different extremes. Same mindset. Sami spent months deliberately gaining 10kg specifically to cope with cold water conditions. Vicki has spent years training through heat that would floor most people.
Both remind me why I love endurance sport. Not for the finish lines — but for everything athletes are willing to endure just to get there.
Coach – Julian
And last, but by no means least—Deepti Tamhane ran a solid 2:16 at the Dulwich Park half marathon. A really positive run, especially considering she was managing things carefully with a knee brace on her left side.
It was a controlled, sensible effort, and a good marker as she builds towards her first Half Ironman later this year.
Training focus for the month ahead
🎯 Focus for May
As we move into May, training shifts from practice to precision. You’ve started to introduce race-specific work—now it’s about tightening it up, building confidence, and learning how to execute under pressure. The aim is simple: arrive at your races feeling in control, not guessing.
Race Execution Under Fatigue: Start linking sessions together—longer bricks, race-pace efforts late in sessions, and holding form when tired. This is where you really learn what race day will feel like.
Pacing: Control It Early, Hold It Late: You should now have a good feel for your race pace—this month is about executing it properly. Settle into it early without forcing it, then focus on holding it as fatigue builds. Most races are lost by going too hard too soon. Stay controlled, and you’ll finish stronger than those around you.
Lock In Your Nutrition Plan: By now, you should be narrowing things down. Less experimenting, more consistency. Practise your exact race fuelling strategy in key sessions so there are no surprises.
Build Confidence Through Repetition: Repeat key sessions. Nail them. Confidence comes from stacking consistent, controlled performances week after week.
Stay Disciplined, Stay Healthy: Fatigue will build this month. Listen to your body, adjust when needed, and don’t chase sessions for the sake of it. Consistency still wins.
May is about turning preparation into trust—trust in your pacing, your fuelling, and your ability to execute when it counts.
Questions from the squad
Athlete asks: “I sort of feel like I’m lacking symmetry in the water, and my left side feels and rotates very differently from the right. I think my left arm also works very differently than the right. I think the right side just works better. I breath mainly to the right side. Is this normal ?”
Coach Julian says: What you’re feeling is actually completely normal.Your stroke will feel asymmetrical—and it’s meant to.
If you’re predominantly breathing to one side, you’re not doing the same thing on both sides of the stroke (unlike bilateral breathing, where symmetry is more of the goal). So naturally, each side is going to feel different.
Even the best swimmers in the world—like Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky—would tell you their stroke feels different from side to side.
I breathe to my right, and that side feels more natural and controlled. The other side can feel less coordinated or just different. It’s because you are turning your head away from the extended arm.
The key thing is this: don’t fight the asymmetry—accept it.
As long as you’re holding good body position, staying long in the water, and not losing rhythm, a bit of imbalance in how it feels is completely normal and nothing to worry about.
Athlete asks: “One quick question pls – I could do my cycle on Sunday with a chap who’s a similar level and has done many tri’s (we both did Nottingham last year) but I’d be going out at 7am so couldn’t swim beforehand. Could I do the swim on Saturday and then the bike and run on Sunday, or is it more important to get all three in back to back?”
Coach Julian says: Good question – If you were to push me for an honest answer I would always say go solo for big key sessions.
For this session, the key is doing it as a swim–bike–run brick. It’s not just about getting the volume in, it’s about how your body learns to transition and pace across all three in one go.
Even in this case, you’d be shifting the swim to the day before just to accommodate someone else, which takes away from the purpose of the session.
There’s also the pacing side of things. These sessions really need to be done at your effort, not someone else’s. Even with someone similar, it’s very easy to drift off your plan without realising. The less you are reliant on others for this the better.
So for this one, I’d keep it solo and keep it as a continuous swim, bike, run.
You can absolutely ride with others at times, but for key race-specific sessions like this, control and execution matter more than company.
Athlete asks: “I had a quick question. Currently I ride with 32mm tubeless tyres. Will it make a big difference if I change these to 28mm? Continental GP 5000 AS TR was suggested by a friend?”
Coach Julian says: The short answer is: it won’t make a big difference right now while in training for your first olympic distance and 70.3 this year.
Moving from 32mm to 28mm might feel slightly quicker, but it’s a pretty marginal gain — especially compared to the bigger things like your fitness, pacing, and how comfortable you feel on the bike.
The 32mm tyres you’re using are already very efficient, and they often help with comfort and keeping your effort steady, which is really important for a 70.3.
The GP5000 AS TR is a good tyre, so no issue there if you did want to try it — just don’t expect it to be a game changer.
Right now, the priority is building confidence and being able to hold a controlled, steady effort (high Zone 2) over the full ride.
If you’re feeling good and comfortable on your current setup, I’d keep things simple and stick with it.
Fuel for the mind
Sometimes the best training happens away from the bike, the run, or the pool — in the stories that stretch what we think is possible and remind us why we do this in the first place.Here are a few things that really struck a chord with me this month:
🎧 Podcast: Menopause Mysteries – Miles from Ordinary Podcast
A really powerful and eye-opening episode featuring Bex Milnes, pro triathlete Jess Learmonth, and menopause expert Dr Bella Smith. This one dives into an area that’s still massively under-discussed in sport, but hugely relevant for long-term performance and health. For athletes, it’s a reminder that understanding your body—not fighting it—is where real progress happens.
“It takes courage to say yes to rest in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol.” — Brené Brown
📺 TV: Final Siren: Inside the AFL (Australian Football League)
If you enjoyed the storytelling of Drive to Survive, this hits a similar note—just with an AFL twist. Final Siren brings you inside the pressure, emotion, and fine margins of elite sport. For athletes, it’s a great watch to see how mindset, resilience, and team dynamics play out when everything’s on the line.
🎬 Film: Badwater 135
Badwater 135 is one of the toughest endurance races on the planet—and this film captures it brilliantly. Brutal heat, relentless distance, and pure human grit. I’ve been fascinated by this race for over 25 years, and it still blows me away. For any endurance athlete, it’s a reminder of just how far the body and mind can go when properly trained and deeply committed.
📖 Book: Boyd – The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War
This is the story of John Boyd, one of the most influential military thinkers of modern times. He’s also considered one of the greatest fighter pilots of all time. His ideas on adaptability, decision-making, and winning under pressure translate surprisingly well into sport. For athletes, it’s a brilliant lens on how to stay one step ahead—mentally and tactically—when things get tough. And if you liked Maverick in Top Gun, this guy is the real life version and is most definitely for you!
Sami’s Cook Strait blog
Across The Cook Strait by Sami Robertson
I’m writing this from the other side of the world, where for a while my attempt to swim the Cook Strait was hanging in the balance.
This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a teenager. I remember first seeing it with my best mate Angus and thinking, one day. I’ve been applying for a place since 2018, and this year I finally got the chance.
The Cook Strait sits between the North and South Islands of New Zealand and is known as one of the most unpredictable swims out there. It’s where the Tasman Sea meets the South Pacific—strong tidal currents, constantly changing conditions, and water temperatures that hover around 16°C but can shift quickly.
There were definitely some nerves going into this one. Not about proving anything—just taking on something that’s been on the list for a long time and seeing how it played out.
Getting There
Getting there was a challenge in itself.
The build-up had nothing to do with training and everything to do with chaos. Flights were constantly changing because of the crisis in the Middle East. One minute the trip was off, the next I was on a plane to Dubai—slightly on edge, not entirely sure what was happening, but committed to getting there.
There was a strange moment of calm in the middle of it all. The flight was almost empty, three seats to myself—a rare bit of luck that meant I managed to get some sleep. Then it was on to Sydney, and finally Wellington. Nearly 17 hours of flying, and I arrived with no real sense of time. Christmas? New Year? I couldn’t tell you.
As we flew over the Cook Strait, it looked perfect. Calm, still, almost inviting. But that didn’t last.
It quickly became clear I’d brought the British weather with me.
Customs didn’t exactly ease me in either. My swim feed—white powder packed into compressed bottles—looked suspiciously like something else entirely. “Mrs Hawkeye” clocked it straight away, but somehow my bag made it through, helped along by someone ahead of me who raised more questions than I did.
And then I met Phil Rush.
A legend in marathon swimming and the man responsible for getting me across. Back in the 80s, he swam the English Channel three ways and broke multiple world records for speed—so I knew I was in safe hands.
The Waiting Game
With swims like this, you don’t arrive and go. You arrive and wait.
The sea gods weren’t playing ball and we missed our first window. Flights home weren’t exactly an option, so the decision was simple: stay put, extend the trip, and be ready.
“Be ready” isn’t just a phrase out here. It’s everything.
Because when the call comes, it comes quickly. And when it did, everything moved.
This is the part people don’t see—the part that makes you realise it’s never just about one person.
“Madders” drove ten hours from Auckland. Twice. Just to be there. Matty from Kaboose Media dropped everything to film. People who barely knew each other a few days earlier suddenly moved as one—adjusting plans, shifting schedules, doing whatever it took to make it happen.
That moment sticks with you.
This isn’t an individual effort. It never is.
The Swim
9:40am. Feet in. Head down. One arm in front of the other.
You go.
You never swim alone.
There’s a whole team behind you. On the boat, everyone has a role—moving together, focused, calm. Most of them meeting for the first time, but working like they’ve done it for years. Phil quietly leading the way.
There’s an unwritten rule in open water swimming: you show up for each other. I felt that from day one in New Zealand. I arrived knowing no one and left with friends for life.
The swim itself strips everything back. It’s simple—just keep moving forward.
Hours pass. Conditions shift. Your world becomes the next stroke, the next breath.
And then comes the final stretch.
The Finish
Dark water. Silence. Just me, the team, and everything we’d worked for.
The final stretch was in complete darkness—over an hour of it. No light, no reference points. Just black water in every direction. You can’t see your hands, you can’t see the boat properly… you just keep swimming.
That’s the part people talk about. Swimming in the dark is when the sharks come out. You’re aware of it, even if you try not to think about it.
So you don’t think. You just keep moving forward.
Stroke after stroke, waiting for something to change.
Then the shoreline.
I didn’t see it coming. It was only when my body hit land that I knew it was done.
There’s no real way to describe that moment properly. It’s not relief. It’s not exhaustion.
It’s something closer to pure elation.
It’s only afterwards you start piecing it together—the distance, the time, the conditions… what it actually took.
Tracked on my watch, it came in at 28.8km. You don’t really get a say in the distance, especially when the currents are involved. It’s the kind of swim you’d normally avoid on a spring tide because of how strong they are—but this ended up being the last day of it.
Just over 200 people have ever crossed the Cook Strait. I’m proud to now be one of them.
More Than a Swim
This was never just about the crossing.
It was for Cure Parkinson’s—helping to fund research to slow, stop, and ultimately reverse the disease. The support along the way has been incredible. Some genuinely humbling donations, and I can’t thank people enough for getting behind it.
Later this year, I’ll also be part of a relay team swimming around the Isle of Wight, again in support of Cure Parkinson’s—a cause that’s close to me personally.
But more than anything, this experience reinforced something I’ve always believed:
Community is everything.
From the crew on the boat to the wider swimming community—including the “Washing Machines” who welcomed me in from day one—people who expect nothing and give everything.
That’s open water swimming.
You show up, and you’re part of it.
Gratitude
Massive thank you to Madders for the support—going above and beyond to be there when it mattered.
And to Matty at Kaboose Media for capturing the whole thing and telling the story properly.
Also, a shout out to the Beyond the Surface podcast with Matty’s son—well worth a listen.
And thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Cure Parkinson’s JustGiving page.
Best wishes,
Sami