I swim long distances. Very long distances. It's what I do. I love the challenge and adventure of planning crazy long swims. Years ago while training for one of my long adventure swims, I realized that marathon swimming is inherently a lonely sport. We put hours and hours into training and while doing so, we are alone in the water, alone in our heads, alone in our thoughts. I don't know about others, but I need human interaction. I enjoy talking with fellow swimmers, laughing, pushing and being pushed to achieve my best in the water. I don't think I am unique in that way. So a few years ago I invited a group of fellow open water swimmers to train with me at a camp in northern California. What we discovered was that the most valuable part of our experience was not the miles we put in the water, but the camaraderie & support we gained from each other. Since then I have hosted other camps, each year drawing strangers from around the country who leave as my extended family.

 

Now as I embark on this next challenge, I find myself craving that same connection. I need others to help me push myself to prepare for this, my longest swim ever. This will be no easy journey. I am currently putting in hours upon hours of training. I am planning. I am researching everything I need to know about the region. I am assembling my crew, providing our transportation and accommodations. And did I mention I am swimming hours and hours? But I am having fun. Swimming is my passion and working to achieve such a big goal fires me up.

A physical "swim camp" is impossible at this point, so I am assembling my training group here, on-line. We will do this together. You help me and I will help you. Together we will train and support one another.

A long swim is a relative thing. A novice swimmers's first nonstop 500 is huge. A first mile, an event to celebrate. Some are recuperating from illness or surgery. For them, just hopping in that first time is a major event. Each added lap is an indication of recovery. How I measure a long swim and how others do it are vastly different, but each long swim is a success. Tell us all here about the long swim you are training for or the long training swim you accomplished today. I promise to read and respond to each post. Let's do this together! POST YOUR SWIM BELOW!!!