Throw Me In The Ocean
English Channel
More “Darkness and Light”: across the English Channel with Scott
On a trip to England in July (2011), I finally came to know the Channel. Instantly I lost my fallback response to the question, “Do you want to swim the English Channel?” Before, I could just say, “Swim it? I’ve never even seen it!” Now, I’d have to start considering it, or at least come … Continue reading
on the Shoulders of Swimmers
Humans (and proto-humans) may have been running long distances for the last two million years, but swimming far is a modern pursuit. Shoulders often fatigue and become injured when put through the demands of long-distance open water swimming, but can we blame them? How long have humans been swimming this over-head “freestyle” anyway? Shoulder problems … Continue reading
Not Until I Circle Manhattan: Why the English Channel Can Wait
I met a bunch of English Channel alumni and aspirants in April 2011 in Malta, where I completed my first 6-hour swim. There I was, the lone American among mostly Brits, learning to tackle the cold and persevere through the mental games and physical pain of swimming farther than it seems like one should. The … Continue reading
Systematic breakdown of body, mind, and limits (Malta post 2 of 3)
From Sunday to Tuesday, deep and dark inner recesses of my mind were discovered and battled with, my body (shoulders, elbows, knees, skin and mouth) was wrecked, and my limits were very seriously tested… About the Malta posts My trip to Malta with SwimTrek was an experience unlike any other. It is covered in three … Continue reading
About Me
I learned to swim as a wee one from my dad, who didn't really swim himself, but was tall enough and encouraging enough to send me back and forth to the side of a pool. There were also the terrifyingly wonderful trips on his shoulders out into crashing ocean surf, which instilled in me a fear and respect for the rising and falling, tempestuous beast, on whom he repeatedly admonished us kids to never, ever turn our backs. Read more...
Throw Me In The Ocean 