The #SVT Podcast · Swansea Vale Triathlon Club

39. March 2024 | The one with the new female cohost and a special guest

·57 min·3 clips

Josh argues that a beginner can finish an Ironman swim on two sessions a week if the work is right.

Rachel is welcomed in as the new voice at the table. The opening banter marks International Women's Day and sets the tone for a loose, friendly chat that feels more like a clubhouse catch up than a formal interview. She admits she is nervous about her first podcast and says she talks fast, so she is trying to slow down. That nerves turns into a practical conversation about working as a police officer, juggling shifts, and trying to fit triathlon training around a busy week. The room stays playful. There are quick jokes, fast pivots, and a bit of background chaos, including a warning that Delilah may make herself heard and briefly interrupt the recording. Then the coaching starts. The discussion goes straight at swim efficiency, with body position, flexibility, and ankle mobility treated as the real foundations rather than any magic gadget or secret set. Kick work matters too. The advice is to use kick drills more often, not only with a kickboard but also on the back or front, so the legs stay active and the swimmer learns how to hold balance in the water. Rugby and football converts get a mention as an example of swimmers whose ankles can stay unusually stiff, and that lack of mobility is treated as a real obstacle in the pool. The chat then widens out. A question about doing endurance sessions solo or with other people gives the episode its clearest take, and the answer lands firmly on the side of club swimming and shared sessions. Accountability matters. People are watching, pushing, and bugging you, and the set is already written down, so there is less need to think about a watch or worry about what comes next. The emphasis stays practical. Rather than selling grand theory, the conversation keeps coming back to habits that make training easier to stick with, like showing up regularly, using club session times, and letting the group do some of the thinking for you. It ends on a warm note. Rachel checks back in on how the first podcast went, the team teases her about talking fast, and the closing stretch leaves you with a clear sense of a club that wants everyone involved to feel welcome.

As heard by us

Club banter, practical swim advice, and a lightly loose pace that still stays useful.

Rachel's first turn as cohost gives this International Women's Day check-in a fresher edge. The talk moves from warm-up chatter into useful triathlon guidance that should land with club members: fitting training around shift work, sharpening swim mechanics through body position…

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Why you'd press play

Want club tri talk with swim-bike-run banter and a first-time cohost at the table?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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