Clever Dicks
A light hearted podcast by swimmers for ordinary people who like to swim.
Duncan & Jim have relaxed chats with many swimmers, and people around swimming. Most of the swimmers are New Zealand based, but we talk to swimmers around the world too.
All the swimmers have great stories to tell, many have dome cold swimming, many have done feats of endurance, but all are epic in their own way.
Clever Dicks
E42 - Mark Lenaarts - my Cook Strait story!
After four and a half years of relentless training, countless setbacks, and a swim dream rooted in childhood memories, Mark finally conquered the mighty Cook Strait. What started off as a tribute to long summer days at the Te Awamutu Swimming Baths—run by his late father, Cor—evolved into a powerful personal journey of resilience, love, and legacy. Pushed by a deep family connection to swimming but also a desire to inspire his wife Michelle and their three young children, Mark endured 100 days across three summers waiting for the perfect conditions. When his moment came, he embraced it fully—completing the 27.6 km swim in 7 hours and 15 minutes. In this episode, we dive into the story behind the swim: the cold-water fear, the tidal heartbreaks, the support crew who stood by him, and the voice of his father echoing, “Go Mark,” as he powered across the strait.