Big swim memory
noun - Big swim memory is the faculty of the human brain by which information and remembrances from a previous swim or impressible life experience is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed, especially in real time in the midst of an open water swimming race, channel swim, marathon swim, ice swim, winter swim, stage swim or in training. Big swim memory is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action and getting past a difficult physical or mental problem during a swim.
Origin
Ned Denison coined the phrase while swimming down the Hudson River into the wind against the tide during the 2007 Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. As Denison explains, "A swimmer might say to oneself, 'Yes I am cold, but not like 3 years ago in January when it was snowing. So stop feeling sorry for yourself, put your head down and swim to the next warm feed.'"
Usage
The marathon swimmer got through the last hour of her English Channel swim by calling upon her last swim when she faced and overcame cold water.
