What Is Really Out There?
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
We remember the first time that we saw American football star Marcellus Wiley swim in a pool. He thrashed and he splashed. He certainly moved, but not necessarily in the forward motion.
Throughout his career as one of the best football players in America, he had always started each play by taking in a big breath of air and then holding his breath until the play was over. It was the ultimate in hypoxia – always playing while never breathing.
But he had big goals: to swim more than one mile in the ocean. He had to learn how to move much more gracefully and conquers his lifelong fears of swimming in open water.
Ultimately, through the dint of his passion and self-motivation, he was able to swim well enough to compete in the OptimusSport Distance Swim Challenge in Santa Monica, California. He explains his journey in the short documentary above.
Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association 
We remember the first time that we saw American football star Marcellus Wiley swim in a pool. He thrashed and he splashed. He certainly moved, but not necessarily in the forward motion.
Throughout his career as one of the best football players in America, he had always started each play by taking in a big breath of air and then holding his breath until the play was over. It was the ultimate in hypoxia – always playing while never breathing.
But he had big goals: to swim more than one mile in the ocean. He had to learn how to move much more gracefully and conquers his lifelong fears of swimming in open water.
Ultimately, through the dint of his passion and self-motivation, he was able to swim well enough to compete in the OptimusSport Distance Swim Challenge in Santa Monica, California. He explains his journey in the short documentary above.
Copyright © 2015 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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