When I began training and telling people about the Crossing for a Cure campaign, the common response was, "You're crazy!" The more I heard that, the more I began to really think about what it means to be crazy enough to work towards a goal such as crossing the Channel.
While I prepare myself for this "crazy" adventure, I have been reading blog after blog of fellow swimmers who have attempted the Channel. Some have made it, some failed. Some have attempted to cross the Channel many times, and finally, after many tries, finally pull themselves onto the beach of France.
Crossing the Channel is not just swimming across the body of water between England and France; it is the entire breadth of time and struggle the athlete goes through to bring their mind and body in synch with one another. When I swam on a high school swim team, we trained for about 3 months; I am now in my 6th month of training. In two months, I will be at peak yardage, which will be 10,000 yards a day, for 5-6 days a week. This will take about 3 hours a day, aside from dry land workouts. I hope to hold this amount of yardage until the swim, and will add 5,6 and 7 hour swims on the weekends.
In all honesty, during these long winter months, training has been difficult. Getting up early in the frigid cold to train, cracked and dry skin from the chlorine, and looking at a black line on the bottom of the pool for 3 hours can get reaaaaally boring.
Many friends have suggested purchasing a Swim p3 player, so I can listen to music while I swim; however, after much thought, I think that it would be best to get comfortable being inside my own head for long periods of time. I could be swimming for 12+ hours in England, so I better get used to just hearing bubbles and my own thoughts!
Some ask me what I think about when I'm swimming. Wow. If I had some way of recording down all of those thoughts, that would be really interesting. I would have to say that for the first good hour of swimming, I think about my family, my friends, work, and grad school, interlaced with remembering to keep my swimming technique in check, and my breathing count: One, two, three, four, breathe...one, two, three, four, breathe.....
At about the two hour mark, things start to get more difficult. My arms start to feel heavy, and this is when the mental toughness gets hard because I have run out of things to think about, and I really have to keep my technique in check. In high school swimming, practices were long, but they were broken up into various sets and workouts, so the time went much faster. Now there are no sets, and it is the same stroke, non-stop, for 3 hours. When June roles around, the 5-6-7 hour swims on the weekends will make the 3 hour-a-day weekday workouts seem like a piece of cake!
Now, the wonderful thing about the Crossing for a Cure campaign, is that when I'm swimming, I do not feel like I'm doing this alone. On early mornings at 5am when it's really cold and I dread going into the pool, I remember all of the amazing people that are inspiring me to do this. My brother, who gives so much of his time to train me. My former high school swim coach that offers advice anytime I need it, and coaches me through workouts when I need someone to correct my swim technique. My family and friends who believe in me; but more importantly, the people that we are doing this for.
There are so many people who are so sick with Cancer-many of whom may have dreams just like you and me, but are unable to achieve them because they are so ill. As a 26-year old, I have been immensely blessed with my health and I feel so honored and privileged to even be able to attempt crossing the Channel. Waking up at 5am in the frigid cold to train, or swimming for hours on end for the Channel is an option. Can you imagine having to get a chemo treatment that you know is going to make you feel miserable for days, or a surgery that could scar or disfigure you permanently, but in the end will save your life? A cancer patient does not have the luxury of choice if they want to survive. Their mental and physical toughness is incredible.
As I continue to train, please remember what this campaign is for-to honor those who are fighting such a daunting illness. You can honor those who are fighting cancer by donating to our cause. Your dollars will be providing the seed money junior faculty researchers need to get their research started so they can search for a cure within various forms of cancer. Tell your friends, your family, and co-workers. Cancer affects everyone-You never know who your donation could be helping; it could be someone you know, or it could even be you!
