Twin Sisters Who Swim Together, Rise Together

What does it look like to walk back into a sport you loved when you were a young woman or girl—and discover it loves you back? We sit down with twin sisters (Nadia Pedley and Sarah Pedley) who left swimming for two decades, then found their way to masters lanes, open water starts, and a community that cheered them from first shaky blocks to 4.5K open water swim. Their story blends nostalgia and nerve: the adrenaline of a long-course 400 m, the quiet ritual of Sunday lake swims, the grin you wear when you spot your sister’s red suit a few lanes over.

We trace their path from summer swim and water polo to lifeguarding, careers, parenting, and finally the pull back to the water. Along the way, they unpack what makes swimming uniquely welcoming for women returning after time away: clear goals, consistent routines, and friendships that form fast on pool decks and shorelines. They talk about how master's coaching reignites technique and confidence, and why a swimsuit that you feel comfortable in can feel like your armor when you step onto the deck.

If you’re curious about starting or restarting, you’ll find practical steps and a mindset you can borrow: begin small, bring a friend, trust the community, and let the water do its steady work. We touch on swim events in British Columbia, the draw of across-the-lake swim events, and even a tempting night swim that has us all eyeing the waitlist. Most of all, you’ll hear how swimming becomes an equalizer, where effort translates into progress regardless of age or body type, and where showing up is enough to change your story.

Ready to dive back in? Hit play, then share this with someone who needs a nudge, subscribe for more water women stories, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. What are you coming back to next?

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:05

Welcome to Rama Podcast. It has been a while since I've brought on um some Rad Active Water Woman guests, and today I am honored to have two guests. Um I have Nadia and Sarah, and I met them through the swimming world online first. And Sarah's been on this podcast before, but I'm like, well, why not bring her sister on here? Um and I've met them both in person at swim events, and they're so fun to be around. And I just love following their journey of swimming. And we also connected through Rye's swimsuits as well. Um, that's an incredible brand here in Canada. Um, and I'm sure we'll dive into that a bit more. So welcome, Sarah and Nadia.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Thanks for having me, Sarah. Hi, Sarah. Nice to be here.

SPEAKER_02 0:53

Thanks for being here. I just want to do a really quick check-in with both of you. Um, how are you feeling today? Sarah, you want to go first?

SPEAKER_00 1:02

Oh, I'm I'm good. I uh I'm recovering from a cold and hoping to be ready for a meet tomorrow. Um, Nadia's gonna be in charge of all the supplies so I can just sleep today, but otherwise I'm good. Nat?

SPEAKER_01 1:18

Yeah, no, I'm doing good. I've got the day off from work, and so I'm gonna yeah, get me and Sarah organized so that we can head to Nanaimo tomorrow for uh probably our one of our favorite swim meets of the season. I'm pretty excited. It's gonna be a good day.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

That's awesome, and I love the support of the two of you. So are you both ready to dive into this podcast now?

SPEAKER_01 1:40

Absolutely.

Who We Are And Life Beyond Lanes

SPEAKER_02 1:42

Awesome. Okay, so maybe we'll just do this as like one at a time, obviously. So you whoever wants to go first is up to you. So I wanted to start off setting the stage of like who who are you and like what's the story behind like how water found you in your life? But start off with like who are you, Sarah and Nadia?

SPEAKER_01 2:02

Sarah, you get to go first.

SPEAKER_00 2:04

Oh, um, well, I'm Sarah. Um unknown if I'm the older twin, but we'll today we'll say I'm the older twin. Nadia's the little little sister. Um I am a swimmer, uh runner, I'm a coach. Um I'm obviously a twin sister. I have I'm a dog mom. Um and yeah, that sort of sums up me and my hobbies and everything that I love to do.

SPEAKER_02 2:35

Amazing. And Nadia, over to you.

SPEAKER_01 2:37

Yeah, so I uh today I'm the little sister, and there is a story there. We'll have to tell you another day, maybe. Um, and yeah, so I I love to swim, uh, paddle, camp, um, and ski. Kind of my my good hobbies outside of work. Um, I'm a single mom. I have two kids, one in university and one in high school. And they're both uh competitive figure skaters. Um they skate at the national level in synchronized skating. So I keep pretty busy with them and over the last couple of years have finally, or not finally, but I've made time for myself and I'm connecting back with the things that I enjoy. Um yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:15

I love that. I love how you're reconnecting back with yourself, and that's so important. So just kind of like building on this question like, what is the story behind like how water found you? Like what point in your life did you did water find you? That's how I'm gonna approach that.

How Water Found Us

SPEAKER_01 3:31

So we we uh we have an older brother and when we were when we were young, when we were kids, um our parents wanted him to to be in a sport. Um, and he tried a whole bunch of stuff and swimming stuck with him. And so Sarah and I got kind of kind of thrown into that world um just out of convenience a little bit. Uh and we both we both really enjoyed it. We were summer swim swimmers as kids, and then we moved into the into playing competitive water polo. And that's kind of where we both um sat for for the longest time. Um, and we were lifeguards as well, all through our teens, early 20s, as a way to pay for school and pay for travel and fun. Um and then I I continued on. I played polo all through university um with uh a local team here in Vancouver, um, just a master's team. And then I took a break. I didn't swim again um until two years ago when Sarah kind of encouraged me to get back into it. So um yeah, it was you know long time swimmer as a child, um into my early 20s, and then took a really took a 20-year break and I'm just back into it now.

SPEAKER_02 4:43

Thanks, Dania. Sarah, over to you. I got an ad, and I pretty much said it all.

SPEAKER_00 4:51

I love it. Um But we uh we love swimming and uh it's it's awesome and it's it's absolutely amazing to have taken a break from something for so long and then to come back and just be like this really is a big part of our lives, and it's yeah, it's just really cool to be able to share that together again.

SPEAKER_02 5:11

I love that, and I see that when I saw you at the events too. I'm just gonna pull on a little string here. It's like so it was like a 20-year hiatus of like not swimming, that's what I'm hearing, right? Yep. And so it was the big like catalyst of this for like to swim together as sisters to kind of bring that back to life, or was there something else too?

SPEAKER_01 5:34

So I think I oh you go ahead. Yeah, go ahead. No, go ahead, Sarah.

The 20-Year Break And Comeback

SPEAKER_00 5:39

Oh, I started like I sort of dabbled in my token, I call it my token triathlon, and I I kept doing those throughout those 20 years. So I was still doing a little bit of swimming, and then I think about three years ago, I found a local um event that did open water swims. So I signed up for a couple of those over the summers, but not really training, just sort of like showing up and doing them for fun. And then I dragged Nadia out three years ago, I think three summers ago. Um and then from there we kind of both realized how much we enjoyed doing it and found a master's team, joined them, and that's been we're on our third year with masters with them. I think that's about it, paid that.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

Yeah.

unknown 6:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:25

And if Sarah, Sarah did the legwork and kind of found it and sent me an email, kind of, I think it was a little bit of like a, hey, we should do this, ha ha, never thinking I'd say yes. And I was like, hell yeah, we should totally do this. And so then it was like, are we really gonna do this? And then we just, yeah, I mean, literally dove right in.

SPEAKER_02 6:44

Oh, I love this. I love it. And it, you know, I find, and I don't know if this happens in your world too. And thanks for sharing your story and how this came back to life. But there's I find there's a lot of women out there where they kind of went on a hiatus if they paused their swimming because of life, and now they're trying to find ways to bring that back. And I find that big part of it too is community and having that sense of community with swimming. And if and it's something for yourself, too. Would you agree?

SPEAKER_01 7:11

Yeah, absolutely. It's you you, I mean, we've showed up at swim meets and we're reconnecting with people we we swam against or swam with when we were eight and nine and ten years old. And and it seeing these familiar faces and stuff, it's just an incredible community. Um, really, yeah, I don't know how to describe it. It's in it is really incredible.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Yeah, and we like make friends at every meet we go to, you know, if you see the same people, and I mean you've met me and Nadia. We're we're identical twins and we we're matching bathing suits. People remember us, and like we love chatting to people and hearing their stories. So you go to these meets and you you go to the pool and you're just you're instantly surrounded by people with um similar interests and like similar goals in life, and it's it's just like an instant community. It really is.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

I I hundred, I a hundred percent agree, and it's I think just expanding on that even further, it's like you're kind of immersing yourself into like swimmates right now, and I I think that's so awesome how you have that so accessible to yourself over here. There's not as many, I find. Um, but I feel like you know, with the open water swimming, because you're both open water swimmers too, but there's there's multiple like different communities for swimming, right? The the masters, like competitive pool swimming to um open water swimming to now, like ice swimming. So like there's there's all these different avenues you can go in with all these beautiful people. It's pretty cool, eh?

SPEAKER_00 8:40

Yeah, like every Sunday in the summer when we go out to our local lake to go for a swim, we see the same crew, you know, and you pass them in the water or you see them on the on the beach, and yeah, like it is a community because we all everybody chats and everybody's you know friendly. And if you're on your own, then somebody will say, Well, I'll stay here until you're out of the water or whatever. Like everybody just really does take care of each other. It's an amazing community.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

Yeah. And and there's nice, I mean, people, oh, you you weren't here last weekend. Is everything okay? Like it's just it is a really nice group, and there's lots of different Facebook groups, people join and and meetups where it's like, you know, somebody'll throw it. I'm swimming at at Bunsen Lake on Saturday at 10, and and then there'll be a whole bunch of people that show up and you know, like they're strangers at first and then get to know each other.

Community As The Secret Current

SPEAKER_02 9:30

Yeah, or or they run it's so funny, like the other day I had somebody show up on the pool, I'm like, oh, I've seen you out there because you're walking your dog, and then they actually finally had a conversation because they're on the pool deck swimming together. So um, so yeah, there's just so many, yeah. I I love it. I think it's a beautiful like community with swimming. So I'm gonna move on to the next question. So when was a moment when water changed or taught you both something?

SPEAKER_01 9:58

I'm thinking um there's I mean, there's there's quite a few kind of moments. But I I think I I think for me it was standing on the blocks at my first master's meet after not having stood on the blocks for 30 years and thinking like what the what am I doing and being so scared in that moment. And then the minute that they say take your marks, I forgot everything and it was just like I love this, this is fun. Why was I scared? And then I'm in the water swimming, and it just it brought me back to like I can do things, I can push myself, I can step outside my comfort zone, I can put myself first. Um so I think that was a big moment for me.

SPEAKER_02 10:50

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

SPEAKER_00 10:52

I don't think I can top that. That was pretty awesome, Ned. Um, yeah, I don't know. I think no, okay, I've got one. I think when um I watched Nadia do the uh skaha 4.5 open water swim last summer. I paddled for her and it was the longest swim that she she'd ever done. I've never done anything like that before. And then um this summer I actually got in the water and we swam next to each other and we did that same race. Um, I think that was like a really cool experience just knowing that I can do the hard things that scare me a little bit. And I never thought I would do a four and a half K swim across a lake, let alone with my sister next to me, and actually my husband paddling for us. And then the cool part was actually that's when we got to meet you for the first time, Sarah. It's the finish line of that race.

SPEAKER_02 11:52

So that was amazing.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

Yeah, like that kind of thing, right? Like doing something out of my comfort zone and then meeting new cool people, and yeah, hanging up with my sister.

SPEAKER_02 12:04

Hanging out with your sister. I love that in the water and swimming together, and yeah, there's a lot to say about that. Thanks for sharing that. I have very vivid um visual right now of both of you. So thanks for sharing that. Um, next question: When was the time you felt either like strong? It's kind of building on what we just talked about, or scared or transformed. And I'm relating it to your swimming, could be open water, it could be in the pool, could just be during it, could be during your training.

Moments That Changed Us

SPEAKER_00 12:38

I actually Naddie and I, I hope I'm not stealing yours here, Nadd, but I um I swam a 400-meter race, 400 meter in the pool for the first time um last month, long course. Um, and I was so scared getting up on those blocks because I'm like, I've never done a 400-meter. I don't train in long course because we don't have a lot of access to that here. Um, it was scared shitless, and I was in lane eight, and Nadia was in lane one or lane two, and every flip turn I could see her red rise bathing suit butt turning, you know, every breath, every turn, I could see her. Um yeah, I think being scared and just having my sister with me and realizing that we can do these things. It's kind of like what I said before. Everything's scary, but doing them is amazing. Yeah, it is amazing. I can't even realize if I answered your question. I kind of just no, I love it.

SPEAKER_02 13:42

Yes, you did. Thanks, Dara. Do you have anything to add, Nadia? Or something different?

SPEAKER_01 13:48

Well, that was a fun race, but I couldn't see Sarah because my eyesight's not as good. So she was like knew that she was beating me, and I had no idea where she was. So it's kind of kind of a fun race. Um no, I no, I don't have anything to add on that one.

SPEAKER_02 14:04

Okay. So how water, like how does water like how's I'm just trying to explain this here? How water connects you to other women. So when you're out there, you're in the community, like how does that connect you to other women? Maybe more easily around swimming than off the pool deck. And maybe the additional question here is like, how does that help you off the pool deck too?

SPEAKER_01 14:28

Um well, I mean, I met we've met some pretty incredible people through through the masters in the open water swimming that that I wouldn't have met uh, you know, in in day-to-day life. Um so that's that's been pretty uh amazing. Um I think one of the things I really like about it is like swimming I find is an equalizer. So it doesn't matter what your body shape or size is, if you put in the effort, you see results. And I think when I uh, you know, talk to people uh not swimmers, like at work or through friends or at a party or something, and they ask, you know, what are you doing this weekend? And I'll say, Oh, I'm gonna go for a big swim. And they kind of sometimes do a double take or they're like, What do you mean you swim? And so then I start talking about it and and you see people going, Holy, like this this person that I know from work that sits at a desk all day actually goes out and does these really cool things. And you can see some people that are like, maybe I should try something. And and you see in women, and then the there's some curious people who come back and ask more questions. And maybe they're not interested in swimming, but maybe talking to me and finding back, you know, hearing a bit about my story and like I'm scared of doing stuff or I'm I'm going for it anyways, and that kind of stuff gives them some courage or encouragement to try something that they, you know, have put off for a long time or given up for work or family or whatever it may be, and they're trying to find time for themselves again. I I think that's it's sort of swimming, but also not swimming. And I really like being able to share that with people.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

I love that because you're inspiring other people, right? To to follow that dream or to follow something that they never thought they could do by listening to your story. So keep doing that. I love that. I'm not sure we've got some like noise in the background, so I'm not sure what it is. So um, yeah, just can't hear it.

SPEAKER_00 16:27

Is that me?

Racing Fear And Finding Grit

SPEAKER_02 16:28

It may be you, yeah. There we go. I think it's this is just part of raw podcasts having things in the background. People come by, start talking, it's all good. So, Sarah, do you have anything?

SPEAKER_00 16:41

I've got the door closed, but I guess you can hear the people in the background. I'll mute myself when I'm not talking.

SPEAKER_02 16:47

Beautiful. So, do you have anything to add here, Sarah? Anything on top of what your sister was saying?

SPEAKER_00 16:54

Um no, I think I'm okay. I was actually laughing a little bit because it's like that joke. Um, you know, how do you know someone's a swimmer and they'll tell you? Um, and I totally think that's true because I was uh I was leading a run group on Wednesday night, and uh I finished um my group finished first and I was chatting to a lady and within 30 seconds of our conversation, she tells me she used to play water polo, and I'm like, and you're my new best friend. So, you know, if there's something about the water man, and if people do it and they want to share, and it's really cool to be able to like now you said inspire other people or just hear other people's journeys and uh it connects us.

SPEAKER_02 17:35

Exactly, it connects us and it's uh yeah, it's like we have our own language too. It's like as soon as, like you said, you drop like water polo, it's like throw my new best friend, and now we can have like this incredible conversation, and not that we have to talk about not swimming, but it's something that we all connect about, right? And that's why we're here today. Um, so thank you for that. Okay, let's dive into a couple more questions and then I've got some fast, fun questions for you both. Is there any advocacy or change you're called to champion or maybe are championing around swimming?

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Both of us answer at once.

SPEAKER_01 18:12

I know, right? All for change around swimming.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

I think a little bit like what Nadia just said, you know, it doesn't matter what your athletic ability is, if you want to swim, then the pool is a safe place for you. There's always going to be a group, there's always gonna be lessons or an instructor or a coach that will help you and teach you. Um, and us spreading sort of our return to swim journey, I think has um helps some people get back into swimming or get back into other sports that they, you know, used to do as kids and and had to give up for various reasons throughout their lives. So I think just us like sharing our stories really uh I don't know. I think it it's a good thing. And I hope other people share their stories and and inspire me to do things that I wouldn't normally do.

SPEAKER_02 19:04

Yeah, I love that, Sarah.

Women, Water, And Belonging

SPEAKER_01 19:06

Anything to add, Nadia? No, I just I do I love hearing other people's stories of how they how they got into swimming, um, how they returned to swimming, you know, all of that kind of stuff or any sport. I think I mean I'm sitting in a parking lot at a figure skating competition right now, and just saw one group skate, and it was one woman, young woman, you know, early 20s, and she hadn't competed since before COVID, and she came back today. And it's just so amazing to see people do that.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

Yeah, absolutely. So, women, if you're listening now and you're sitting at the edge of that diving board or edge of the pool, and you're you, you know, you have that light in you, that fire that wants to start like swimming again. Like this is these are stories here you're listening to is like anybody can do this. Like the pool is for everyone, the water is for everyone. So that's what I'm hearing. So thank you both. Okay, one more question. So one piece of water wisdom for women that are starting out or that are coming back. So building on what we're talking about.

SPEAKER_01 20:11

It I I don't know, this might sound silly, but to me it really made a big difference is find a bathing suit that you're comfortable in because it becomes kind of your armor when you get out on deck or at the beach or whatever it is. So be comfortable and it makes it so much easier to dive in.

SPEAKER_02 20:28

I love that. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 20:31

Sarah. I was gonna say find uh if you you know, if you're just looking to start, get a lesson. You know, if you're drag a friend out with you, don't don't go at it alone. Like um there's power in numbers, so definitely grab somebody to jump in with.

SPEAKER_02 20:52

Beautiful. Now my dog's parking. So there's something imaginary at the door. So thank you for sharing that. Um, lots of wisdom here. I'm sure we could probably talk all day about all the wisdom that we have and the swimsuit one, absolutely, because that can be one of the hardest things when you get on the pool deck. We wear the most minimal clothes out of sport, right? And to step onto that pool deck and have that community that you know encourages you and like just there's no judgment, right? Um, finding that community. And there we have it in Canmore here, you have it out west where you are. Um, they're everywhere. So thanks for sharing that. Now on to some of like fast fun questions. Okay, are you ready? Shoot. Cold or warm water? Cold. Ooh, me too. Um, favorite swim spot. Bunsen. Where is Bunsen?

SPEAKER_01 21:52

Bunsen's in uh Anmoor or Belkara. So in British Columbia. In BC, sorry, Port Moody, north of Port Moody. North of Port Moody. Is that what you said, Sarah? Did you say Bunsen too? Yeah. It's so pretty.

Advocacy: The Pool Is For Everyone

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Aww. Okay, top three favorite events you've ever done. Go ahead, Sarah. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

Skaha. Um this is a different one. There's a swim run, uh, Can Aqua Swim Run at SASMAT. And when me and Nadia went to Nationals last year.

SPEAKER_02 22:27

And where was Nationals?

SPEAKER_00 22:28

Saskatoon. Oh, that's right.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

Oh yeah, that's right. Okay, Nadia. Uh so across the lake swims. Pretty much any of them. Love them. Um and then a specific event. I really, really like the 200 free. And what else? Um, yep, you know what, Nationals in Saskatoon, that was a pretty amazing trip.

SPEAKER_00 22:56

Love it. Okay. You better have said that, Nadia, hanging out with me for a moment.

SPEAKER_02 23:03

Um, okay. If water had a personality, what's yours?

SPEAKER_00 23:07

What do you mean? Water had a personality.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

So if water had a personality, and maybe like what's what is it? Like, what is water's personality to you? Sassy. Ooh, sassy.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

I was gonna say calming.

SPEAKER_02 23:22

Sassy and calming. That's a good combination, there, ladies. Okay, your power, like, so maybe it's not your power swim playlist song, but maybe like your favorite song that you may listen to before, afterwards, the day before an event, or just your favorite song out there that gives you that energy.

SPEAKER_00 23:40

Oh, any 90s alternative music, 90s rock, band, 90 rock.

SPEAKER_02 23:46

Okay, so any 90s rock.

SPEAKER_00 23:48

Okay. I think we've even pulled out some uh 80s hairbands as well for us. Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 23:56

Expect that at the next swim across the lake, swim wherever we're gonna go. Perfect, yeah. Okay, and if you could choose to swim with any woman, past or present, who would it be?

SPEAKER_00 24:10

Oh my god, Nadia, you remember swim coach Cynthia? Yes, I would so pick her because she was like we were little, and she was so old, right? She was probably 24, but she was such a cool lady, and I would absolutely love to go swimming with the woman that really taught us how to go swim.

SPEAKER_01 24:33

Oh, I love that. That would be fun. That would be fun. Nadia, would you be similar? Yeah, I yeah, I can't top that.

SPEAKER_02 24:44

Well, thank you so much, um, Sarah and Nadia, for being on here. And I hope to see you like next year at some open water swims. I know swim across the lake has so many events, and I know there's more being added, but have you both seen the nighttime swim that they're launching?

SPEAKER_01 25:00

That looks really cool. I know. I just saw that last week and kind of want to put my name on the list. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:07

We need to put our name on the wait list, all of us.

SPEAKER_02 25:10

I think we all just need to move to the Okanagan for the entire summer.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

There we go. We could rent a house, it'd be so much fun.

SPEAKER_02 25:17

And we can just swim all summer.

SPEAKER_01 25:20

All right. So somebody's got to win the lottery so we can make this happen.

SPEAKER_02 25:23

Okay, that sounds really good. I think we should get it so the cottage is on Calmalca Lake, though.

SPEAKER_00 25:29

Oh, and then okay, all right. That lake is gorgeous.

SPEAKER_02 25:33

Well, I hope you both have a great journey of your training and winter. Um, and I can't wait to see you on the other side in summer. But if you come out this way, please look me up. Um, and thank you for being a guest on Raw Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 25:48

Thanks so much for having us. Yeah, thanks for having us, Sarah.

Fast, Fun Rapid-Fire

SPEAKER_02 25:53

Thank you, Nadia and Sarah, for being a guest on Raw Podcast, for sharing your story, your wisdom, um, smiles, and joy for the sport of swimming. I look forward to seeing you both um in the summer of 2026 at upcoming open water events. Who knows? Maybe it'll be more. Thank you everybody for listening to Raw Podcast. If you're loving Raw Podcast, please share, read share and share comments, leave a comment, and everything that really helps us spread a lot of these incredible stories of water website. We'll have more guests coming up for the rest of 2025, and then also into 2024. As I mentioned previously in my other podcast, I will also be confusing it with my voice too, and speaking of different things that I'm passionate about and things that you've asked to hear about. So I'm hoping the next one will be about events, events coming up, events that I love, and I just want to share my wisdom around that. So thank you everybody for listening to Raw Podcast and for being patient with the blips here and there, but that's reality. Dogs barking, staff members thinking, all that stuff. That's just part of Raw Podcast. So thank you so much for supporting and have a beautiful day in the water or out of the water.