Kevin took the time to answer a few questions about his experience.
Q: What inspired you to take on this challenge?
A: I've been a New Yorker for 30 years, and my primary form of exercise has always been swimming. I remember hearing about the Manhattan Island Marathon swim about 10 years ago on the Asphalt Green pool deck. Since that time, I had been daunted not only by the swim but also by the application process. It is difficult to get a spot. A month ago I heard that there were spots available in this year's swim, so I decided to go for it. I find out that the date available that fit my schedule was only two weeks away!
Q: Beyond practice, what did you do to prepare?
A: I had to figure out how to hydrate and "feed" during a marathon swim. I took a lot of guidance from teammates Fleur and Ross, and coach Nate. I also spoke with friends, who have done Ironman and long-distance running. For the two weeks leading up to the swim, I did trial and error. I tried different foods and hydration before and during practice, to feel what worked with my body. Ultimately, I found that I prefer regular food instead of astronaut food and gu. Even more importantly, I spent the two weeks leading up to the swim mentally preparing myself. It was difficult, as I had never done anything longer than a 10k swim prior to this.
Q: How did your time with Masters help you?
A: For the past 11 years, my swimming has been almost exclusively with Asphalt Green Masters. As such, I attribute my physical preparedness for this swim almost completely to my fellow teammates and coaches.
Q: What was the hardest part about the swim?
A: The hardest part was figuring out how to mentally approach this swim. I heard from friends that while in the midst of the swim, they recited poems to themselves, sang songs, or even counted to 2000. Having heard all this, I worried that the swim was going to involve a lot of boredom mixed with pain. Instead, what I experienced was the meditative quality of being purely in the moment. Stroke after stroke, I witnessed the beauty of the water, the sky, the clouds, and the comforting silhouette of the kayaker by my side. And throughout the swim, I reminded myself that this is the one life we have to live and that each moment will never be available again.
Q: What did it feel like when you finished?
A: For me, there was disbelief mixed with satisfaction.
