You may have seen a new term, “Swimuary” flooding your Facebook feed this January. What was all the excitement about? It all started when Nicole, an avid swimmer and triathlete, shared a video of her winter swim routine. Nicole lives in Illinois, where the temps can drop to the single digits, but plunging temperatures don’t stop the triathlete from using her pool nearly every day, regardless of cold, rain, or snow.
Nicole was enjoying her winter swim sessions in her E550 swim spa so much that she decided to share her experience on the Endless Pools Facebook owners’ page. After posting several videos of her workouts, people started noticing. That’s when Nicole got the idea for her “Swimuary” challenge.
She explained, “People were commenting on my posts and videos, so I decided to invite everyone to join in and share their January workouts. Swimuary really took off! People loved posting pictures of themselves swimming in the cold. It’s been really fun. I’ve made some new friends and I feel like this challenge actually changed the vibe of the page.
You don't have to be a polar bear to enjoy a winter swim in Endless Pools
Swimming in January doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. As a versatile pool that can be used year round, Endless Pools are temperature controlled and energy efficient so swimmers like Nicole can enjoy an outdoor swim even when there’s snow on the ground. For those people who want even more options, Original Series, WaterWell®, and Streamline® pools have the flexibility to be assembled indoors or outdoors.
Nicole put a lot of thought into making her aquatic workouts as comfortable as possible. No matter what the temperature is outside, the water in her E550 swim spa is always kept at a comfortable 88 degrees. Thanks to its compact size and insulated cabinet, her pool can be kept warm all year – even during the coldest days – without incurring high energy bills.
Braving the cold on the way to the pool is no problem for Nicole. Her heated pool is located close to her sun porch, and she’s positioned an outdoor heater outside the porch to keep the stairs warm. She even keeps her towel on a heated rack during her swim, and enjoys its luxurious warmth when she’s done with her workout.
Falling in love with endless pools
It was 2015 when Nicole first discovered Endless Pools. That was the beginning of her love affair with the product. Whenever there was a home show or pool expo, Nicole would show up in her bathing suit and goggles and ask to take a test swim. The dealers were delighted to have her show off her stroke in their pools. She tried all the different brands and models. A friend got another brand, but from the beginning Nicole knew the Endless Pools brand was for her. “Some of the other pools didn’t flow fast enough, some were too bubbly or the currents stopped and started. Endless Pools was the best!”
Finally, in May of 2021, Nicole ordered her Endless Pools E550 swim spa. She experienced what she calls “endless anticipation,” because her pool wasn’t due to be delivered until August of the following year. That didn’t stop Nicole. “I would go into American Sale in Orland Park about twice a week and swim in the pools on the showroom floor. They didn’t mind. Sometimes I’d help the sales team. I’d hear a customer ask a question, and I’d answer while I was swimming! I sold at least two pools while I was at the dealership.”
Dedication and practice pays off
Growing up, Nicole swam competitively, and was also active in gymnastics and dance. She completed her first triathlon over twenty years ago on a dare, but went back to the dance studio.
Years later, her grade school swim coach was pulling together a triathlon team and she started training with him. She went on to complete multiple triathlons, including seven grueling IRONMAN® competitions.
This past November Nicole achieved her fastest finish ever at the IRONMAN Cozumel, she was 6th person out of the water in a race she trained for primarily in her new swim spa! Nicole practiced her stroke in the pool, and also trained for the running portion using her underwater treadmill for extra resistance without the impact.
It's not work if you're doing something you love
For Nicole owning an E550 swim spa was worth the wait, “My favorite thing is swimming in bad weather. A lot of times I get out of the pool and jump in my hot tub. Especially at night, because after that, I sleep so well! I could talk about my E550 swim spa all day long. It’s my best purchase ever!”
