Diana Nyad Is Ready To Go Again
“I am in the best shape of my life. Over the last two years, I have done 14 eight-hour swims, 9 ten-hour swims, 4 fifteen-hour swims, 25 five-hour swims, 18 six-hour swims, 1 twenty-four hour swim, and one 28-hour swim to prepare for this swim.
I am ready. I look at my previous 28-hour swim as a very expensive training swim. At 62 years, I am in the best shape of my life. Ironically, the magical moment has come and the sea is calm now. It will be more calm tonight and the calm will continue over the weekend until Monday. It is still warm, between 86-88 degrees (31ºF) which is what I need. My body, my head, my organisation, I am ready.
But you don’t do this (kind of swim) alone. The shark team, the social media team, the feeding team ready in terms of friendship and adventure.”
Nyad thrilled the Cuban media with her personality, intensity, adrenaline and Spanish. Her bilingual press conference touched on her approach to life, her previous attempts, and her Xtreme Dream.
“If I had a healthy body on my last swim…the asthma did me in. 3 hours into my last swim, I had excruciating pain in my right shoulder. But this time, I am not worried about it anymore. I will swim through it. But swimming through 11 hours of asthma was too much. It sucked the life blood out of my muscles.”
Her for force of personality and outlook of life filled the room at the Hemingway Marina clubhouse. Reporters from all over the world, from China and New Zealand to America and Cuba gathered to her the dynamo drill in her mantra.
“So what are you going to do with this, our precious life?” she paraphrased author Mary Oliver as she answered the question herself. “I want to be on a high. I want to make the most of my time.” Then she led a cheer with her assembled team on the dock. “Where we going to leave? Cuba. What we going to achieve? Florida. Onward.”
Onward indeed.
Copyright © 2011 by World Open Water Swimming Association 
I am ready. I look at my previous 28-hour swim as a very expensive training swim. At 62 years, I am in the best shape of my life. Ironically, the magical moment has come and the sea is calm now. It will be more calm tonight and the calm will continue over the weekend until Monday. It is still warm, between 86-88 degrees (31ºF) which is what I need. My body, my head, my organisation, I am ready.
But you don’t do this (kind of swim) alone. The shark team, the social media team, the feeding team ready in terms of friendship and adventure.”
Nyad thrilled the Cuban media with her personality, intensity, adrenaline and Spanish. Her bilingual press conference touched on her approach to life, her previous attempts, and her Xtreme Dream.
“If I had a healthy body on my last swim…the asthma did me in. 3 hours into my last swim, I had excruciating pain in my right shoulder. But this time, I am not worried about it anymore. I will swim through it. But swimming through 11 hours of asthma was too much. It sucked the life blood out of my muscles.”
Her for force of personality and outlook of life filled the room at the Hemingway Marina clubhouse. Reporters from all over the world, from China and New Zealand to America and Cuba gathered to her the dynamo drill in her mantra.
“So what are you going to do with this, our precious life?” she paraphrased author Mary Oliver as she answered the question herself. “I want to be on a high. I want to make the most of my time.” Then she led a cheer with her assembled team on the dock. “Where we going to leave? Cuba. What we going to achieve? Florida. Onward.”
Onward indeed.
Copyright © 2011 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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