Catalina Channel record holder Barbara Held is on a mission … to conquer as many channels and waterways as possible.  Together ith La Colla Cove (California) training partner Kevin Anderson, the duo travel far and wide to get ready for their marathon swims. “The water temperature at the Cove is too cold to prepare well for our Tampa Bay 24-mile Marathon,” explained Barbara.  “So we came out here to Honolulu to do our 6-hour warm-water training swim for Tampa Bay.”

They started out early at 6:00 am in the dark off of Waikiki Parc Hotel and swam back and forth the length of Waikiki Beach, logging in the necessary miles.  “We kept on seeing a bunch of turtles and just had to stop.  But other than that, we just kept on going.”

Onwards to the English Channel, Strait of Gibraltar and the Tampa Bay 24-mile Marathon.






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