1. Swimming definitely feels like it’s in our family’s blood. How old were you and when did you start swimming, and when did you first start swimming open water?
I completely agree! I believe I offically started swimming when I was about 6 or 7. I first joined the Old Orchard Otters in Cherry Hill Nj, where I can still remember crying when I was standing on the blocks for the first time. I also have clear memories of my first 100 freestyle, where I hugged the lane line and cried because it was too long...I did a few 1 mile swims with my club team that I HATED, and after college I read about a former teammate completing a swim around Key West Florida. I thought to myslef if she can do that I can do that, that is when the bug bit me. I went from doing a 5k lake swim to 12.5 miles and never looked back!
2. How do you train for open water swimming?
Honestly, everyone is different. In fact if you were to compare my training to someone else who is more accomplished in the open water community you would think I was way underprepared. It is definitely, for me, a MENTAL training component that is so important. I have always loved swimming distance, and after finding out in February I would be swimming the channel I eventually got to about 30-35k a week. In May I would go to the Chesapeake bay to swim in water that was about 58 degrees F to get used to the cold. The water temp in the channel ranges from 58F-65F. Refreshing!
3. What open water competitions have you swam in?
Steelman Lake Swim in PA, 5k
Swim Swim Around Key West 2x (I actually won the women’s division both times, big confidence booster)
Swim Around Cape May, 15.1 Miles
Tampa Bay Marathon Swim 24 Miles
ENGLISH CHANNEL!!! (Logged 34 miles) 21 Miles in a straight line on a map.
4. After you swam the Florida KEYS, did you get a sense that you could do bigger and longer events?
I did! After the first Key West Swim, when I heard I won the women’s division I was SHOCKED. Looking back I knew NOTHING during that swim. I had no feed plan, no special carb powder, nothing! After winning it a second time I thought hey maybe this is something I could be decent at!
5. When did you first decide you wanted to swim the English Channel and when did you realize it was actually a possibility?
Once I really began to recognize my ability and interest in Open Water the English Channel became a no brainer, it is the Mount Everest of swimming. I honestly never thought in a million years I would have completed this swim so soon. The thing about these open water events is they are extremely pricey. I would get asked when I was going to do this or that swim and my answer was always, if I could afford it I would do every swim under the sun! After the Tampa swim my boss (and former college coach Mike Clark) approached me and said if I wanted to keep doing these big swims he would help sponsor me. I was in shock. I put my name on a wait list in October for the channel (people plan this swim for years). In February I got an email (the whole group of waitlisters did) saying that 2 swimmers have dropped out and there is space available. I texted my boss and he said go for it! I still cannot believe I have already completed that swim.
6. Can you explain the training you had to do to prepare for the Channel swim?
Swim. A lot. No but in addition to swimming a lot, you are required to complete a six hour qualifying swim in water that is below 60F. This was my least favorite part! I completed that in May, but had no cold water to swim in all summer, so once I arrived in England I swam at the beach almost every day. I also had to make sure my feed plan was good to go. I never ate anything that would qualify as “real food” it was mostly a carb powder, tasteless, and gatorade! That and a good coat of vaseline so the salt water wouldnt chaffe my skin off, I still have some nasty blisters.
7. So you signed up for the English Channel, explain that whole process and what you have to do to get ready for the swim.
Upon registering for a swim you must secure a boat and a pilot, the channel federation has a list of experience pilots who will escort you across, they have the best knowledge of the channel and help navigate you around the busiest shipping lane in the world, some freighters even carrying airplanes!
Figure out your swim window, 3 people (including relays) are assigned to one week. There is an order, I had second pick. So whoever had first pick got offered the first good day to swim. Sometimes people go and do not get to swim because of weather.
Find a place to stay close to the beach! It really helps being able to swim in the same water every day.
Undergo a physical to be approved physically fit to swim.
Gather a support crew, people who will be making sure you are safe and fed!
Book a room and a flight and PRAY FOR GOOD WEATHER!!
8. Everyone knows that you completed the swim in 13 hours. I’m sure people want to know how you eat and drink during the swim.
16 oz of warm water mixed with a carb powder, and gatorade, my crew attaches the bottle to a long rope and toss it out to me, I am not allowed to touch the boat or any of the support crew the entire swim. I am also not allowed to get out on to the boat.
9. Did anything happen during the swim that was interesting?
Jelly fish sting to the FACE!!!!
10. Who is on the boat with you during your swim?
My Fiance Matt, and a lovely woman from England, Melanie. I also had the captain, his wife and kids and an offical channel observer who kept track of my stroke rate and to make sure I did not break any of the rules.
11. What weather conditions would have prevented you from swimming?
Lots. Obviously thunder and lightening, fog, but most of all and the most frustrating is the wind. It could be a beautiful day with a nice breeze and that would translate to swimming in a washing machine in the channel
12. From Val Acosta Mehta: Congratulations! Excellent accomplishmet! My question is if the water temp was 65(?) degrees how did you survive without a wetsuit. I'm freezing thinking about it.
Lots of people are different! In fact just minutes before I swam my captain was telling me he had to pull a swimmer out after three hours because of hypothermia. Often times they will ask you random questions when you stop to make sure you are coherent etc as that is the first sign of hypothermia setting in. I was so used to swimming in a hot hot hotpool that I reminded myself this was a refreshing swim and I always felt cold but not FREEZING.
13. What did you do to you keep motivating yourself to keep swimming and finish?
I kept reminding myself of what I was doing, the ENGLISH CHANNEL, and all of the people who were praying and supporting me.
14. What was the feeling like when you first saw France?
Well….mixed feeling. I saw France about 8 hours in….then I kept going. It was exciting and frustrating at the same time for sure. You are swimming for what feels like 10 hours at a time and really only about 20 minutes and half a mile has passed.
15. You just completed the swim, your standing in France… what were your first thoughts?
I did it. Its not dark! I just swam the English Channel. Holy…..cow.
16. Have you had a chance to process what you just accomplished?
Not entirely. The more people who talk to me about it the more amazed I get. The amount of support and interest is amazing. The next day we went on to the cliffs, a natural park over looking the channel. You could see the cliffs of France, it was a clear day. When you watch those ferries leave Dover and they start to get smaller it really makes me feel good to think I just swam that. I sincerely could not have done it without my crew and support system.
17. Now that you have swum the English Channel, what is next?
I am getting married in June!!!! I am excited to not HAVE to swim for something for now. After Tampa I planned on quitting swimming because it was such a hard and miserable swim mentally, obviously that did not last. I plan and hope to get in to a masters program for Occupational Therapy for next Fall, but until then I will just wait and see what opportunities pop up. There is a triple crown of open water that is the English Channel, Catalina Channel in CA and the swim around Manahattan, (28.5 miles) I ultimately would love to complete those but am enjoying soaking up everything from across the pond.
Amazing, so inspiring!!
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