In this exemplary episode of Marathon Swim Stories I chatted with Lyn Goldsmith - at 50 she decided to start kayaking. She loved supporting marathon swimmers as the trekked around Manhattan. While a lifelong water lover, she never considered swimming herself until a transformative experience swimming in a lake in Maine in her 60's.
She tells us about her journey over the last 5 years, from her first open water swim against a stiff current where after swimming alone for some time a support boat notified her that she hadn't quite made it to the start buoy yet, to cold hamburgers after her finishing her first 10K in Bermuda, and reliving parts of her life as she swam down the East River around Manhattan.
I call it an exemplary episode because I love Lyn's Marathon Swim Story. Sure, I love hearing from world record holders, swimming pioneers, and record setting swimmers, but there is something magic about hearing from the people who find joy purely in swimming and being grateful to finish a marathon.
In her own words: Though I kayaked for swimmers going around Manhattan for about a decade, and always knew how to swim, I didn’t start swimming for love, or thinking about my stroke, until I was 62. I’ve been slowly increasing my distance and time in the open water because it’s my happy place.
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Music credit:
Epic Inspiration by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.