My website is currently under construction to reflect my upcoming summer swims, but in the meantime I wanted to share a very special and exciting event I will be a part of. I will be joining the 3 swimmers pictured below in an extreme adventure challenge: each of us will swim the Catalina Channel back to back, relay style. David (left) will be starting the swim on the mainland. Mike (right) will follow David; I’ll be going third, and Chris (middle) will anchor the relay-style 4-person contagious crossing.
They approached me prior to my Manhattan Island race asking if I would be interested in completing the team. After asking them all of my questions and making sure they are serious (they are!), I decided I would love to help and be a part of this momentous and challenging event. Our collective crossings will likely take at least 48 hours, so logistics will be tricky. As the only person who has previously crossed the Catalina Channel, I got one of the two, possibly three, legs that will necessarily take place mostly in the choppy, windy afternoon. David, starting first, has the other one. None of these swims will be easy; they all come with challenges - not least of which is the uncertainty of where and when each swimmer will start - but the stakes are high. While this endeavor will be extremely difficult to plan and execute, it will be the first event of it’s kind done on any channel. The team and I are looking forward to making history, and for a cause as extraordinary as our event. Proceeds will benefit Jay Nolan Community Services, a wonderful group dedicated to assisting the developmentally disabled. This organization does great work for the people that will be serving as our motivation as we cross the Catalina Channel, and all of us are so excited to be doing something wonderful with our passion for swimming. The event’s website is swim22.net - check it out!
The Daily News of Open Water Swimming featured an article about our swim: http://www.dailynewsofopenwaterswimming.com/2010/06/quadruple-catalina-channel-attempt.html
Also, The Signal: http://www.the-signal.com/section/20/article/31099/
As far as training goes, yesterday Chris and I swam 4 hours at CDM with my mom in the kayak. Below are pictures from the swim. Then today we met David at Manhattan Beach for a 2.5 hour swim, assisted by David’s daughter Brittany and her friend in a 2-seater kayak. Today was pretty choppy and a brisk 63 degrees…a bit challenging to get through especially after yesterday. My arms are pretty sore and I haven’t decided whether or not to take tomorrow off to rest, but after the two back-to-back long swims I finally feel back in distance shape and on my way to marathon swimming shape.