People are always telling me to enjoy the journey when I am training for these swims. The journey is a big part of the experience. Well, Key West was an experience that I hold near and dear to my heart and play in my mind whenever I need a smile on my face or a little boost. I was inspired to swim Key West by this beauty named Amanda Husslein. I had read about her 12.5 mile swim around Key West because I was on an e-mail chain with mutual friends. After some months had gone by, I decided I needed to try the swim as well. I contacted Amanda who was not only gracious enough to give me advice on the swim but offered to Kayak for me. I was blown away. Here was this individual who did not know me, and who was willing to go down to Key West with me so I could accomplish what she had. It takes a very special, strong person to do that and Amanda has those two positive qualities and oh so many more. Well, of course, the weather was horrible and there were talks of cancelling the swim up until the last 1/2 hour before. Kayak companies were threatening to pull their kayaks out etc. Mother nature always seems to find enjoyment in making the challenge that much harder for me by throwing in adverse conditions right before my swims…it is a little dance we do.
Although the sun did not shine once while we stepped foot in the boasted sunshine state, we were all smiles that trip. From the moment we met at the airport, we hit it off. By the time the swim rolled around, she knew me enough to know the music to play to get me pumped, the words to say to calm me down, and the looks to give to shut me up. It was a match made in heaven. That weekend, I think, was needed for both of us and we developed a bond and fast friendship that is solid. I took second for the woman (the overall winner was a woman – Canadian open water swimmer who said that was a shorter race for her and when she was done she felt like she could have done another 10K!), and seventh overall. My place had everything to do with the fact that Amanda knew what she was doing and I did not and all I had to do was follow her. Many dropped out within the first 1 mile of the swim because kayaks were flipping, conditions were rough, support boats were being thrown into the pier. It was crazy. Amanda got us through that and took care of me the whole rest of the way. She was the last person I talked to on the phone the night before Tampa and she was the first person I called when I got back to my room in Tampa to cry. I call her a trailblazer. When she heard about Key West and wanted to do the race, she went down to Key West with no prior knowledge about the swim and just did it. I could never do that but I am so happy there are those out there that can and inspire!