Countdown to 2019 Cook Strait

It's countdown to Cook Strait,  my last swim challenge of the Oceans Seven.  I will be in Wellington, New Zealand with my son Tom on Monday, February 25, 2019.   My five day slot begins on Wednesday, February 27.   My boat pilot and organizer of this swim is Philip Rush.  This swim will start early morning and I will swim 16 miles between the North and South Island of New Zealand.  This swim will be very challenging due to its cold, rough water,  strong currents, and frightening marine life.   My boat pilot will decide the morning of my swim which start location (North or South Island) depending on currents and wind.  If he decides to start me on the South Island, we will take a boat ride to the start.   I am currently training six days per week.  My focus has been on improving my stroke technique so I can swim faster.   I have been very fortunate to have Suzi Boccanfuso,  Head Coach of the Casco Bay Y  swim team,  give me weekly swim lessons.   She has been a tremendous  help and my swim pace has certainly improved.    To have a successful swim of Cook Strait, a swimmer not only needs to be fast but needs Mother Nature on their side.   Currents are very strong in the Strait.  Five years ago, I attempted Cook Strait and experienced a DNF (did not finish) due to strong currents slowing my pace.
   If I am successful, this would be a world record for the Oldest Person to complete the Oceans Seven (Guinness World Record) and a record for the Oldest Woman to swim Cook Strait.  My good friend Marilyn Korzekwa of Canada is the current record holder set at the age of 59.    I will be celebrating my 68th birthday in February before my swim.
   I will have a Spot Tracker activated 10 minutes prior to the start of my swim.  See link below.
    Once I arrive in Wellington, I will have contact with my boat pilot to discuss which day he recommends for a swim.   I will update my blog on the day and time of my swim.  Hopefully,  two days after my swim,  I will attempt to swim 24 miles across Lake Taupo on the North Island.   Lake Taupo is part of the Still Water Eight Challenge (Eight challenging lake swim worldwide).  So far, I have found these lake swims to be as challenging as any ocean swims.  To date, I have completed four out of the Still Water Eight:  Lake Ontario, Lake Tahoe, Loch Ness, and Lake Windermere.
     Many thanks to my family and friends for their encouragement and support.  Also, I would like to thank Swimsuits for All and Lake Region Imports for their sponsorship.
Please see newest post for updated link.

International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame

On November 10, 2018 I received a surprise of a lifetime during the Global Open Water Summit in San Francisco.    While sitting in the audience,  I watched several outstanding speakers give fabulous presentations on open water swimming.    Ned Denison, the Chairperson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame gave his video presentation from Ireland.   I was sitting in the audience watching a large projector screen of the above video.  I was stunned when I heard my name called that I had been inducted into the IMSHOF.    I cried tears of joy.  Many thanks to IMSHOF for voting me into the Hall of Fame.  A special thank you to Ned Denison for surprising me.....it’s a moment that I will always cherish.
   It takes a team for a solo swimmer to be successful.   Many thanks to my husband, children,
grandchildren, family, friends, and all my crew members and boat pilots for their incredible support.   Thank you to the best friend ever, Yoko Aoshima, who has been a tremendous swimming partner.   A special thank you to my son Tom for encouraging me many years ago to try open water swimming as a tribute to my brother Robbie.   To Robbie and Johnny this is for you.

Nominated for WOWSA, Woman of the Year

The World Open Water Swimming Association has announced the nominees for the 2018 World Open Water Swimmer, Woman of the Year.   At the age of 67, I am humbled and honored to be nominated along with fourteen swimmers worldwide.   The voting has started on the website World Open Water Swimming Association (see attached link).  Anyone can vote.   Please read all nominations and vote today.   You can only vote once per email address.   Voting ends on December 31.  Winner will be announced on January 1.  Thank you.

www.worldopenwaterswimmingassociation.com

Never Too Old

The World Open Water Swimming Association will be holding their Global Open Water Conference in San Francisco in November.   I am greatly looking forward to giving a presentation on the topic “Never Too Old”.  Please visit the website “Daily News of Open Water Swimming” for further information.   Thank you. http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2018/09/never-too-old-facing-challenges-with.html

Contact information:  patgallant.charette@gmail.com

Video of Loch Ness, 2018

I have posted a video of my Loch Ness swim on the desktop version of my blog.   Also, this video can be viewed on YouTube.   Please visit my YouTube channel and select Loch Ness, 2018.  Thank you.

Contact information:  patgallant.charette@gmail.com

Lake Tahoe swim video

I have posted my Lake Tahoe 2018 video on the desktop version of my blog.
Also,  the video can be viewed on my YouTube channel...type in Pat Gallant-Charette and select Lake Tahoe, 2018.  Thank you.

Contact information:   patgallant.charette@gmail.com

Lake Windermere swim results

On Wednesday, August 22, 2018,  I successfully reached the finish line of Lake Windermere (12 miles) in England at the age of 67 years and 201 days.  My time was 7 hours and 38 minutes.  My fourth swim of the Stillwater 8 challenge.  My crew of David and Jeannie Gallant, and Jean Murdoch-Gallant were instrumental in my success.  They closely monitored my swim and never took any breaks.   They were absolutely amazing.  My boat pilot, Julie Bradshaw, was a tremendous help, too.  Julie has piloted many swimmers and knows the best route to swim.
Many thanks to my daughter Sarah for updating Facebook postings.   A huge thanks to my husband who has been extremely supportive of my swim adventures.  And thank you to my son Tom who encouraged me several years ago to try open water swimming.   My swim was a tribute to my brothers Robbie and Johnny, and to my mother.

Contact information:  patgallant.charette@gmail.com

Lake Windermere swim

On Wednesday I will attempt to swim across Lake
Windermere in England.   The length of this lake is 12 miles.  I am swimming Windermere because it's part of the Stillwater Eight Challenge (Eight lakes worldwide).   My boat pilot will be swimming legend and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame inductee Julie Bradshaw.  She was the first person to swim Butterfly across the English Channel.  My crew will be David and Jeannie Gallant and Jean Murdoch-Gallant.  My spot tracker will be activated 10 minutes before the start of my swim.    Keeping my fingers crossed for great conditions.


http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0QdY9Jm40VervWiCgIoR3EfGJaSVzUfSE

Loch Ness swim result

After swimming for 13 hours, 45 minutes, and 45 seconds,  I reached the finish line in Fort Augustus.  My crew David and Jeannie Gallant, Observer Jean Murdoch and boat pilot/observer Ryan Tozer were instrumental in my success.   They were incredible!  I can’t thank them enough.
My swim will be ratified by the Marathon Swimming Federation.   At the age of 67 years and 198 days I became the Oldest Person to swim the notorious Loch Ness.
   I was fortunate at the beginning of my swim to have a strong tail wind pushing me to the finish.  Mother Nature provided very good conditions.
  Many thanks to my family and friends for their ongoing encouragement and support.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my crew.  They were absolutely amazing.   Also, thank you to my daughter Sarah for posting updates on my swim.
Now, onto Lake Windermere in two days.
Contact information:  patgallant.charette@gmail.com

Upgraded Tracking link for Loch Ness swim

Many thanks to the Marathon Swimming Federation for providing this wonderful link for tracking my swim of Loch Ness.  My swim will start just after 5am on Sunday and that equals just after midnight Saturday in Maine.   This link will be activated 10 minutes prior to the start of my swim.
https://track.rs/patgc/

Update on Loch Ness swim

Due to windy conditions expected on Saturday, my swim will take place on Sunday sometime after 5am (Scotland time).  Scotland is five hours ahead of my home state of Maine.  Time in Maine will be sometime after midnight Saturday night (EST).  Because of northerly winds expected for Sunday, my swim will start at Lochend instead of Fort Augustus.  The finish line will be Fort Augustus.   The same rules of marathon swimming will apply to my Loch Ness swim....start on dry land and end on dry land, swimmer cannot be touched and cannot touch boat.  No neoprene.  Regular swimsuit and goggles must be worn.
  Please see previous post for link to my Spot Tracker.  It will be activated ten minutes prior to the start of my swim.   My crew of David, Jeannie, and Jean have been fabulous.  I’m so fortunate to have them crew for me.  Many thanks to my family and friends for their encouraging words of support.

Loch Ness swim

     Early Saturday morning, August 18 I will attempt to swim the 23 mile length of Loch Ness in Scotland (weather permitting).   This swim is part of the Still Water Eight Challenge, a group of 8 marathon swims in lakes worldwide.   Loch Ness is known for its alleged sightings of the Loch Ness Monster.   My three young grandchildren are very excited that I might see Nessie.  My crew will have a camera in hand just in case they see the infamous Nessie.  Ha! Ha!
    My biggest concern for this swim is the very low water temperature.  For the past month, it has rained nearly everyday causing lower then normal temperatures.  I expect the water temperature to be 50 degrees and if I'm lucky it will reach 54.  Forecast predicted for our nine day stay is rain everyday with windy conditions.  Not a good weather report for a marathon swim.   The odds are stacked heavily against me for a successful swim due to decreased water temps.   Regardless of the poor conditions for a swim, I will attempt it.     My brother David and sister-in-law's Jeannie and Jean will be my crew.  They are highly trained crew members and I am very fortunate to have them with me.  They know how to treat hypothermia which I will undoubtedly experience.  My swim will start around 5:30am in Fort Augustus and finish at the opposite end of the Loch.    My crew will activate my Spot Tracker 10 minutes prior to the start of my swim.  Due to time zone change,  my swim will start at 12:30am Eastern Time Zone on Saturday morning,   Scotland is 5 hours ahead so my swim would start at 5:30am their time.    Regardless of the outcome, I will update my blog within 24 hours of the completion of my swim.  Two days after my Loch Ness swim,  my crew and I will drive to England for my next marathon swim.  I will attempt to swim the 12 mile length of Lake Windermere.   It is included in the Still Water Eight Challenge.   I will post the link to my my Windermere swim a day before my swim that will occur on August 22 or 23 (weather permitting).  A special thank you to my family and friends for their ongoing love and support.    You're the best!      
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0oyjY75LBB2qzf3oskPkvyKzrVfDKKS6R

Contact information: patgallant.charette@gmail.com

Lake Tahoe swim results

Swimming the length of Lake Tahoe was an adventure of a lifetime.   It was an incredible experience to swim in such pristine water and see the panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.   Because of the horrible forest fires in Northern California,  South Lake Tahoe had frequent health warnings due to haze and smoke.   I was fortunate on August 7 that the winds shifted from the East and I did not have any issues breathing in smoke.  My crew, Chris and Jean Gallant did an incredible job.  They were a huge support.  My boat pilot Tom Linthicum is highly knowledgeable on swimming Lake Tahoe.  He has completed it three times.  I would highly recommend Tom as a pilot.  He truly wants to see every swimmer succeed no matter how long it takes.   His co-pilot David Pennington was extremely helpful along with Observer Robyn Rose.  
My swim of Lake Tahoe was very challenging due to the high altitude of 6,225 feet above sea level.  My hometown in Maine is 75 feet above sea level.   Before my swim, my nephew Chris wrote his father's name on my arm and my sister-in-law Jean wrote my brother Johnny and my mom on my arm.  My swim was in memory of them.    As I started my swim from Camp Richardson, I felt like I was breathing in a paper bag for the first ten minutes.   It was awful!  I decided to swim slower and it made a tremendous difference.   Water temperature and air temperature were very comfortable at 9pm.   After sunset, air temperature dropped significantly to mid-forties.   I started to feel cold within three of hours of my swim.   After swimming for nearly seven hours, I could feel mild hypothermia starting.  I felt like quitting but decided to swim until sunrise.  I knew from experience that I would feel better at sunrise.   Sunrise was a spectacular sight.   Chris and Jean alternated kayaking in 4 hour shifts initially then to two hour shifts.   They were extremely busy the whole time monitoring my stroke, giving me feeds, and encouraging me every stroke of the way.  When I reached the half-way mark at the tenth hour,  I knew my swim would take at least 20 hours.  What I didn't expect was the strong currents during the last three miles of my swim.  I felt like I was swimming in place.  I wanted to quit several times because I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere.  Chris was kayaking and repeatedly told me that I was making progress but I felt like I was swimming in an eddy.   Currents were swirling and I felt like I was not going to make it to the finish line.  I decided to listen to my crew and boat crew because I knew my though process was getting a little fuzzy due to mild hypothermia.   I reached the finish line and set a new record for the oldest person to swim the length of Lake Tahoe at the age of 67 and 186 days.  And, set another record for having the slowest time of 20 hours and 32 seconds.
   It was a wonderful surprise to be greeted at the finish line by several people.   Many thanks to Jason Grant and Jarmila Carrie for traveling a great distance to see me finish.  
I would like to thank my crew for an outstanding job.  Thank you to Tom Linthicum, David Pennington, and Robin Rose...fantastic boat crew.     Thank you to my family and friends for their support.  A special thank you to my daughter Sarah for her frequent updates on Facebook.   A special thank you to my training partner Yoko Aoshima.    And, thank you to Swimsuit for All for their sponsorship.  Now, onto to my next swim of Loch Ness scheduled for next week.
Contact information:    patgallant.charette@gmail.com

It’s a go!

I will be starting my Lake Tahoe swim tonight at 9pm Pacific Time Zone, (12 midnight Eastern Time Zone).  I met with my boat pilot Tom Linthicum, his co-pilot Dave, and observer Robin Rose.   Conditions look great for the 22.6 mile length of Lake Tahoe.  Chris and Jean (crew) are well prepared for this high altitude adventure.  Many thanks to my family and friends for their ongoing encouragement and support.   Also, a special thank you to Swimsuits for All for their sponsorship.
Please see tracker link in last post for live updates.  Tracker will be activated 10 minutes prior to my swim.   Thank you everyone.

2018 Lake Tahoe swim

I will attempt a solo swim of the 22.6 mile length of Lake Tahoe on Monday, August 6 or Tuesday, August 7 (weather permitting).  My boat pilot will be Tom Linthicum and I will have an Observer to authenticate my swim.   My crew consist of my nephew Christopher Gallant (Robbie's son) and my sister-in-law Jean Murdoch-Gallant.  They are highly trained and experienced crew members.      Part of their training for my upcoming swim is knowing the negative effect of high-altitude caused by low amounts of oxygen.   They know the signs, symptoms, and treatment for high altitude sickness.   Hopefully, I will not experience any significant adverse effect from swimming at such a high altitude, but its best to be prepared.    My hometown in Maine is 75 feet above sea level.   Lake Tahoe in California is 6,225 feet above sea level.  Usually athletes will arrive several days before a competition to become acclimated to the altitude.   Because of my busy schedule,  I will arrive on Sunday and swim on Monday evening (weather permitting).   I have crossed trained with a high altitude mask to mimic the lower oxygen levels.  This mask has had mixed reviews on its effectiveness.  Also, for the past six months I have taken an iron supplement to help with the production of additional red blood cells for the transport of oxygen.   Prior to all my swims, I am very well hydrated with water.
    Feed plan:  Swim for two hours then quickly consume a carbohydrate drink.   Thereafter, every hour feeds alternating with A: carbohydrate drink.    B: plain water with a 250 calorie food item.
       My swim will take me about 17 hours to complete.   I will start at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe and swim 22.68 miles north to Hyatt Beach.
   I would like to thank Swimsuits for All for their sponsorship for my Tahoe swim.  I will be wearing one of their beautiful swimsuits.   I love this company because of their promotion of diversity among all women.    Swimsuits for All recognizes the beauty of women of all ages, shapes, and sizes.
     My swim will be in memory of my brothers Robbie and Johnny, and my mother who recently died at the age of 93.    Chris will write his dad's and my brother's names on my arm.   Jean will write my mother's name.
   I would like to thank my husband,  children, and grandchildren and friends for their ongoing encouragement and support.   And, a special thank you to my training partner Yoko Aoshima for her ongoing advice.
   I will have a GPS Spot tracker that will be on the boat during my swim.  I will be swimming between my kayaker (Chris/Jean) and the main boat.   This tracker will be activated 10 minutes prior to the start of my swim.   I will post an update on the exact time and date of my upcoming swim on Monday, August 6.   Please click on the tracking link below:
 

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0Ie4FVkeLdt3AKzpIs7CKGskgxaGZ2Oqn

Results of my 20 Bridges Marathon Swim

I will be the first one to admit that I knew the odds were stacked against me for a successful swim around the 28 mile Manhattan Island in New York.  The event is called 20 Bridges Marathon Swim...  I was doubtful of a successful swim because I was notified by one the organizer Rondie Davies a week prior to the swim that currents for that day were weak and and no benefit for a slow swimmer (me).   I did my research on tidal flow and she was absolutely correct.    She offered to transfer my slot to next year.   She wants to see a swimmer succeed.  I declined her generous offer.   I decided to take a different approach to this swim.  I asked my good friend and swim buddy Yoko Aoshima to analyze my stroke a week before my swim.  Her advice helped me to improve my speed.  Yoko was instrumental in my success.  Then I studied the strategy of this enormous challenge and asked Louise Darlington for her insight.  Louise gave me some well needed advice of the challenge of swimming around Manhattan.   A few minutes before the start of my swim,  I met with John my kayaker and boat pilot Steve and quickly explained my feed strategy to them.   My observer Mary was on board to monitor my swim....the rules are similar to other marathon swims.... a swimmer cannot be touched, no wetsuits allowed.   My sister-in-law Jean Murdoch-Gallant was my crew.   She did an absolutely amazing job.  She had a very busy job of monitoring every moment of my swim.   Also, she wrote the names of my brothers' Robbie and Johnny on my arm in memory of them.

         The strategy:  once the swim starts a Pier A,  the swimmer needs to swim to the East River and swim to Hell's Gate near the entry area of the Harlem River.  If a swimmer cannot reach that area in a certain amount of time, they are stopped and pulled from the water and classified as a DNF (did not finish).   Once the swimmer is in the Harlem River the currents are very unpredictable and may slow a swimmer.  Again, if a swimmer cannot reach the end of the Harlem River in a designated time, they will be stopped and pulled from race due to tidal flow.   Once the swimmer arrives in the Hudson River, they need to reach the finish line about 10 miles away before the flood tide arrives.  If the swimmer does not make any progress in the Hudson River, they will be stopped and pulled.      My plan was to sprint the East River to Hell's Gate with my new swim technique (thanks to Yoko).  Also, for the past few years I have tweaked my feeds.  My pattern was a liquid carbohydrate on my first stop after two hours of swimming, my next stop was two hours later and consume a bottle of plain water and peanut butter cookie (about 250 calories).  Plain water is crucial during a marathon swim in hot weather.    Because of the air temperature being in the nineties, I consumed plain water every other hour after the 4th hour as the temperature rose.   At the start of my swim, I went all out until I reached Hell's Gate.   Swimming in the Harlem River was quite the experience.....lots of debris, including a dead rat floating by.  My immunizations were up to date and I was started on an antibiotic as prophylactic treatment.   I knew I could not revert back to my nice long slow relaxing pace from other marathon swims.   So I continued to push hard until I reached the Hudson River.   I was expecting the Hudson to be the easiest part....Wrong!!  It was incredibly choppy and with a headwind.   I was told that I would make it to the finish before the cut-off time.  For about 15 minutes I went at a slower pace because I thought the Hudson River would do most of the work...wrong again!!!   After my many training sessions at Sebago Lake here in Maine, I knew that chop and a headwind would significantly slow a swimmer.   I decided to start sprinting again.   As I neared the finish line,  I saw a few officials on jet skis watching me.   I feared that I was going to be pulled because I was about a quarter mile from the finish line.   I could tell that the current was starting to flood and that was not good.  My kayaker John kept me close to the wall where the current was less.  I was able to cross the finish line in 10 hours and 53 minutes.   I set a World Record for the Oldest Person to swim the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming (English Channel, Catalina Channel, and Manhattan Island) and a Record for Oldest Woman to swim around Manhattan Island at the age of 67 years and 148 days.  Of the three marathon swims. I found Manhattan Island to be the toughest because I don't like to sprint especially for ten hours.

 I found that the organizers of 20 Bridges Marathon Swim did an incredible job....very well organized with safety as their priority.    I was grateful to Rondie Davies for making me aware of the weak currents scheduled for June 30.  If it wasn't for her email, I probably would have started with my slow relaxing pace and I would not have made it to Hell's gate and would have been pulled.    Another person instrumental in my success was Louise Darlington.  She explained in detail about the strategy needed for a slow swimmer to be successful in this swim.  Louise was instrumental in my success.

   I want to thank Swimsuits for All for their sponsorship.  They promote the diversity of women and recognize that women come in all sizes, shapes, and ages.   I am proud to be wearing their beautiful swimsuits.

   My family was instrumental in my success, too.   Their ongoing words of encouragement and support was heartfelt.  A special thank you to my daughter Sarah for updating Facebook during my swim.  And, a huge thank you to Yoko Aoshima for helping me to improve my stroke.   Also, I want to thank everyone for cheering me on.....I was overwhelmed with the hundreds of messages that I received.    Now, on to the next adventure Lake Tahoe in August.

20 Bridges Swim (Manhattan Island Marathon Swim) June 30, 2018

    On Friday, June 22 I received an email from one of the organizers of the 20 Bridges Swim in New York.   After they reviewed the tidal flow chart for my upcoming swim around Manhattan Island, they noted the currents will not be helpful for a slow swimmer (Me).    They recommended that I drop-out of the race and reschedule for next year.  They are the experts with this swim and I highly respect their recommendation.   At the age of 67 and being a slow swimmer,  I know the odds are stacked against me for a successful outcome.   However, I believe that life sends us challenges and how we react to these challenges defines us.  I'm going for it.    So, I am NOT rescheduling.    My swim will start this Saturday, June 30 at 9:10am.  Regardless of the outcome I will be proud that I attempted such an iconic swim.
      There will be two Spot Trackers activated about 9am on Saturday.  One tracker will be on the kayaker and will be activated by the New York Open Water organization.   You can visit their website and click on my name:   http://www.nyopenwater.org/2010-20-bridges-1/.    I will be swimming alongside the kayaker.
  My sister-in-law Jean Murdoch-Gallant will be on the main boat with the Observer Mary Egan and boat pilot Paul Stone.   My assigned kayaker is John Russell.  I will be swimming between both boats for safety reasons.   The second tracker will be with Jean (see link below).  The second tracker will be activated in case there is a problem with the other tracker.
   Because I am a slow swimmer, I need to reach a designated area in the swim by a certain time.   If I cannot reach that area,   I will be stopped and pulled from the water.  And, be listed as a DNF (did not finish).     In my many years of marathon swimming, I have experienced Mother Nature at her best and worse.     I am willing to take a chance and hope that Mother Nature will surprise me.
     My swim will be in memory of my brother Robbie who died at the age of 34 from a heart attack and my brother Johnny who died at the age of 17 in a tragic high school accident.  I will have their names written on my arms.
   I would like to thank my sister-in-law Jean for taking time from her busy schedule to crew for me.  Many thanks to my family and friends for their ongoing words of encouragement and support.
  A special  thank you to Swimsuits for All.  I am so proud to be wearing their swimsuits for my upcoming swims.  They truly believe in the diversity of female athletes that they come in all shapes, sizes, and ages.  Their sponsorship for this swim is very much appreciated.
     The link below is the Spot tracker that my sister-in-law Jean will activate on the main boat ten minutes before the start of my swim.
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0v1K4EZfPfiCUEMxGd9GOMQPO7EWYBS2K

Photo shoot in Santa Monica

Courtesy of Swimsuits for All

Swimsuits for All.....Power Suit.

Today,  Swimsuits for All started promoting their new swimsuit line “Power Suits”...I love their swimsuits....beautiful and very good quality.  I would highly recommend their company not only for their great swimwear but for their support of diversity of all women.  .  It was such an honor to be included in a photo shoot with actress Brooke Shields, supermodel Ashley Graham, celebrity Angela Simmons, and Nurse Practioner Katie Duke.....all very powerful women.  To view Swimsuits for All video, please click on “view web version” at the bottom section of my blog.  Thank you.

Mexico's 2018 Swim for Your Heart

   Mexico's 2018 Swim for Your Heart was a huge success.   Over 82,000 swimmers participated in their yearly event to bring an awareness of heart disease and it's prevention.  Swimmers of all ages participated.   Congratulations to all.    I would like to thank Mariel Hawley Davila of Mexico City for her dedication in helping to organize this event.  And, thank you to the many companies who sponsored this worthy cause.  Sport City held events at their facilities along with over 100 pool locations throughout Mexico.  Incredible!
  As many of you know,  my 34 year old brother died suddenly and unexpectedly of heart attack 21 years ago.  Today, because of research his condition of hyperlipidemia would have been highly treatable.    Please donate to your local heart charity.     Mexico not only educated people of all ages but they raised a great sum of money for their cardiac programs.  I am very proud of them.
    Please view their amazing video on the desktop version of this blog.  Thank you.

Swimsuits for All Photo Shoot with T. Ortez

                                                                              Swimsuits for All posted this photo by Andrew Day on their website.   It was a great honor for me to meet Withelma "T" Ortez Walker Pettigrew at the Swimsuits for All photo shoot in California.   She is recognized as one of the most influential voices in the world on human rights.

Maine Women Magazine

                        This month’s issue of Maine Women Magazine promotes strength and beauty of women.  I am humbled and grateful to be included among their inspiring group of women.  

Swimsuits for All photo shoot

Again,  Swimsuits for All recognized the diversity of women in their photo shoot in California.   Their company promotes women of all ages and sizes.    It was such fun playing volleyball with these awesome women.  And yes,  Sports Illustrated models Ashley Graham and Tabria Majors dove for the ball.  Photographer Andrew Day captured some incredible photos.

Swimsuits for All photo shoot

                Swimsuits for All is a major swimsuit company that promotes diversity of women.  They are an amazing company!  They recognize that women come in all shapes, sizes, and ages.   Several months ago,  they contacted me to be part of their photo shoot  in California.  It was an incredible experience to be photographed with Sports Illustrated swimsuit models Ashley Graham and Tabria Majors, human activist T Ortez, and model Justine Cuelenaere.  Also, it was a fabulous time to have famed makeup artist Carmindy Bowyer of the hit show “What not to Wear”  and famed hairstylist Dom Pucciarello prepare me for a photo shoot  of a lifetime.  It was such fun!  My sister-in-law Jeannie Gallant (crew member, too) accompanied me to California.  We had a fantastic time!  It was an amazing experience to watch a photo shoot.   I had the honor of meeting famed photographer Andrew Day.  Many thanks to Swimsuits for All for promoting diversity and designing high quality  beautiful swimsuits.  I will be wearing their swimwear in my four marathon swims scheduled for 2018.

2018 Marathon swim Bucket List

                                  Photo credit:  Christaan Felber
    In a few weeks I will be celebrating my 67th birthday.  I plan to celebrate all year long by attempting four marathon swims on my lengthy Bucket List of marathon swims.   In June I will attempt the 28 mile swim around Manhattan Island in New York.  This will be a great challenge for me because I am such a slow swimmer.  I will need to reach the halfway point of this swim at a certain time or I will be pulled from the swim and listed as a DNF.   Yikes!!!!    In August,  I will swim 22 miles across Lake Tahoe in California.  This swim will be a great challenge due to it's high altitude.  To prepare for high altitude,  I purchased a high altitude trainer to be worn during my cross training (not swimming).   This device is used by runners to adapt to high altitudes.  Hopefully I will gain the same benefit.  Upon my return from California, I will travel to Scotland to swim 21 miles the length of Loch Ness.  The challenge of swimming Loch Ness will be the frigid water.  Water temperature is expected to be in the low fifties.   I continue with my cold acclimation here in Maine.  Even though I have stopped open water swims for the winter month,  I acclimate by working outside in lightweight clothing during frigid Maine winters.  For example, I built an ice skating rink for my young grandchildren.   I packed 6 inches of snow on my frozen backyard and then flooded it with a garden hose several times each day for several days.    I averaged 4 hours per day in air temperatures well below zero.   After the rink was built,  I carved a luge into the snowbanks for my grandchildren to use their sleds to slide across the rink (And yes, I went sledding, too).   It was great fun!   And believe me,  I quickly became acclimated.  When warmer air temperature reached 30 degrees here in Maine,  I was getting overheated.  During my hiatus from open water swimming, I train at my local pool.   My fourth marathon swim for this year is Lake Windermere in England.    After my Loch Ness swim is completed, I will drive 5 hours to Lake Windermere with my crew.   This swim will be challenging due to the closeness of two marathon swim earlier in the month of August.  I will soon find out if my quick recovery after a marathon swim occurs at the age of 67.   Regardless,  I am going to enjoy scratching off each swim on my long adventurous bucket list of swims.