This book features the accounts of 33 open water swimmers: their highs and lows, their successes and failures. There are stories of swims done all over the world - including the iconic English Channel and Robben Island crossings - and accounts of record-breaking swims.
There are common threads which run through the narratives. From a physical perspective, there's the commitment to hours and hours of training, and the perseverance, tenacity and sometimes discomfort which goes along with that. More importantly, though, it's more often than not the mental aspect that is critical. How else do swimmers go the distance in freezing water that puts them almost instantly into hypothermia? Or overcome their fears of jellyfish, sharks, strong current or swimming in the dark?
One Stroke at a Time offers the reader a view of the journey taken by each swimmer, in their pursuit of their goals, no matter how big or small.