In 1926, Trudy Ederle dove into the cold, churning water determined to do what many said no woman could — and she didn’t just finish, she made history. Trudy became the first woman to swim the English Channel, smashing the men’s record by nearly two hours.
When the wind howled and the waves rose, someone from her support boat shouted for her to quit, to get out of the water. Her response has echoed through history:
“What for?”
In this episode, we explore Trudy’s extraordinary journey — not just the swim, but the grit, defiance, and quiet revolution it sparked. Joining me is acclaimed author Glenn Stout, whose book Young Woman and the Sea, inspired the Disney film of the same name. Glenn is a master storyteller — warm, deeply knowledgeable, and inspiring!
Why listen:
• A gripping, immersive opening that puts you right in the Channel with Trudy.
• Insights from Glenn on the real woman behind the legend.
• A reminder that courage isn’t loud — it just keeps swimming.
This is more than a sports story. It’s a story about refusing to be stopped.
Glenn Stout (website)
Visit Unstoppable Podcast - Website for more episodes celebrating the women who redefine what’s possible.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.