The freezing sensation hits. Shock sets in. Breathing becomes difficult. It’s a situation most people would avoid. But not Ryan Stramrood – he lives for cold-water swimming. “I do these extreme swims to challenge myself and better understand the most powerful tool we’ll ever have,” he says. Because when his body pushes back, it’s his mind that takes over.
Stramrood’s introduction to the open-water thrill was in 2003 when he swam from Robben Island to Cape Town. The feat required an incredible amount of willpower. After Stramrood realised what he was physically and mentally capable of, he couldn't stop. He’s since completed a number of formidable routes from Russia to the USA, Europe to Africa, and the Ice Mile in Antarctica. “The margin between where your mind says the endpoint is and where it really is, is where the magic happens,” Stramrood says. “You have to step into that uncomfortable space, that’s where you’re going to learn and grow.”
After the late swimming legend, Theodore Yach, Stramrood is the only other person to swim 100 crossings between Cape Town and Robben Island. Now a motivational speaker, he is using his experiences to inspire others. Stramrood believes that every South African is capable of achieving the same, and a whole lot more. “We don’t even know how tough we are,” he says. “There is magic within us all.”
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