A goal that stretched me

I have always been goal oriented. It is difficult for me to exercise consistently unless the exercise is connected to a goal—preferably one that stretches my capabilities and pushes me beyond my comfort zone.

That is what attracted me to the Long Bridge Swim: 1.76 miles across Lake Pend Oreille in Sandpoint, Idaho. I am always looking for challenging events that stretch my abilities and do not kill me. Maybe there is a fine line between those two things.

At 67, the swim was exactly the kind of goal I wanted: ambitious enough to make me work, but possible with the right preparation.

Preparing in the pool—and beyond it

Most of my preparation took place in a pool. I gradually built up until I could swim the full distance. The difficulty was knowing what that really meant. In a 25-yard pool, every turn gives you a brief pause and a push from the wall. That is not the same as swimming continuously across a lake.

Using a 50-meter pool helped because it cut the number of turns roughly in half. Swimming in the ocean off the Southern California coast helped even more. It gave me a chance to swim longer stretches, practice sighting, become comfortable in open water and learn how the wetsuit felt outside a pool.

The race-day decision

On race day, the water felt much warmer than I expected, and I debated whether to wear my wetsuit. I worried that I might get too hot during the swim. In the end, I stayed with the plan I had prepared for and wore it. That decision worked out fine, but the uncertainty gave me some apprehension at the start.

While we waited, I talked with other swimmers and was reminded how many different paths can lead to the same starting line. One person had completed the swim every year for the past 12 years. For others, it was their first time.

Across Lake Pend Oreille

Once the swim began, the goal became simple: settle into a sustainable pace, keep sighting and keep moving forward. I was able to swim the entire distance without stopping.

My official chip time was 1:05:45.81. More important than the numbers was the feeling behind them: I had accomplished the goal and proved that ambitious goals still have a place in retirement.

My wife, JoAnn—my biggest supporter as I take on these crazy events—was there to share it with me. And after the finish, I celebrated with huckleberry ice cream. It was a very good reward.

What I would tell a first-time open-water swimmer

• Practice in open water before the event.
• If you plan to wear a wetsuit, train in it first.
• Do not start too fast.
• Know the event’s current safety rules.
• Have fun.