Kirsty Hogben | From 1 to 1000 swims

Kirsty Hogben is an open water sea swim coach who helps people Build confidence in the sea and reap the rewards in mind and body. What gives Kirsty an extra edge over any other wild swimmer I have met is that she has now swam for 1000 days conestuavey in the sea where she lives in Folkestone. When I recorded this episode with Kirsty she was just days away from completing this challenge and I am so excited for you to hear Kirsty speak about her  passion for sea swimming - but just a warning you may want to grab your swimmers and head to the coast as soon as you have finished listening!

Find Kirsty on Instagram - @kirsty_sea_swim_coach

Kirsty's website - https://www.kirstyhogben.com

This series is sponsored by Island Feather, an amazing brand that creates high quality, multi-purpose, stylish sports and fitness wear and accessible events -  Island Feather's mission is to support you to live a healthy life, discover what makes you happy and create a community of support and care for one another . For me, having just become a mother their motto 'Find your freedom’ resonates  more than ever and I am stoked to have them as a sponsor!

You can find this episode on iTunes, Spotify and many other podcast platform 💙

If you have any questions or would like to suggest a guest please get in touch! You can email India via indiapearsonclarke@gmail.com or send a message via Instagram  @india_outdoors / @finandflow / www.indiapearson.co.uk

~Music - Caleb Howard Almond / @oakandalmondcarpentry ~

You can find this episode on iTunes, Spotify and many other podcast platform

If you have any questions or would like to suggest a guest please get in touch! You can email India via indiapearsonclarke@gmail.com or send a message via Instagram @india_outdoors / @finandflow / www.indiapearson.co.uk

~Music - Caleb Howard Almond / @oakandalmondcarpentry

Transcript

India Pearson  0:01  
Hello, I'm India and welcome to the third series of start to recall the podcast that celebrates moving in nature. This series is sponsored by Island feather, an amazing brand that creates high quality multi purpose, fitness wear and events. I am fed his mission is to support you to live a healthy life. Discover what makes you happy and create a community of support and care for one another. For me, having just become a mom their motto, find your freedom resonates more than ever, and I'm stoked to have them as a sponsor. Okay, it's time to introduce my guest. Kirsty Hogben is an open water sea swim coach who helps people build confidence in the sea and reap rewards in mind and body. Now what gives Kirsty an extra edge over any other wild swimmers that I've met is that she has now swam for 1000 days consecutively in the sea where she lives in Folkston. When I recorded this episode, Kirsty she was just days away from completing this challenge. And I'm so excited for you to hear Kirsty speak about her passion for sea swimming. But just a warning, you may want to grab your swimmers and hit the coast as soon as you finish listening. So hello, Kirsty and welcome to the start of April podcast. Hello, yeah, to be on here. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to chat to me about your crazy crazy swimming adventures. And super excited to have you on not only because you've got great stories to tell, but also because you're local to me, you're only down the road in Sandgate. And I've been following your journey. And I'm really excited for you to tell your story to start ripple podcast audience. So let's start by having you tell us a little bit about your background. Yes, so I'm a sea swimmer and coach and I've been seized swimming every day since 2019. And I'm nearly at 1000 consecutive days in the water. And so I feel like I've got such an interest in like health and well being so I made it more of a sort of, rather than a personal challenge. I sort of wanted to share it. And that's when I started the business helping others get in the sea as an open water coach. And for me, I think I'm just always been a lover of the outdoors. Anything adventurous? I think, you know, especially being in nature, but actually like moving in nature. And I think see swimming is like the thing for me where I just feel like so much more alive and in the in the moment. And yeah, so I've always been drawn to the sea and it's just got a whole lot more bigger part of my life. And you haven't always been as an I see something coach, have you because I think you even last year or it was it was that weird space between one lockdown and the other? I think and yeah, we're doing a bit of marketing. Yeah, he was swimming quite a lot. And I don't think you had sort of launched this this career yet. So So what happened? Where did that transition come from? I was working for a marketing agency last spring, and they lost their biggest client. So they let me go. And I didn't know what else to do. And I didn't particularly enjoy marketing. And I wanted to do something physical so I thought why don't I just try and do something I actually love and that I'm actually good at and so I just set up a website started promoting myself and then it was such an interest from people I couldn't believe it. I didn't even know if it would work. And then over the summer and it Yeah, it became it became a business and that's that's why I was doing and I thought it would just be seasonal but it people were just as interested in winter to get the cold water benefits. And I think I just think like I think it's showing for me that like following actual passion is paying off instead of doing something and which I suppose I was expected to do like the typical like nine to five after uni or graduate job which I I absolutely hated. And now I wake up feeling really really happy and energised and actually giving people something valuable and important.

Yeah, cuz I guess every person probably comes to you with a story themselves of why they want to get into swimming and maybe Less they're suffering from mental health issues themselves. Maybe they've always been by the coasters and never had the confidence to do it. Maybe they just moved me. I don't know. And I bet that is amazing part of it being part of someone's story and journey and seeing their confidence, Bloom I guess when they're in the water. So how do you coach someone into cold water swimming? Because it's, I have a bit of a love hate relationship with it myself. Some days, I am like, yes, I want to go in other days, not so much. Definitely not for it that braved going in winter without a wetsuit. But I want to be and I see all these people going in, and I'm like, how do you just do it? How do you do it? So please guide me through? Yes, so in every coaching session, we always begin with a chat so we can get to know each other. And I find out what the client needs, and how I can help them like achieve their, their goals. And I think it's working through those fears, and talking through them. And then going into like, the reasons why cold water is so amazing, and how amazing you're gonna feel after. And I tried to sort of spread the, I think the passion is quite infectious. So I'm like trying to share, but I think it's, it's quite simplistic, but it's literally just doing it, I think taking that step. And getting out of your comfort zone. Is that is the hardest part. And I think the coaching is so great, because I'm there to support them. And I'm there to help them do it safely. And I think every single, every single climb over this winter that has gone in, has come out, buzzing and smiling and being happy. And it just like I think you never regret a swim in the sea. I think also in the coaching sessions, we go over like sort of see knowledge and safety aspects, tides and currents and wind. And I think that's all quite important in the winter, to get an understanding of even more. Because that is a big thing. I think being safety cautious, because there are some days where you know, it can look calm, and then you go in and there's a real pool or a dragon. Or other days when it it looks quite ferocious. And you're thinking how do I even enter into the water in the first place. And so I think knowledge is key, isn't it. And if you have that, then that will give you the confidence. And then also when you were saying about it, there's that side of it knowing and understanding and having knowledge but also there's the other side of not thinking too much about how cold you're going to be and overworking yourself up for it. Yeah, just just need to like your motto is seize the day look quite literally. Just just get on with it. soon anyway. Absolutely. And so sticking with your motto seize the day, or how did you come up with it? And what does it mean to you? And it was just something me and my friend used to say to each other every time we we met up and I thought when I started the business, it'd be a great motto on the website. But seize the day, I think for me obviously it's it's anything taking action, anything involving the see for me so like I see through my paddleboard and I just love being by the water. But I think for anyone, I think it's just getting up every day. And doing the best you can with what you already have. And also with what you can imagine and what you've got, like the courage to sort of create and actually going out there and doing it no matter how small it is. Even if it's like five minutes of doing something you love. I think anything anything like that anything adventurous anything you know, outdoors is is seizing the day. Yeah, it doesn't have to be water related, does it it can know getting on your bike, it can be taking a walk friend, you know, your local woodland, it can be anything, it's just getting out of bed, and breathing in fresh air completely. And again, even if they say they have no time. It's just like those little mini adventures because I always say like, every swim for me is like a little micro adventure. It's almost like a little mini sort of like holiday in a way just even for 10 minutes and it can make such a difference to your day. And it's like a ripple effect in all other areas of your day your work your friendships, everything. And so yeah, so even if like you say just a five minute, you know, five minute walk if you can around the block even just to get some sunlight, you know? Yeah, it makes all the difference. Okay, so let's get on to your personal swimming. So have you always have you always been a swimmer? Have you always loved it as child? So I've always loved the sea.

And I think I've always loved the water but I never swam growing up. I was never taught. But I've always been drawn to sports. So any opportunity I could do to get to move my body and To be physical and exercise I could. And then after university, I fell in love with long distance running. And I started training for marathons. And then I tore my ankle ligament running the London Marathon. And then I was completely out for six months. And I just didn't know what to do. And I was my mental health was having an effect. So I was sitting on the beach one evening in Santa Fe, and I, I said, Why don't I try and get myself to become a better swimmer, and combine my love of the sea. And when I started, I could only do breaststroke for about five minutes terribly. And so I just kept coming back every day. And I aim for 100 days to try and set sort of a little realistic target and sort of get me out of my almost I think I was slightly depressed because because I was injured. And so to get me out of that, I just set a small target. And yeah, but I love I think swimming as an exercise is is brilliant. But I'm not a fan of the swimming pool. I think the vastness of like being outdoors and you know, you'll feel more alive. And I think there's something primal about the sea, draws and uplifts me, and I think that combined with swimming, which is the movement, I think, yeah, is how much I love it. But I always wished I'd I just want when I was growing up, but now I'm just making the most of it. And yeah, yeah, well, you're certainly making the most of it. Yeah. You set yourself a challenge to swim for 1000 days consecutively. But it didn't start as 1000 Day Challenge, did it? No, just stay at it just 100 Okay. Yeah, like, yeah, so as you're sitting on the beach, and I thought, and this was in the summer things in July, July, the first 2019. And I was just sitting there and I said 100 days in the summer, donated so many positive changes. And the more time I spent swimming, my love of the sea start to get stronger and stronger. I was learning a lot about myself. So I decided to do 365 days. And so then I just kept swimming through my first winter, then my second. And then I think I was getting such a sense of achievement and adventure. And then it's soon going to two years. And then I reached my third winter. And I thought why don't I aim for 1000 days, it was almost like one swim at a time. It was never really one small, little like, challenge to myself. And then it just it's just become 1000 days. And I'm lucky I've been able to to do that. Because I was I was working from home at the time to have the time I could quickly go down there and we've got a protected Bay called mermaid beach. So when it's when it's too wild in Sandgate, I'm very often a mermaid. So we so yeah, but I'm knit Yes, I'm nearly there. So 27th of March is 10 days away, and I'm nearly 1000 days, which is incredible. It's amazing. So when this podcast goes live, you would have done your 1000 days. And I know that you're kind of hoping to make it a bit bit of a community event. You're inviting people along, aren't you so happy to say a few like familiar faces that have been supporting you along the way. Yeah, it's gonna be brilliant. Yeah, that's I know you haven't people to come out something with you. Definitely. Yeah. Then yeah, dry water. And we're gonna get someone with a drone to try and get a video of everyone going in, in. So cool. Oh, that's amazing. And obviously, 1000 days consecutively, you know, there's got to be been days when the conditions were not great, because you're looking outside today. Beautiful blue sky. It's like the first kind of day being like spring. Imagine you had the most beautiful swim this morning. Yeah, but not every day is gonna be like that. And it wasn't that long ago when we had like 8090 mile an hour winds here on the Kent coast. So what? What have you done on days like that when it's the waves have been crashing and the winds been blowing? How have you fitted your swims in? So I use an app called Magic series, I can look at all the tides and the currents and what's happening.

And then when when we get a storm and it's forecast. I always say to myself, if it's too dangerous, I won't do it. I won't go in. But in all the storms we've had I think in 2020, we had two weekends of storms. And there was one called storm Dennis. And if you remember and that was incredibly frightening. And I thought like I'm not going to be able to do it. But before sort of the main so so the last one we had the main one was around midday, sort of the strongest winds and everything because it got up to it was nearly 100 Wasn't it mph? Oh yeah. So you had to pick your moment then looking at when the winds were going to be highest and go in Yeah. So that day, the morning was about 40 mph which is fine because mammoth Bay is protected. And it was also low tide, low tide waves a lot less powerful than high tide waves. And so and I also made sure I went with two others who are watching me. And it was it was completely fine. To be honest, I've swam in harder conditions than that. I would never have gone in if the storm had lasted the entire day. I don't think I would have managed to do it to be honest. And never put myself at, you know, too much risk at night before Oh, yes. Nice. I love nice winds and moonlight swims. Yeah, I think that there's something about that there's something really beautiful because you can't you have got less visibility, obviously. But you have to use more of your senses. And I think when the moon is like on on the sea glowing, you want to like Swim, swim towards it. And almost like you have to stop yourself because you're being drawn in. You're like, want to swim forever that? Yeah. Is that something you would you would love to do? Ah, that scares me a little bit. I have to hate the idea of I don't know, I think I mean, we we have the channel so it's not like there's anything dangerous in the sea. It's just the idea of your beat like Diaghilev human getting dark. But, but I can imagine it's incredible. Like, I've not ever a few times check the the lockdown period when you know had nothing else to do I'd get up at sort of 5am to go for a paddleboard as a son. Wow, rising and yeah, was worth worth every time every time to watch that sunrise and I've seen it on your Instagram a few times where you've kind of done a hyperlapse he's been sped the video up and you can see the sun literally go off as you're swimming out said, I bet that is that must be magical. It's just beyond words. It's incredible way to set up the day. It's just Yeah, incredible in this there's just you and the sea sometimes because not many people are out and have you done it every spin been at your local spots? Yeah, so yeah, it's been mermaid and sang it and when the pandemic came out, and I had nothing nowhere to travel to. I, a lot of that time was was empty. And so I think I was gonna go to different places and different locations, but I just never, I've never felt like the need to sort of go in anywhere in the last few years. I don't know what I think it's just like, I just love it so much. Here. I think after the 1000 days, I've booked a trip up to to Scotland to swim swim up there, but I feel it's been so nice. Yeah, I've just I don't know, I've just been I've just been here because every single swim I feel like every by the sea is always changing. And I like never. I never get bored. So yeah, like, yeah, like, every so true. Every day is different. And yeah, you know, the weather changes and the how your body's feeling your mood, everything. It's all it whoever is with you, whether it's so low, whether you would think that somebody else has been days when it's been he felt out of your comfort zone. Too dangerous. Has it been any times like that? Or have you always been felt quite confident within? You know, yeah, not been doing not at all, like I was I've been scared quite a lot. And

especially in the early days because I was very rubbish swimmer. So I didn't have the strength. If something went wrong, I was I was afraid of that. And the more I did it, the more competent I get. But there were days like I like I got quite bad ear infection two years ago, and I was really feeling unwell and quite fragile. So when I went in, I sort of went to my knees and then just did some brushstroke for five minutes. And, and that was in the summer. So it was quite doable. And luckily. And then also, a couple of times I've been I've been overly confident because when I started getting into it, I was at home getting really good and everything. And then I went out with a guy and we went out to the post married which is about 400 metres away, but it was really rough and I got dragged under and pulled under and I was sort of spinning you know when you're like the washing machine thing and and I didn't have much air then and it was it was like gasps my own and got another one got me and it was a very frightening and I thought there like just got to respect it all the time. And the only reason I think I'm safe is because I'm not overly confident. It can be easy though, when when you've you know, been doing it for so long to to feel very comfortable and think that you've got this and it's times like that when sort of nature reminds you that it is the bigger, bigger beast bigger being in all of this and to respect it. all the time, I've had that same feeling while surfing or being dragged under and coming up for air and then and that you sort of come out with your eyes wide open thinking, wow, that was a lucky escape. And I need to really respect the water here because it can be it can change in a second content from having a lovely time and embracing nature to nature embracing you absolutely. Have to be super, super careful. So do you get people then that you don't know, coming along for swimmers video, so the best thing you say, Cassie, I'd love to come and join you for your no 900 Swim today, if you met a lot of people through it. So many people, it's just amazing. When I first started, there weren't that many apart from the regulars, the older people have been doing it years and years. Soon as the pandemic came, it got a lot more popular. And it was a wake up call, I think for a lot of people to get out into nature. And I think a lot of people once they started, they just, they just couldn't, they couldn't stop. So there was one lady that was used to going to luxury pools at banner times and stuff. And then that was sharp, she only had the option of the sea. And she she comes with a membership with them because she loves it so much. And it's so amazing to see people transform. And also I feel it's nice to get a flight inspired people to come and join and have a go. And it's just that makes so many wonderful friends through sea swimming. And there's something really beautiful about it. Because when you're in the water, I think you have a lot more like in depth, meaningful conversations. And I think there's something about and also we're like minded and we're out we're out in nature. And yeah, it's really lovely to see the community. It's all ages. Everybody's so different. And yet we're connected by this single passion. And it's something that costs nothing in it, because nothing made me say that lady was paying all that money for a gym membership. And now she's just going out there for free. And you've written a blog in on your site about the healing powers of sea swimming. Can you tell me a little bit more about this? And kind of what the positive benefits are? Yeah, so there's a lot there's a lot more research coming out about how cold water can boost the immune system. And so because you're supposed to develop more like white blood cells and fight off, fight off disease. And I think, for me, I've whenever I've had like colds or anything I've I've noticed them lasts a lot less longer. And they've been they've been less severe as well. So I used to be out for about a week with a cold, but now, well, it most recently I've had one for about two days. And it's a lot less but I mean, obviously I'm not. I'm not entirely sure that that is to see. But But yeah, I think it is. And then it gives you like natural high. Cold water activates endorphins. So they like to feel good hormones. And I think the colder they they say the colder it gets the the more of the high you feel. And I think it sit this season and makes you sort of physically fit also emotionally fit. And I think the huge thing is the mental health benefits, it really reduces stress.

And I think you just feel a lot calmer, more calmer and more relaxed. For me. I'm just so much more resilient. Before I started swimming. I I suffered from anxiety very badly. And so it's been the only thing that's transformed me. And I, I've Yeah, people that have known me before the sea swimming challenge. They've said like, there's such a difference in me. And I'm just I'm just more chilled out if anything goes wrong, like any, I think the adversity of like sea swimming is like such a stressful environment on the body and it's so hard to get into that water. Once you get through that you're almost like facing all your fears. And it's like a ripple effect in other areas of the brain I think and you come out and you just feel so confident and so strong. So I think there's some huge mental health benefits. I think there's so many more scientific studies as well because it's becoming more popular. They're coming out and they're they're saying just how great she swimming is. Yeah, it's I mean, do you see more and more people doing it and you think there's there's got to be reasons for this, you know, and I'm, I want to get into obviously I'd a baby over the winter period and to start swimming mid January. I just thought they were not but it's something that I'm going to start doing again, as he warms up and I would love to keep going through the winter. So I think what you do as well with your sweats and coaching As you're making people accountable to do it, like me saying this, I'd love to do it. But there are days when I'm like, no, no, no, no, I'm not going to do but if you've got a coach there and you've got a buddy or or you know, you set yourself at challenge I'm going to go in every day, it makes you accountable makes you go in and you never regret it. That is, that is for sure I've gone in, I go in, even you know, whether it's with a wetsuit odd, which I know is not quite as as hardcore as to get with mine, though. It's still every so Yeah, completely. I've worn a wetsuit before, when I've been really feeling unwell. I've put one on, and I think so many swimmers were were wetsuits, and that's not beautiful thing about swimming, there's like no judgement at all. Whatever gets you in and gets you to be part of nature. But like you said, the accountability, that's huge. I think that's a really, really big thing with people just to have that support. Yeah, definitely, definitely. And so obviously, your 1000 days is very, very soon. Very exciting. And so what happens after that? So you said that you're going to go to Scotland? Yeah. Are you planning on continuing to swim every day? After that? I'm not necessarily planning but I think I will, I think I will win every day, because I love it. And, yeah, I was joking yesterday with my friend said that I'm just gonna stop everything and just take up something new. And she was like, You're never gonna do that. And, yeah, so I think, I think it's taken me to different places and different opportunities. And I think it will become more more than that. And I'm focused on a lot of like helping others. And I'm pairing up with a psychotherapist in the summer, and I'm going to take her mental health clients in the water. So I'm just sort of, there's all that little, and we're gonna do a retreat. And I think, I think I'm just going to do lots of different different things and just just try and grow, grow this even more. And I'm definitely going to continue swimming, because the passion will, will be there. And I think, but if I want to, I think if I want to take a day off, I can because I think that's healthy. I've done this as a challenge. But it could become something unhealthy. If I say force myself in in a day that I want to do something or invited someone inland or something. You know, I've had to this has been the predominant part of my life. And that's taken priority. And so yeah, I think that just being kind to myself and listening and saying, you know, maybe there's a day when I feel tired and just listen to the body. I think for myself off from this challenge is really healthy, because I think that can be the danger can't have something that has a positive you have too much of a good thing in there and you don't want it to limit you. But equally, not having it reduce would also not be being true to you. So it's finding that balance. And when you're in Scotland is the plan to go swimming in the locks then. Yeah, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna go the west coast of Scotland and swimming all the my friend lives up there. So I'm gonna go and stay with her. And then yeah, go and explore, I think. But again, if it means that if there's a day that I don't swim, it's okay. Yeah, yeah. Just for anything. Yeah. Explore just anything to do anything to do with water. Really?

Yeah, that's like that is one thing I did do this summer. And that was I went skinny dipping in lock Murray. Yeah, so I did. I did. I didn't last very long. Because there was a kayaker. I didn't come along at the same time. But I can vouch for it, say something in boxes. Yeah. Amazing. And with the backdrop you're going to, it's going to blow your mind. you'll absolutely love it. Oh, amazing. So Kirsty the question that I asked everybody looking back at the ripples you've made in your life? What are the biggest lessons you've learned to keeping your mind and body healthy? I think number one is to just go out in nature. If you can get out in nature, whatever you're going through, you know, it will, it will improve. And you'll you'll grow, you'll grow from it. And I think also with the time being spent in the water, I think making time for yourself connecting with yourself. Because that that does have a ripple effect across other areas of your life. So if you slow down and you try and live in sort of the moment, which is tough, and I think that's why nature is so beneficial because, for instance, when I'm in the sea, I can only be in the moment, and which then leads to me being more intentional in other areas of my life. And I think that yeah, I think just yeah just just go just getting out just getting out in nature more spending more time just yeah, just with your with yourself and yeah, it's almost like an active meditation swimming I find I find meditation quite hard to sort of sit stuck can't really sit still so yeah, doing doing something in nature is so many so many benefits. Yeah, I can definitely about that. And if anybody wanted to kind of follow your journey, see where you're swimming, even book a coaching session with you? How can I do that? Yes, so on Instagram I'm, Kirsty see swim coach. And then Facebook Kirsty hub MC swim confidence, and then my website's Cassie hoffman.com. Amazing. Amazing. Well, I wish you all the luck in the world for the 27th which is the day I hope it's a beautiful day and the sun is shining. And yeah, everybody you know, you get everybody who's you've been coaching come and join you and have a lovely time in Scotland. Thank you. Thank you so much for listening to this episode, the start a report podcast. If you liked what you heard, then please do write a review. It helps other like minded souls find this podcast too. If you want to get in touch and the best way to speak to me is probably via Instagram. And my handle is at with underscore India. All right, take care and speak to you soon.