English Channel 2011: 2012

Marilyn's swim across the English Channel 2011

"For me, marathon swimming is the ultimate mental, physical and emotional challenge".

Diana Nyad, Other Shores, 1978

I've always loved swimming. I've been swimming since age 2, competitively since age 13. I'm now 54 and hoping to become the oldest Canadian female to swim the English channel; 33.2 kilometres from Samphire Hoe Beach, Dover, England to Cap Griz Nez, France. I swam Lake Ontario from Niagara on the Lake to Toronto in 1983 and from Toronto to Port Dalhousie (north to south against the powerful Niagara River current) in 1984. I was only the second person to swim Lake Ontario north to south, Diana Nyad being the first. The above quote is one of my favourites, especially since Diana at 61 was also recently trying to prove that older athletes can still achieve big goals.

Why the English Channel? I was quoted in the Toronto Star in 1984 saying my next big swim would be the English Channel. But then life happened, I got married, had 3 boys, but always kept swimming at least twice a week. Last summer, Debbie Bang challenged me to swim 26 kilometres in Muskoka. When I finished it, I felt I could have swum further. When Colleen Shields at 58 breezed across Lake Ontario last August (but was foiled by weather at the very end), I realized I could still do another big swim at my age. Swimmers in Dover say the Channel is the Everest of swims. I'm not so sure, people have accomplished longer and colder swims in other parts of the world. For me, there is something about ocean swimming that is the ultimate. The English Channel is part of world history and swimming tradition. My grandmother lived in England and took me to the beach on the channel, so it is also nostalgia and familiar. What really cemented the idea in my mind is pacing Kim Middleton across the channel in 1989. I just "woke up" last September and realized time was running out.

So I have been inspired and supported by a great many people. (Thank you!) In doing this swim I would like to inspire others to dream big and go out and achieve their goals. But, in this journey I have learned that reaching smaller training goals along the way has also inspired others. Swimming Lake Simcoe from Barrie to Orillia, 35 kilometres in 18 hours and 44 minutes is the biggest example of this, especially since the water was 13 degrees Celsius for the first 3 hours. Even if the channel weather foils me on August 21, 22, or 23, it was worth doing.

I am also pleased to be able to use this opportunity to raise money for the Good Shepherd Centres in Hamilton. They run a network of shelters and services for troubled youth, abused women and children, the dying, the mentally and physically challenged, the hungry and the homeless. They strive to support people through crisis and help them re-establish healthy and productive lives. They have been very good to my patients over the years and for this I am grateful. Please support my swim by donating to the Good Shepherd centres. Thank you. http://www.goodshepherdcentres.ca/News/events.htm

Saturday 16 June 2012

June 16, 2012
I conquered Key West!
I swam the 12.5 miles (20.1 km) around the island as part of a US Masters race in a time of 8h 15min.
I'm the oldest female in the last 5 years of online records, not sure about the 12 years before that. I will definitely get the medal for my age group.
They promised it would be a tide assisted race, but the tides were opposite from predicted. It was a tide and wind in your face race. Only the 10th mile was tide assisted and the last 2 were with the wind. The water was 87-88 deg F and the air 80-90. The cloud cover gave us a break from the sun, which kept this northern girl from getting seriously sun burnt. My body held up well despite the large amount of sprinting to keep from going backwards when the tidal current was strong. My hot water nutrition plan also worked out well.
Next swim? I will think about it for a few months. Definitely not a hot water swim.

Marilyn's swim across the English Channel 2011

Saturday 16 June 2012

Friday 8 June 2012