Renewal

It's 2017 and I haven't written in this blog since 2012-nearly 6 years ago! With a New Years resolution to write more, I thought I'd dust this thing off and reconnect with all of you. I hope this post finds you all well and having a great start to 2017!

This blog wasn't just a way to keep all of you amazing supporters updated on my campaign, but is also a way for me to chronicle my journey of fighting cancer. Since the swim, I haven't stopped and have found other ways to keep up the fight.

Sadly, since then, three more family members have been diagnosed with cancer. I'm so sorry to say that one fought so hard but lost her battle, one was re-diagnosed and went into remission, and one is currently fighting. Outside of my family, I am constantly hearing of more people; from children to elderly, being diagnosed. Many of them were considered "perfectly healthy".

What the heck is going on? It really is gut wrenching and I think the most frustrating part is that, while research is bringing in more innovative and effective ways of treating cancer, cancer diagnoses and the costs of treatment are going up.


Since I can't physically swim The Channel to raise awareness and funds every year,  I have taken it upon myself to research as often as possible and educate others on beating cancer from the prevention side. What does that look like? I spread awareness for legislation that is happening that would rid toxic chemicals from agriculture, water, cleaning products, food, and especially skincare.

I've become a consultant and educator with a Certified B Corporation to help others switch to safer skincare products for their whole family. We invest our own personal money into products that come from companies who put our health and the environment's best interests first. When we purchase from some of these companies, we are able to put our dollars to a vote and lobby for change in Washington. Our hope is that we can do our small part to change the demand for safer products so this will become the norm and not the exception. Wouldn't it be nice not having to read labels and actually TRUST what's in  the products we're ingesting and putting on our bodies?

If you're as tired as I am of companies putting our health at risk, I urge you to re-prioritize your spending and perhaps consider creating a demand for higher standards in food and personal care products. Here are some helpful tips to get started:

1. Before purchasing a skincare/personal care product, look up the product or search by ingredient at: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/. They also have a fantastic app you can download onto your phone so you can search or scan the bar code while at the store! By doing so, you are voting with your dollars and creating a demand for higher standards.

2. Learn about B Certified Corporations and seek them out when doing business. Here's more info: Certified B Corps

3. Follow facebook/social media/blogs/websites that will teach you about how toxin exposure from food and personal care products affect your health. Spread the word by sharing reputable sources so others can learn, too! A couple that I love: www.ewg.org, http://www.beautycounter.com/know-everything/, and http://www.lindsaydahl.com/

4. Donate to a cause that advocates for change and puts your dollars to work! It's even better if something you already purchase on a regular basis puts some of that money to work for you!

5. Plug in: Find social media outlets that keep you informed on current legislation that impacts the environment, food, and cosmetics industry. Make your voice heard. Sometimes this looks like writing or calling your local or national representatives, contacting a business to complain, leaving a product review, etc.

I hope you'll join me in this fight. Like The Channel swim, it takes little steps over a long period of time to finally accomplish the actual feat. We're in an endurance race, but if we all do our part and do it together, I truly believe it can be done! It will be so worth it when we start to see cancer rates fall and our children won't have to worry about harmful chemicals in products that they're putting in and on their bodies.

In Hindsight

Dear Followers,

It is very hard to believe that swimming the Channel has come and is now five months behind us. My massive shoulder muscles of a distance swimmer have nearly receded. It is very odd not swimming in the water for many hours everyday, or hearing my brother screaming in my face during a tough workout. I have a full time job now, and sitting at a desk seems very odd compared to constantly moving for a majority of my day. Though the physical aspects of the Channel are fast-fading, I still think about swimming the Channel all of the time! I think of her calming turquoise-to-deep-blue-vastness surrounding me, the slosh of waves in my ears, the sharp taste of salt on my tongue, the sound of gulls floating above the waves, my mind wandering endlessly...........

A Map detailing every type of shipwreck that lies at the bottom of the Channel. I may have swum over some of them! What an eerie feeling........

Recently, I received a very neat booklet created by someone we met who resides in England. He compiled lots of information about the Channel, and included a large map that showed every single shipwreck and type of wreck that lies at the bottom of the Channel dating back hundreds of years. When I looked at this map, it finally struck me what a dangerous and temperamental body of water we had made it through. So many have lost their lives over that body of water, including big band legend Glenn Miller, when his plane went down mysteriously. Several allied soldiers boated across the English Channel to victory on the shores of Normandy. What a humbling feeling. That same feeling took me back to what I was thinking while making the crossing. It reminded me of what a gift it was to have the opportunity to be right where I was at: in the middle of the cold Channel fighting to get to the French coast in order to inspire our fight against cancer. I also thought of all of you out there who donated, prayed, and supported me throughout this entire challenge; fighting right alongside me.

It's now 2012. With the holidays come and gone, it is the time of year when we reflect on the past year and realize how thankful we are for all of the blessings we've been given; the people we are grateful to love and know, our health, and the experiences we've been a part of. 

The holidays are a wonderful and joyful time of year, but for some, it can be very painful; especially when a seat at the dinner table is empty. As my family gathered for the holidays, like many others, some of our loved ones are no longer able to celebrate the holidays with us because of cancer. Though I am grateful for the time I was able to have with them, it is a harsh reminder that we must keep fighting to put a stop to this horrible disease. 

2011 and The Crossing for a Cure Campaign may be at an end, but in reality, our cause will continue beyond the end of our campaign this January. People will still be fighting cancer. We will still need to support those fighting to find a cure....until a cure is found.

If you have not donated to Crossing for a Cure, it's not too late. Simply go to our website at: www.crossingforacure.com for details on how to make your tax-deductible donation.

We will keep www.crossingforacure.com and this blog up and running for a while, so feel free to check back. Should we receive any more donations, we will keep you up-to-date on the fund's progress, and any other news of our campaign.

Again, thank you to every person who made this journey possible. When I began training to swim the Channel, I did it in hopes of planting a seed to inspire many to give to cancer research at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. As of today, our research fund is now well over $15,000, thanks to your generous support.Your generosity and your stories of loved ones who have fought cancer have changed my life and I will never, ever forget their courage and the perspective you have given me. I treasure my health and each day of my life more and more because of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Swimcerely,

Cheyanne

Reflections

I must apologize for my absence! On this side of the screen, life has been quite a whirlwind the past couple of weeks.

When I arrived back in the U.S., there were so many people to see, hug, update, and most of all, THANK! It's been over a month since the swim and the capacity of such an incredible adventure is still sinking in. I'm scrambling to finish writing thank you letters to the many, many, people who believed in me and our cause, and donated to our research fund. If you would like to donate to our cancer research fund at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, it's not too late! The fund is currently at around $14,000, but we would like that number to be closer to our goal of $25,000. All you have to do is go here to make your tax-deductible donation. Don't forget to make it in honor of a loved one who has fought cancer!

The day after my arrival in Iowa, my mother told my brother Mike and I to meet in my hometown for a "family get-together" at 6pm on Thursday, August 25th. The day before, someone had posted on my facebook wall, "I'm so sorry I cannot make it to  your big celebration, Cheyanne!" WHAT?! What big celebration? Little did I know what awaited me in my wonderful hometown.

On the final stretch leading into town, there were two cop cars on the side of the highway. My brother suddenly slowed down. "Are we in trouble?" I asked. Then, a grin crept across my brother's face. Then, the cop cars with their sirens blaring, surrounded his car and accompanied us into town down mainstreet. As we came into town, two fire trucks on either side of the road were shooting an arch of water over the road for us to drive through. I could not believe what I was seeing! I was so humbled by the surprise welcome my hometown had arranged for me. I couldn't stop yelling, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" My fiance was in the back seat filming the whole thing-I hesitate to watch it for how ridiculous I probably sounded!

My brother Jacob caught this shot.

As we came into town, friends and family were gathered along the street and waving as we passed. Tears were welling up and all I could think about was how good it was to be home. 

We pulled up outside of my mom's cafe and art gallery and many people were waiting for me. My face hurt from smiling for such a long time. Many tears of joy and celebration were shed, and many hugs were exchanged. One of the most moving things about the evening was seeing many of my teachers from elementary through high school there. Nothing gave me more joy than making these incredible people proud. And here is why.....

The courage to swim the Channel and many of the skills it took to complete the swim began in middle school. You see, I was "the fat girl" that many of the skinny girls and the school bully picked on. I was teased terribly, and I will never forget every single moment when I was called, "Fat cow", my clothes were hidden from me before and after gym class, and one day, a bully even shoved me down the stairs. During the first two years of band, one kid even duct-taped my trumpet case shut a few times so that I was late to band rehearsal. Did he get in trouble? Nope. I was the one who received the tardy slips. When I look at pictures from those days, I cannot believe how fat I felt, because looking at the pictures, I really looked just like everyone else. I wasn't really that fat at all, just very tall. 

Although those bullies made me lose confidence in my appearance, they fueled me to be the best I could be in everything I possibly could. During my 6th grade year, the bullies were the worst they had ever been to me. My school principle at the time, took me out of school for one hour, and took me to a store to buy a journal. "I want you to journal in this, Cheyanne. You cannot let those bullies control your life. And here's why. The reason they bully you, Cheyanne, is because they have no control over their own lives, and because they know they don't have what it takes to go anywhere. They're lazy, so they take out that frustration on you. Use their negativity to fuel making your life the best it can possibly be."

Everything she told me that day still sticks with me. Can you imagine how much good could come of this world if our jealousy of others drove us to build each other up instead of breaking them down to make us feel better?

Many of the teachers that were always there for me during those tough times,  encouraging me to stay true to myself and helping me to become the best I could be in school and in all of my sports and in music, were there to support me that night. Being able to accomplish something so large for a cause that meant so much to me and having the ability to say, "You played a role in the person I am today", gave me so much joy! I only hope that my future children are able to have incredible teachers and staff like I had.

If I had let those awful people get me down in high school, I would have wallowed in grief and would not have done anything positive with my life. I would have hidden in the shadows and I would not have even bothered going out for sports. I probably never would have fallen in love with swimming, a sport that makes you even more built and "husky" than most other women. 

In order to swim the Channel, I needed to put on 20 additional pounds of body fat to protect me from the cold water. Today I am able to say, "Yes, I'm a fat girl. And you know what? I don't care. And this time around, I don't hear anyone laughing:-)

While thanking everyone who had supported me during this exciting adventure, I could not stop thinking about all of the people who have inspired me to do this. The revelations I've had while completing this task have been so profound and have made me realize more and more that when we do a good deed for someone, it is never a one-way transaction of goodwill. The goodness goes both ways and I have been changed for the better as well. There is no way I could have done this swim without the generosity and support of so many people: Those who've fought cancer and their loved ones who shared their inspirational stories, those who've donated, family and friends who've loved and supported me my entire life, my incredibly supportive hometown, and especially those teachers and staff who taught me that being the best version of myself was what was most important during my lifetime. 

As my life returns to normal and things settle down, I find myself missing the turbulent waters of the Channel and the calming green-marine colored water that enveloped me for fifteen and a half hours. Although it was perhaps the hardest thing I have ever done, I truly feel like I rediscovered myself while I was out there. I really do not think I could have swam the Channel just to go and do it. I needed the spark to guide me and help me through all of the preparations it took to get me there.

I'll close this update with a huge thank you to the "spark" that ignited it all. And that is my Grandpa Noller. Yesterday, September 11th, was his birthday. Although he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in me and in Crossing for a Cure. The fight he endured for 10 years has taught me how to be a fighter in every aspect of my life and to never take my life or my health for granted. Grandpa and all other cancer patients have this very thing in common and that spark is what kept me going every single stroke of this journey. So Grandpa, I hope you and God had a fun time watching me swim across the Channel. When the night was darkest, thank you for bringing the stars out-it was a beautiful site to see. I miss you.

Cheyanne

Recovery

It has now been exactly two weeks since the swim. ALREADY. I know! I cannot believe it myself. My salt blister scabs are nearly completely healed from the salt water chafing of my swim suit, but other than that I am completely recovered. I haven't even swam for those two weeks! It feels odd, but I know that I really needed the break both physically and mentally.

Last week, we stayed in Nottingham, which is north of London. For those of you that recognize that name, it is because of the myth of Robin Hood. However, me being a huge story nerd, I LOVE the myth of Robin Hood and I think the child in me will always think there is some truth to the legend.

We arrived in Nottingham on Saturday, August 13th, in the late afternoon. First off, we went to find our hostel so we could drop off our luggage. When we arrived, we noticed we were in a rather desolate area. Shops were all boarded up, weeds over grew some parts of the sidewalks and there were lots of alleyways littered with trash. Our hostel was above a pub, so we had to walk through a section of the pub to get to the stairwell to our hostel. The smell of beer and cigarette smoke hung heavily in the air and it followed us up the stairs as well. When we arrived on the second floor of the building, our hostel manager greeted us and showed us to our room. We had asked for a double private room with twin beds, but he put us into a 3 bunkbed room. I was okay with that-at least it would just be the two of us and we would not have to worry about locking up our stuff. The room smelled awful, the carpet had a lot of hair and little pieces of dirt all over it, and our bed linens smelled like they hadn't been washed. I sat on my bed and turned towards the wall. To my horror I saw dried chunks of puke on the wall from whoever last slept on the bunk above mine. I gave a hopeless look to K. "Oh my goodness...." I thought.

We found this note left from the previous tenant on one of the bunk beds. It says, "Your hostel is a joke. We're leaving. Greet Lewis." Just a little unsettling!

As we started to half-way settle in, I began looking online at other reviews for this hostel. Quickly I began finding terrible reviews, a couple of which accused this very hostel of scams and the managers trying to get the tenants to pay for damages they had not done. After reading a couple of them my heart sank and I began asking K if we should rough it for the first two nights and then try to cancel the last couple of nights and go find another place to stay. I then went and politley told our host that our plans had changed and we would be leaving early, requesting a refund for the remaining nights.

Then, to my surprise and shock, he rudely blurted, "Nope." "What?" I said, "No. We cannot give you a refund because you changed your mind." To which I replied, "Well, this is a backpacker's hostel is it not? We are travelers-our plans change!" He shot back, "I'm sorry, but we cannot just refund everyone who changes their mind." The reviews of scams were racing through my mind and I began to worry that we too, were doomed to suffer the same scamming problem. I turned and went back to our room and told K the bad news.

He being an Eagle Scout and me growing up in the country with four brothers, we decided that we could rough it; however, there were some things we would need to do in order to make this room a bit more comfortable. We began walking into Nottingham's town center and found a store with cheap cleaning supplies. We bought air fresheners, wet wipes, and antibacterial spray and then went back to our hostel. When we arrived, I jacked open the windows, pulled back the blinds, and began cleaning. We sprayed the carpet with the antibacterial spray and lots of Febreeze, opened the airfreshners, and I wiped off the wall. Within five minutes, it was much more tolerable. In fact, we decided that at this point, we would deal with the hostel and tough it out for the rest of our booked stay. We were paying almost nothing for this hostel, so we figured that if you are going to save money, sometimes you have to be uncomfortable. At least we had a roof over our heads and a lock on the door:-)

Our hostel is located in a rather iffy area, but it is on a busy road so the constant traffic is somewhat of a comfort. Only a couple of blocks over and you are near the town center. As each day has passed, we have grown to like Nottingham more and more. A majority of the city is very clean with lots of old buildings and historical sites to see. My favorite site so far has been Nottingham Castle with the underground tunnels and caves underneath it. Surrounding the castle are the most beautiful gardens and a terrace with a view for miles and miles.

Nottingham Castel Gatehouse

Look, a rare sighting of Robin Hood!

The view from the terrace surrounding Nottingham Castle

A separate tour takes you down into the castle hill through the dungeons and tunnels that have been used for centuries. King David of Scotland was once imprisoned there. To actually set foot upon ground with so much history is very humbling and fascinating. When you come out at the bottom of the tunnels, you are led to the oldest pub in England, "Ye Old Trip to Jerusalem". It was called as such because of the crusades, which King Richard the Lionheart embarked on long ago. When you walk into the pub, several staircases and tunnels lead you back into the cliff tunnels and each room is in a different cubby hole-it reminded me of Bilbo Baggins' home in Lord of the Rings and it was very cozy.

Coming out from the medieval tunnels at the bottom of the hill.

Ye Old Trip to Jerusalem, a tavern built in the 1100s. It is the oldest in England and has served several members of the monarchy throughout the ages.

The tavern is built into the hill, with many of the rooms winding back into tunnels and nooks.

Apart from site-seeing, K and I try to run for 3 miles every day to every other day, and enjoy wandering around the city, ducking in and out of various shops, and my architectural nerdiness is soaking in all of the old buildings. On Sunday, we attended Holy Communion service at an Anglican church called St. Mary's. It is a beautiful old church that was built in the 1300s. Afterwards we were invited by the locals to join them for their after-service coffee and biscuits.

St. Mary's

A particular treat close to St. Mary's is The Pitcher and Piano-a bar and cafe built inside of a very old church. We went there several times to laze around, surf the internet, drink a Cappucino, catch up on thankyou letters, read, journal, etc. I have loved these afternoons so much! After this past whirlwind of a summer with Graduate school, intense training, searching for a job, etc, having the time to just be has been such a gift from God.

Pitcher and Piano, a cafe/bar built inside of an old church.

What an incredible journey and adventure this is turning out to be-so many surprises at every twist and turn-I am simply overwhelmed and bursting at the seams with joy and thankfulness for so many blessings this past month. Wow!

This afternoon, we arrived at our hostel in the Western part of London, near Hyde Park. It's a beautiful area with lots of nice walkways through the park, neat little shops, and thank goodness, LOTS of Starbucks tucked into many little corners. We are sitting in one right now, resting our legs from the whirlwind of travel. I'll try to squeeze in another post before heading home.

Before I leave you, I just want to remind you all that although we are now just relaxing after the swim, Crossing for a Cure is not over, yet. We still have a $25,000 goal to reach for our cancer research fund. If you have not yet donated, there is still plenty of time! Simply go to our donate page and click on the "Donate to Holden" link. We are also currently in the middle of a mini-competition called, "Bond's Challenge", which was started by a dear friend of mine who lost all of her grandparents to cancer. The highest donor from the the beginning of the contest through this Wednesday, August 24th, will receive a handmade scarf and hat set made by Bond herself! Simply go to "Bonds Challenge" in the News and Events section of our website to find out more details and to register your donation for the contest!

I hope you are all well back home!

Cheers!

Our Victory!

On Saturday morning, August 6th, at around 6am London Time, my hand slid through the sandy shore of Sangatte, France. It was a moment I have dreamed of for a very long time, and when it actually happened, I could not believe it! It was like a dream. Before I dive into the details of the final moments of the swim, I am sure you would like to read a recap of the swim in it's entirety, so let's go back to the start!

At around 2pm in the afternoon on Friday, August 5th, K and I lugged 25.5 Liters of water, all of our supplies, and food down to the Dover marina to meet our boat pilot, Andy King, and board our vessel, the Louise Jane.

All of our supplies.

While we began getting everything ready, I met my CSA (Channel Swimming Association) official, Steve Franks, and our other crew member, another Andy. We were prepared earlier than we thought, so we decided to go ahead and get started. We would be taking off from Samphire Hoe, a stony beach south from  Dover Harbor. Samphire Hoe is named as such, because Samphire is a sea plant found in the area, and Hoe is a word used to describe stones and such that is the result from digging up/blowing up an area to make way for something.

About 5 minutes away, the crew member, Andy, told me it was time to start getting ready. I had already put on my suit, and as I took my shorts and t-shirt off, I shivered from the chilly sea breeze. I went ahead and put on my swim cap to keep my head warm, and began slathering clumps of vaseline under my arms, in my groin area, and in between my shoulders and neck where the straps rub. Chafing is a problem after swimming for long hours in a pool, but it is made incredibly worse in salt water when sand and salt are involved. I didn't bother to put on any sunscreen because I was starting so late in the afternoon, and I already had a good tan base so I wasn't too worried about getting burnt. Many Channel swimmers who do it the traditional way and without a wetsuit, use a body grease of sheeps fat and petroleum jelly. I decided not to use any, because I was very used to cold water, and being all slimy makes you feel different in the water, and the smell of the grease is awful. It also clumps up very badly in colder water and I didn't want to use something that I hadn't really used before. Best to stick with what you are used to and comfortable with. Vaseline works just fine for me!

Staring at the sea, praying and focusing on what I'm about to do.

A nice photographer that we had met earlier in the week had wanted to know if he could take some pictures of me leaving the beach, and as we were making our way to Samphire Hoe, we could see him and his wife running as fast as they could to get to the beach in time. 

When we were about 300 yards out from the beach, the Louise Jane stopped. "Alright Cheyanne!" shouted Andy King. "Let's do this!" My heart began to flutter. I couldn't believe the moment was here. Emotions of excitement and a bit of terror were pulsing through my mind and body. I licked the inside of my goggles to ensure they didn't fog up and put them on.

I sat up on the edge of the boat and pushed off. Once I hit the water, the cold made my body jolt a bit. After a few strokes and my body zinging with goosebumps, the water already felt a lot warmer. It's amazing how your body adapts so quickly when you've done enough cold water training. I began swimming into the beach and once I arrived, I began walking out of the water. The pebbles really hurt your feet and cause you to slide around a bit. The photographer and his wife were there to greet me and to see me off. I felt bad I couldn't give him a hug and chat for a bit, but I had to be careful not to touch anyone so that I was not disqualified. I turned towards the boat and made sure I was completely out of the water. I then waved both arms to the boat so that they new I was ready. When the CSA Official and boat captain were ready, they sounded the whistle to start the swim and I was off!

I began swimming at a steady clip, but the further out we got, the rougher the sea was. I was a little panicked that it was going to be this rough the whole way. Really choppy waters can really batter and exhaust a swimmer in no time, and I was nervous that it would continue and tire me out before I even hit the half way point.

At the one hour mark, we stopped for my first feeding. I kept it to around 30 seconds while I flipped onto my side and sidestroked while squirting the drink into my mouth in three big swallows. It's best to keep moving on feeds because you don't want to drift off course. Each little feeding can add up time and make or break a swim's success. 

At the 2 hour mark, some baby dolphins were spotted behind us. Unfortunately I was unable to see them since I was facing the boat, but the crew was pointing at them. At 2 hours I stopped again for a feeding. The feeding was nice and short and I just kept plugging along. I didn't even feel warmed up yet!

After two hours I began feeds every half hour. This gives your body a mini-fast so that when you do take in nutrients, it absorbs them fully. At this point, my body reacts like a machine. Five minutes after every feeding I would hiccup a little bit, then burp three times for all of the air I was swallowing from drinking my feeds so fast, then about ten minutes later, I would...well.. you know what happens after drinking lots of water! When this happened, it was actually a relief because not only does it keep you warm, but it confirms that you are staying on top of hydration, and your body isn't getting plugged up. This can happen from isotonic drinks when you've been going for a long period of time. Many swimmers will drink coffee about half way through the swim to "sort themselves out" as our boat captain would say. I sincerely hoped that wouldn't happen to me. Salt water and coffee would not taste very good together!

During the first four hours, I swallowed lots of salt water because the sea was so rough. It was a struggle to breath when so many waves kept pounding me in the face and my neck was getting sore from the waves throwing my head from side to side. As the night crept in, it calmed a little, and I was able to stretch out my stroke a bit. 

One of the massive tankers we passed when going through the shipping lanes. One came within about 100 yards of us-very scary!

At around the 6 hour mark when I had my feeding, I had to attach lights since I would be swimming through the night. One of the lights was a blinking emergency light on my goggle strap, and two glowsticks to the straps of my swim suit. It was a bit of a challenge attaching the glowsticks because I had to lift my arms behind me to tie them on, and when you've been swimming for six hours your arms don't like to bend that way! That feed took about 1.5 minutes, but I was "lit up like a Christmas Tree" as our boat captain said, and was ready to face the dark night.

When it was pitch black, all I could think about was how much I wanted it to be morning. For nearly 7 hours it felt like I was swimming in an endless abyss, not gaining any distance and not going anywhere. It is moments like this when your mental toughness means everything. 

At the 10 hour mark was when I hit "the wall". I was very surprised that I didn't hit it until then, because most swimmers hit it between the 6 and 7 hour mark. This is when the body begins converting body fat to energy because it can no longer get what it needs from feedings alone. At this point, your limbs grow weaker and you get a bit cranky. At the ten hour feeding, I asked K, "How much longer until daylight?"

K said, "About 4 and a half more hours." "What!? How long have I been in the water?" I said. "Ten hours!" shouted K. This really frustrated me because I could have sworn I had kept count for nearly 12 hours in my head. At "the wall", your mind makes you resentful and frustrated at everything. "ARE YOU SURE?!" I yelled in an accusatory tone. Then (I believe this was the Holy Spirit yelling at me) my mind was telling me, "Cheyanne, shut up and get your butt moving. You'll feel better soon. Just think-10 hours down! You are well over half way there! Daylight will come soon." So I threw my water bottle away so they could reel it in and began swimming again. 

This was the longest night of my life. Many dark and negative thoughts creep into your mind when you are broken down and cold. What if I see a shark? What if I get hypothermia? What if I just can't make it?Then, I remembered what my open water training mentor, John, told me. "Think of all of the people who wish they could be doing what you are doing but are unable. Think of those who have crossed the channel but it took them 30 hours. You just have to keep going." I also remembered the words of Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to cross the Channel. As she was crossing the Channel, her father was begging her to stop. She said, "I couldn't think of a good enough reason to stop. So I didn't." I thought to myself, "Am I dying? No. Do I feel like crap? Absolutley. Do I feel the worst I have ever felt in my life? Yes. Do I think I'm going to die? No. THEN KEEP GOING!"

Swimming in the pitch dark. 

Towards the end of the night, it began to rain. My incredible boyfriend, K, sat out on the boat deck the whole time, watching me to make sure I was okay. He was soaked and cold, but would look at me and would give a gentle smile to reassure me that everything was going well. He even started doing a goofy dance to entertain me during the early hours of the morning.

At the 11 hour mark, my throat and mouth were so sore and swollen from the salt water. Every couple of hours K would throw out a water bottle attached to my feed bottle, that contained diluted Listerine. After a couple of hours in salt water, minty mouthwash was SUCH a delight! It really helped purge my mouth of the salt and built a little protective layer of fluoride on my gums and tongue that prevented the sting of salt for about an hour. 

When hour 12 arrived, I hit a massive slump. My right arm was still strong but my left shoulder was beginning to hurt. I was actually delighted that neither shoulder had gotten sore until this late in the swim. This began to cause problems because my right arm was pulling more and I kept swimming up too close to the boat and the crew would keep signaling for me to move further out. 

At around hour 13, our boat captain, Andy, came to the side of the boat during my feeding and told me that I have to give a half hour of sprinting, otherwise I could be looking at a much longer swim. The final current in the channel was still very strong and hadn't calmed down yet, and if I didn't push through it in time, it would send us dramatically off course and I would have to swim for many more hours. Not knowing how much longer I could last, I decided I had to give it everything I had now until I knew I was in sight of land, then could calm down a bit. During this point, I began to get a little worried that my body would not last. Then I remembered all of the terrible workouts my brother Mike put me through, and how many times I've experienced that feeling and doubt before, but somehow pushed through. I began thinking of all of the stairs, all of the sprints, all of the moments where I thought I would pass out or puke from his intense training sessions and the constant feeling that I could never do anything good enough. He would never tell me "good job" and would never say "keep up the good work" because he wanted to completely break me down. It was my job to build myself back up in my mind to a point where I could take it and that I was not there to please him, but I had to do everything I could think of to prepare and succeed until I was done. Until I touched France, no "good job" or "keep up the good work" would ever be spoken.

As I began rotating my arms faster and pulling harder, I began to get my third wind. Everything in my body was screaming at me and telling me I could not do it. But I kept repeating the rosary in my mind and it really helped to calm me down. I kept thinking to myself, "You can do this. You ARE doing this! You are going to make it! Remember what you promised yourself-I will not stop until I walk out onto France!"

The sky began to lighten and daylight began to arrive. I don't think I have ever been so happy to see the morning! It was over cast and chilly, but I didn't care! 

At around hour 14, during my feeding, I did something really stupid and looked towards France, hoping that we could at least see it. THERE IT WAS! And it was SO CLOSE!! "OH MY GOD!!" I yelled in surprise and relief. We were still a ways out and a tide still could have pulled us away, so the game was not over yet. I zipped through my feeding and got back to swimming. Seeing France gave me such a mental boost and I began swimming harder than I had ever swam before!

Almost there!

At the 14 and a half mark, during my feeding the boat crew got the dingy all set up. This is a great sign, because it means we are getting close to land. They send in a dingy to retrieve the swimmer since it is too shallow for the Louise Jane to go in. When this happened, I smiled the biggest smile ever and yelled to Andy, "So, is this a done deal, Andy?" With his hilarious sense of humor he shot back, "If you pull your finger out of your a$% it is!" And he gave me a huge smile back. It was then that I knew I was going to make it!

We were getting closer and closer. I tried as hard as I could to keep my head down and keep pushing forward. It seemed like that last gap of distance would never close! We were heading towards the little town of Sangatte, France. As we grew closer, my eyes began to tear up. I began thinking of all of the people that brought me here and I was thinking of all of those people I was doing this swim for. I thought of my Grandpa N. who fought cancer for 10 years before passing, whom I had prayed for a lot during the swim, and my high school swim coach's sister, who had also died from cancer. I thought of everyone I had met or heard about while raising funds for Holden and I was so thankful that God brought me through this difficult task so that I could honor their legacies and raise money for cancer research. 

At hour 15 I had my last feeding. The entire crew was smiling. I almost wanted to completely skip my feeding and just keep going, but I knew that would be really stupid to deny my body the nutrients it needed now more than ever. I sucked it all down very fast and pounded the water. We were getting closer and closer. I still felt like I would never get there. Then, my dream became a reality.

The feeling I had longed for for so long finally happened. My fingers glided through soft sand. My heart lept and I stood up and lifted my hands! Andy, on the dingy, yelled, "Keep swimming! You're almost there!" It was now too shallow to swim, so I began crawling onto shore. The sand turned into sharp rocks and sea shells, and my knees and hands were quickly cut up and bruised but I couldn't feel any of it! 

As I lifted my head to look forward, the most beautiful site was right in front of me. A quaint little medieval chapel with a cross at the top was sitting on the coast so I could look at it as I headed in. It was like God was on the shore of France to help me out of the water! I began grabbing a couple of pebbles to put in my suit to remember this moment. 

There was a French couple walking a long the beach taking pictures of me. Their faces were full of welcome, joy, and concern, and in French it sounded like they were asking me if I was ok since I was unable to stand. "Bonjour!" I exclaimed with a huge smile. I also gestured for them to stay away, because if they touched me, I would be disqualified. Once I gained some balance, I slowly walked towards Andy and the dingy. My legs were like jello since I had been swimming horizontally for the past 15 hours and 39 minutes. When I reached the dingy, a wave came up and knocked me over. It wasn't even that large of a wave but my legs had no more strength so it easily over came me. I threw myself into the dingy and Andy turned the boat around and we headed back to the Louise Jane. As we began heading back, the wife of the French couple ran up to us and handed me a stone from the shore. It was a large white stone and she had the most beautiful smile as she gave it to me. So amazing!

When we arrived back at the Louise Jane, my arms were so dead I couldn't even pull myself up the ladder. My boat pilot, Andy King, reached under my arms and lifted me as I climbed the ladder. Thank goodness he is strong or I have no idea how I would have gotten back into the boat! Once on board, K threw a towel around me and I just sat there, in awe of what we had just done! I couldn't believe it! I was now a fully ratified Channel swimmer! AHHHHHHHHH!!!

Andy helping me onto the boat.

I began drying myself off as best I could and with K's help was able to take my suit off and throw on dry clothes. Now that I was no longer moving, I was getting very stiff and cold, very fast. I threw on some sweat pants, fuzzy socks, and my lucky high school swim team sweatshirt. I threw on a sleeping bag and laid down, while the crew prepared hot tea with honey to help my sore throat and mouth. Suddenly, I felt very, very sick. The lurching of the boat compiled with all of the salt water and carb drinks, I knew I was going to be sick. One of the crew said if I was going to be sick, just do it on the deck. It could easily be rinsed off. So, I stuck my finger down my throat to get it over with. It was weird because most of what came up was green with bits of sea weed. It was very odd, but I instantly felt better.

So happy!!

Exhausted and all bundled up for the ride back.

Immediately after, Andy brought me some tea. Oh. My. Gosh. Holding that warm mug of tea in my hands was like holding a million dollars. YUM! K held me up while I drank and when I was finished I laid my head in his lap and fell asleep as the boat made it's way back to Dover. When I awoke, I was in terrible pain and shivering from the cold. I couldn't move and felt awful. By the time we arrived back at the harbor, I could move around a bit. We packed up all of our stuff and called a cab to take us back to the place we were staying. I couldn't believe we were back in Dover already! It all happened so fast and here I was, arriving back in Dover as a Channel swimmer. It was all so surreal! 

I got some great big hugs and kisses from Andy and our boat pilot, Andy King, and we talked for a bit before we left. They were the best boat crew anyone could ever ask for. They were always cheering me on and looking out for me and when you invest so much in a boat pilot, that means the world! 

Best boat crew ever: Pilot Andy King (L) and Andy (R)

When we arrived back to our housing, I took the longest hot shower ever. I drank tons of water and ate a bit of food, and slept for a while. For the rest of the day I was very stiff and sore, but having swam the Channel I was too excited to really care! 

Later that evening, our good friend, Stevie, who is currently living in England while in the airforce, came down to Dover to help us celebrate at The White Horse Pub. It is tradition for all successful Channel swimmers to write their name on the wall and have their first pint. When I walked up to the bar to get a marker to write on the wall and told the bartender, he laughed and said, "Prove it!" Then I said, "Well, I have pictures I could show you?" Then, to my surprise, he asked, "Are you Cheyanne?" "Yes," I said with a suspicious smile. "This card was left for you," he said.

The White Horse Pub

Signing My Name!

Hawkeyes Represent!

It was a really nice card from a gentleman in England who had heard about my swim. A while back he had offered to buy me my first pint upon my successful swim, and here I was, reading a card from him which contained money to buy my first pint! How sweet! One of the many cool things about swimming the Channel is that you meet many incredible people a long the way.

After receiving the card, the bartender laughed and handed me the permanent marker. "I believe you." Then, a woman bartender started clapping for me and said, "Congratulations to the Channel swimmer!" and the whole bar erupted in applause. It was such a neat moment. I began looking for a space to write my name and could not seem to find one. Ironically, one of the only spaces available was on the ceiling near the signature of John Heineman, a young man from Iowa who had crossed the Channel in 2007. "GO HAWKEYES!" I thought with a smile and began to sign my name. My arms were so tired and sore that every couple of letters I had to bring my arms back down and rest them before continuing. K and Stevie kept giggling at me because it was taking me forever to write!

Then, I proudly walked up to the bar and ordered a beer. After giving up alcohol for a year because of training, you can imagine my excitement as I took my first sip! YUM! We then ate dinner and I ordered a huge steak and we visited for a while. What a perfect end to such an adventure!

K and me-my first pint!

Before I end this post, I have so many people I want to thank. So without further ado.....

Thank you to:

My brother Michael, who believed in me from the very beginning. Who gifted me the money for the pilot vessel and tore me down and built me back up to be the strongest, both physically and mentally, that I have ever been. Without him, none of this would have been possible.

To Wendell N., my grandfather, who passed away after fighting cancer for 10 years. Thank you for showing me how to treat life as a gift and something that should not be taken for granted. Thank you for teaching me what it means to fight. I miss you!

To K, the incredible man in my life, who has stuck by my side as I trained for the swim. Thank you for allowing me to put time for us on hold so that I could focus on training and for being so supportive and helpful through all of the tough times. And most of all, for taking such good care of me during and after the swim.

To my family, friends, and loved ones who believed in me and who have been so supportive and gracious during these past two years while preparing for the swim. Your generosity is what got me here, and your prayers carried me through. I love you all so much!

To Dr. Goodheart at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and all of the cancer researchers. I had no idea that an undergraduate student clerk job in the Ob/Gyn Oncology unit and helping you on a cancer research project would change my life in such a profound way! Your determination and passion for finding a cure for cancer played a major role in inspiring me to travel this journey. Thank you so much for all of your help in the success of Crossing for a Cure!

To my amazing boat crew of Andy King, Andy, and CSA Official Steve Franks-There is no crew of people that I would rather have had and trusted to be by my side as I swam through one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the world. You were all so supportive and wonderful to have beside me and I cannot thank you enough for helping me to accomplish my dream!

To John M. of Open Water Source in Chicago-your friendship and mentor-ship in open water swimming played a major role in my success! Without your knowledge of the sport and help in training me for tough conditions and cold water, this swim would have been impossible. It has been such a blessing that you took me under your wing and took the time to help train me in Lake Michigan and were always there when I had doubts or questions about the swim. I will be forever grateful!

To Sue O., my long-time swim coach-It is because of you I fell in love with swimming and the discipline it takes to be fearless in the water. You also taught me how to be a strong and confident woman, both in and out of the pool. Your mentor-ship and friendship throughout the years has played a huge role in who I am today and many times during my swim I imagined you walking along side me like I was swimming the 500 at a meet, you walking along the side of the pool and yelling at me to "DIG! DIG! DIG!" 

To Mike H., who taught me how to swim and that "in order to do something you've never done before, you have to do something you've never done before." In other words.....WORK YOUR A$% OFF!

To Tori at The U of I Foundation, for helping me start the Crossing for a Cure campaign. Without your direction and assistance, we would not have been nearly as successful!

To Darlene, my chiropractor and nutritionist who kept me healthy and injury free during my intense training regimen. Without all of your knowledge and care, I would not have been able to stay as strong and healthy to do this!

To Susan S., for volunteering so much of your time to be a mentor and friend during this journey. Your skill and wisdom in the world of development has taught me so much and your friendship has been such a blessing!

To Scott Sanborn, Stuart C., and all of the media who helped us spread our story so that we could raise awareness and funds for our cause!

To Eric McDowell and staff at Chef's Table, who helped us host the most incredible cultivation dinner to raise funds for our cancer fund. It was a night I will always remember and am so grateful to you all for believing in me and supporting my cause!

To Performance Health and Fitness of Coralville, who graciously provided my gym membership for the past year so that I could train with my brother while preparing for the swim. Without your support, I would not have been able to prepare so well for the swim. All of your staff were so supportive and helpful and I am forever grateful to you all!

To all of my kayaker volunteers who braved hot weather, storms, drunk boaters, and very early mornings to kayak beside me for hours and hours in a huge disgusting lake so that I could get enough training in. I could not have built up my endurance without you!

To all of our donors for your support and generosity. This would not have been possible without you-this victory belongs to all of us-not just me!

To all of our loved ones who have fought cancer. Without your inspiration, I would not have been able to put in all of the hard work necessary to achieve this swim. Your legacy lives on through Crossing for a Cure and I hope that one day, our cancer fund will find a cure so that no one will have to suffer from cancer ever again. 

And last but certainly not least, to my Father God, who has blessed me with the body, the strength, and the opportunity to do this. I am so humbled by the gifts He has given me, and through this journey, He has tought me so much more than I could have possibly imagined. All I had to do was swim!

Lift Off!

Tonight at 7:30pm London time, we find out if we will be leaving Dover Harbor at 3:30am tomorrow morning to make my attempt to swim the English Channel. I am so excited, yet, cannot believe that after 2 years of training, the moment has finally arrived! So many emotions are running through me right now. Anxiety, excitement, a little bit of fear-all emotions are good because that is what makes this journey so incredible!

Many people a long this journey have asked me, "What if you do not make it?" Although many think this is a rather cynical question, it is a legitimate one. Many people attempt to swim the Channel, few actually make it. But please know this.

I've already succeeded!

That may sound strange to you, but when my toes touch the water and the horn of the pilot vessel blares for me to start, we have already been hugely successful. Here is why.

1. Together we have raised over $13,000 to start a cancer research fund to fight cancer-the main purpose of this entire journey! Cancer has greatly impacted my family and friends, and I feel so blessed to have been able to use my gifts in order to fight this daunting disease!

2. I have been able to meet the most incredible people! It is amazing how many people I've met who have been impacted in some way by cancer. Hearing their stories has been so inspiring and humbling. I will never forget them and will be thinking about them a lot as I make my crossing! I have also had the privilege to meet the most incedible doctors at The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, whose work is so inspiring! It is such a comfort knowing that the funds we have raised will be going to such an incredible research center where some oustanding cancer research is being done!

3. While working on this campaign, it has also been a huge privilege getting to work with staff at the University of Iowa Foundation. It has been so wonderful working with others in the field of development and sharing our passion for philanthropy in order to support those finding a cure for cancer.

4. This journey has also brought me closer to some awesome people in my life! I've been able to share this experience with my former high school swim coach O'Donnell, who really made me fall in love with swimming! Her strength and wisdom over the years has played a HUGE role in the person and athlete I am today! I have also been able to grow closer to my amazing brother, SSG Michael Boddicker. He has been there every step of the way, pushing me to my breaking point, in order to make me mentally tougher than I have ever been in my life! His incredible generosity is also what made this entire endeavor possible; he gifted the money to pay for the pilot vessel that accompanies me across the channel. I am still blown away by this gift!

5. It really is a joy and a privilege being able to do this! Because of the financial support of so many wonderful peeople, I was able to put aside two years of my life to prepare for this moment! Think of all of those who have overcome incredible adversity to do a physical challenge like this. Think of all of those who have swam 30 hours, but still were not able to touch the coast of France because their luck with the tides wasn't in their favor. Does that make them a failure? Absolutely not! The amount of work it takes to cross the Channel isn't even done on the day you actually swim the Channel. The amount of sweat, tears, financial strain, and sacrifice that goes into a Channel attempt is astounding, and if for some reason I do not make it because of bad luck in the weather or tides, or whatever, does not make me a failure. In fact, if I deam myself a failure if I do not make it, I would be discrediting those who sacrificed so much to be able to do this, and were not able because of their bad luck, as well. So if I do not make it, do not be sad! Rejoice in the fact that I made it here, to Dover, England! With your support, I was able to  put in all of the work to get me to where I am, and just to have earned the right to swim the Channel is a huge accomplishment in itself!


6. Finally, Crossing for a Cure has been able to raise so much awareness for cancer research. With the generosity of so many media outlets, we've been able to reach audiences all over the country! We have been so blessed to have been able to do this, and remind us all that cancer affects everyone in some way. With the incredible medical technology and researchers we have today, I am very hopeful that with our financial help, we can find a cure for this terrible disease soon!


Today, as I prepare for the swim, I am packing all of my gear, sending you this blog, writing the rest of the names to the Union Hawk Flag, and saying lots of prayers!

Here is a picture of all of the gear I will be taking with me. Keep in mind that I will be taking more than one bottle of water with me. I highly doubt two bottles would be enough!

 Before I sign off and wait for my boat pilot to confirm we leave at 3:30am London Time, I would like to leave you with a favorite Bible quote of mine-one that gets me through tough times and one that I will be taking with me in my mind as I am crossing the channel.

My brothers, count it pure joy when you are involved in every sort of trial. Realize that when your faith is tested this makes for endurance. Let endurance come to its perfection so that you may be fully mature and lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

This swim is dedicated to my grandpa Noller, my loved ones, and to all of those whose lives have been affected by cancer. I will be praying for all of you while I swim. Please say a prayer for my safety and the safety of my boat crew.

God bless!

Chey

The Gates

After traveling by plane for seven hours, navigating through Heathrow, taking a train to Victoria Station, and then taking a train to Canterbury East, to then take a double-decker bus (yes, we had a Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban moment) down to Dover Priory, I was so ready to see Dover and most of all, the Channel. As the bus wound its way down the hilly English countryside, it passed around a grove of trees and BAM. The road opened up to the edge of Dover, and the White Cliffs were just as bright as I had imagined them! There she was! The big, deep blue-green body of water that stretched on for miles. It seemlessy joined the sky on the horizon, which made it seem all the more big. If I squinted, I could barely make out France, but it was there! Then, a bit of nervousness hit me. I would be swimming that! Wow. I couldn't wait to get into the harbor for a swim!

After arriving at Dover Priory, we gathered up our luggage and began walking to the place we would be staying for the next two weeks. Once we got there, my poor boyfriend K realized his phone was missing! He had lost it on the bus. After calling the station and getting in contact with the bus driver, I used my phone despite the crazy-high roaming charges and called his phone, just to see if the person who had it would pick up. THEY DID! They were so nice and we arranged to get it from them later that night at back at the station. We were so in awe and thankful that while in a foreign country where we needed that phone to contact friends and family back home, we were fortunate that a lovely person found the phone and not someone who took it for themselves!

After settling in, we wandered down to the harbor to find where I would be training until the swim. As we made our way down, every where you looked was a bit of history. Old buildings, really old churches, and Dover Castle which was up high on the white cliffs of Dover. How cool is it to walk through town and see a HUGE castle on a cliff? I'm going to cherish this as long as I'm here! 

Once we got down to the beach, I put my toes in the water and was delighted that it still felt like 60 degree water was warm. Thank goodness I did so much cold water training and built up so much body fat! My boyfriend K did the same, but whirled around and ran up the beach, squeeling like a little girl. Hehehe......

Shaking hands (toes) with the Channel. I hope she likes me!

France is thatta way!

We then explored the area and in a little nook we found a lovely restaurant that had incredible food for very cheap! We both had a delicious roast beef meal with squash and vegetables, and a desert of a sweet pudding and apple crisp with custard. It. Was. Amazing! K had a tall glass of Pilsner in front of me, which wasn't very nice since he knows I can't drink alcohol until after the swim. Grrrrr......

We both headed to bed early because we were so exhausted! 

Today, we got up early and ate breakfast. K went out and searched for a cheap cell phone so we could keep in constant contact with my boat pilot, while I went back to bed. I had gotten less than 6 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours, and needed to rest up before my set of tides begins in less than a week. When I woke up, we ate a quick light lunch, and made our way down to the harbor to meet my boat captain, and for my first workout.

We met our boat captain, Andy King of the Louise Jane, and he showed us the boat that would be accompanying me on the channel. He was really nice and was very straightforward about everything and answered all of my questions, no matter how paranoid or dumb I thought they were! 

After looking at our boat and talking to Mr. King, I swam hard for an hour to work out the kinks of travel and to loosten up before a 3 hour swim I will be doing tomorrow. As I plunged in, I couldn't help but feel so excited! I'm in the Channel! We made it here! WOOHOO!

Swimming in the harbor is interesting because you are sharing it with other swimmers, P & O Ferries, and various other boat craft. When I made a lap across the harbor and looped back around, I had to weave in and out of sailboats-it was like running through an obstacle course except if you got hit, you'd be a lot worse off!

Swimming in the ocean is definitely different than fresh water. My pull-through in my stroke feels more efficient, because the salt water causes a bit more bouyancy. This lifts up your pelvis and allows for a better rotation in the water. When I began pulling through the water, it felt great! The one thing that will be hard to get used to is the salt water. I kept forgetting and letting a bit of water into my mouth, and once a wave sloshed me in the face and I gulped it. YUCK! Definitely cannot do that on the swim-more than a gulp could make you seriously ill! When I was done with my workout, I could already feel a bit of swelling in my tongue, and my lips felt tingly. 

After I dried off and got dressed, K and I explored the harbor area of Dover. It is such an old town and I loved looking at all of the old shop fronts and architecture. We even found an old Chapel that was home to St. Edmund between 1175 and 1240 AD. So cool! 

By then we were getting very hungry and decided what better way to explore Dover than to get a real serving of fish and chips! For ten pounds, we both got a HUGE portion of fried Cod and french fry-like pieces with vinegar and salt sprinkled on top, and wrapped in paper. It was WAY too much food and grease to handle and I could not finish mine, but it was so delicious, nonetheless!

After letting our food settle, we headed back and I finished unpacking. More to come soon.

God bless!