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Free Swim

The Depths of Marriage

Sara came rushing into our villa “Honey! Honey!” she said. “I have the greatest news ever." “You found plant-based Cheez-its?” "They offer scuba certifications here!" My heart sank because of a pr...

Word To Your Mother

"I'm going to Bhutan," Sara said. "Bhutan?" I echoed. "Is that a new bakery? Do they have smoothies?" "No, Jesse," she said. "Bhutan is a country in the Himalayas. And I'm going there with Richard...

Are You Ready for the Super Bowl?

In my 20s I wrote songs for pro sports teams... basically all of them. One of those was a song called "Salute" for the Broncos. Every time they scored the players would turn to the crowd and salut...

Multiple Choice

I used to love those multiple-choice tests in school. It meant that I had at least a 25% chance of getting it right.   So anyway…   The other day, I got off a plane, walked up the jet bridge, and...

Want to Learn a Magic Trick?

I can’t explain it, but it works like magic.   Ready? Here it is.   Do something nice for someone and don’t tell a soul about it. Nobody. Not your mom, your boyfriend, girlfriend, the guy behind yo...

Misogi Moment

In 2024, we're embarking on an exciting new angle here at Free Swim.   Occasionally, we'll feature a Guest Swimmer(s) who will share their unique experiences and insights.    Today, we're thrilled...

Mentor or Tormentor?

I've told you this before, but Living With a Seal started as a blog and then turned into a book.    But before I decided to go to publishers, I talked about it.   I’d mention it at work, on a jog,...

How To Ace Sales

Let’s pretend I’m hiring for a sales job at All Day Running Co.   We need someone who will pound the pavement literally and metaphorically.   Someone who will be creative and add value.   There a...

Coaching Matters... A Lot

You might be familiar with the phrase, “We got outcoached.”   It often goes like this: “We had the better team, but they outcoached us!”   In my early years, my dad was my coach. He taught me the ...

Good, Fast, Cheap

In 2003, my friend Matt came to me with an opportunity to get involved with a film project.   He was looking for investors, had a great script, and a fantastic casting director lined up.   It seem...

Throw Up A Book

On Monday, I hosted a free webinar on How to Close Out 2023 and Plan for 2024.   I'm going into the new year LIGHT and with a PLAN. So is everyone who joined. If you missed the livestream, you can...

Embracing the Journey

I've been on TV, radio, podcasts and even had the honor of being interviewed by the New York Times.   But nothing quite matched the thrill and nervous excitement I felt when I learned that the New...

Show Don't Tell

My first book, Living with a Seal, started as a blog.   I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew I wanted to document the experience.   It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I realized I ...

Thanksgiving Dinner

  Thanksgiving has always been a time for our family to come together, share a meal, and express gratitude for the blessings in our lives.   But it's not just on Thanksgiving that we try to gathe...

Monkey Bars

I’ve got a quick parenting hack to share, one that I stumbled upon thanks to a neighbor when I lived in Brookhaven, Georgia.   My son Lazer used to play across the street with another little boy,...

Does Anyone Know Barbara Davis?

During my senior year in college, I needed just a few more credits to graduate—three, I think.   Anyway, my friends suggested I take the public speaking class. They described it as an easy A, no-b...

No Credit Card Required

Just give me 18 minutes a day.   That’s all I ask, and I can make you really good at something.   I used to believe that to excel at something, you had to dedicate your entire existence to it.   P...

Put It On The Calendar!

Q: What's the hardest thing about biking across America with 10 guys?   A: Planning it!   This past Spring, I rode across the country on a bike with ten friends. People have asked me about this ex...

Coach Charlie

Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a way to make a song play when someone opened your email?   If such a technology existed, I’d have programmed today’s Free Swim to play the intro for Monday Night ...

Taylor's Tale

First, a big shoutout and congratulations to Taylor, my incredible creative director, for finishing the Hennepin Hundred this past weekend!   That’s right—she ran 100 miles straight. When I think ...

Watch What You Say

Several years ago, I began training for a 100-mile race named The Last Man Standing. The rules were straightforward enough – every competitor had one hour to finish a 4.2-mile loop, and at the beg...

It's Their Journey

Several years ago, spring was in the air, and I knew it was time to sign my son Lazer up for little league baseball.   It was going to be his first season. Childhood memories flooded back as I ran...

Shaved

My hair's been my thing forever.   My hair is like Fonzi’s leather jacket, or for my younger audience, it's like Timothée Chalamet's cheekbones; something instantly recognizable, a signature featu...

Fruit Til Noon

In 1992, I decided to take on the challenge of running my first marathon.   I forget the exact reason I signed up for it, but I do remember that none of my friends wanted to join me. It was a solo...