Chris Ballard's Swim Story episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 1, 2026 · 46 MIN

Chris Ballard's Swim Story

from Stories from the Water · host Shannon Keegan founder of Intrepid Water

Send us Fan Mail​Chris is a journalist and the author of five books. The latest, The Plunge: Maverick Swimmers, an Unlikely Quest, and the Transformative Power of Cold Water, it is a globe-trotting narrative about swimmers, the science of discomfort, and the psychology of endurance. Lynne Cox called it "brilliant."  Jeff Pearlman described it as "masterful" and "life-affirming." And Adam Grant deemed it, "mesmerizing," adding, "I still loathe cold water but I loved this book."Booklist and Publisher's Weekly gave it starred reviews, describing it as "entertaining," "ambitious," "thrumming with energy," and "a jubilant exploration."You can pre-order at Simon & Schuster.For two decades, I was a Senior Writer at Sports Illustrated, writing features, profiles, and investigations. My work has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, and other publications.This episode is one story. The Water’s Edge is where stories like this turn into lived experience. Feeling inspired? Find Meaning in the Monotony or subscribe to my Substack for Lessons from the Water Want to watch? Episodes now available on YouTube!Keep the stories coming by supporting the show.Questions, comments, feedback, or if you'd like to be a guest, reach out to me.Stories from the Water is produced by http://254studio.comMusic credit:Epic Inspiration  by Rafael KruxLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry. You don’t need a big goal to reach out — just curiosity. If you’re wondering about Swimbound, email me at [email protected]. Support the show

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Send us Fan Mail ​Chris is a journalist and the author of five books. The latest, The Plunge: Maverick Swimmers, an Unlikely Quest, and the Transformative Power of Cold Water, it is a globe-trotting narrative about swimmers, the science of discomfort, and the psychology of endurance. Lynne Cox called it "brilliant." Jeff Pearlman described it as "masterful" and "life-affirming." And Adam Grant deemed it, "mesmerizing," adding, "I still loathe cold water but I loved this book." Boo...

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Chris Ballard's Swim Story

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