Episode #7 - Recovery After a Major Event

Here's What you Missed !

Episode 7 of After Swim is now live, and this week we focused on something every swimmer experiences but very few people actually prepare for…

What happens after the swim is finished.

After months of training and building towards a major event, the finish line can bring a mix of relief, exhaustion, pride and sometimes even a strange sense of emptiness. So this week we explored the physical, mental and emotional side of recovery and what swimmers can do in the days and weeks after a big swim.

🌊 This Week In the Water

We started the show by looking at some of the big moments happening across the global open water swimming community.

Highlights included:

• Celebrating all swimmers who took part in Port to Pub 2026
• New Australian Triple Crown finishers including Elliot Nathan, Rachel Mangan and Andy Donaldson
• The ongoing legacy of the Derwent River Big Swim and its growing recognition in marathon swimming
• Catching up with Open Water legend Grainne Moss
• Ryan Stramrood’s circumnavigation of St Helena, completed in an impressive 16 hours and 50 minutes
• The New Zealand Ocean Swim Series – Lake Karapiro Swim Fest, offering distances from 2.5 km through to 25 km
• Updates from Jono Ridler’s Live Ocean challenge, with 129 km still ahead
• And a look at the upcoming release of “Don’t Be Prey”

These stories are a reminder of just how diverse and inspiring the open water swimming community continues to be.

🏊 in The Main Set: Physical Recovery After a Major Swim

Once the finish line is crossed, many swimmers assume the hard work is done.

But the reality is that the body has often just been through hours of stress, dehydration, muscle damage and fatigue.

We discussed how to approach recovery in stages:

Immediately after the swim

• Rehydrate properly, especially with electrolytes
• Eat protein and carbohydrates as soon as possible
• Gentle stretching and movement
• Prioritise rest and sleep

In the days after

• Focus on high quality nutrition and anti-inflammatory foods
• Support recovery with light activity and blood flow
• Consider contrast therapy such as sauna or cold exposure
• Allow the body time to repair

In the weeks that follow

• Slowly rebuild training
• Address any injuries or niggles
• Consider cross-training such as cycling or yoga

The key takeaway from the discussion was simple:

Recovery is not passive. It is an active part of the training cycle.

💙 Weekley Wisdom: The Mental and Emotional Side of Recovery

While the body might recover in days or weeks, the mind often takes longer.

Many swimmers experience what is often called post-event blues once a major goal has been achieved.

We talked about:

• The loss of routine after months of training
• The emotional drop that can follow a big achievement
• Re-finding direction after a major goal

Some of the strategies we discussed included:

• Reflecting on the journey and what you learned
• Setting new goals, even small ones
• Staying connected with the swimming community
• Reconnecting with family, friends and other parts of life outside the pool

Finishing a swim is not the end of the story. It is just another stage in the journey.

Live Q&A with Andy & Jay

One of the questions we answered during the live show was:

“How do you overcome fears of predator animals in open water?”

This sparked a broader conversation about managing fear in the ocean, building experience over time, and how preparation and knowledge can help swimmers develop confidence in open water environments.

Words of the Week

As we wrapped up the episode we reflected on the importance of taking recovery seriously and allowing both the body and mind the space they need after a big effort.

Words of the Week

“A man is great not because he hasn't failed.
A man is great because failure hasn't stopped him.”
— Confucius

If you missed it live, the full replay is now available;

Click here

As always, thank you for being part of the After Swim community.

If you enjoyed the episode, feel free to share it with a friend or another swimmer who might find it useful.