Gritty Training Log - Swim Across America, July 18 2009

Swim Across America (http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/) came to Chicago again this summer (after apparently being rained out last year) and raised a record breaking $130K for cancer research. All funds raised through the event here in Chicago are donated to the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center (CBCC) at Loyola University Medical Center (http://www.luhs.org/svcline/cancer/index.cfm). This year marks the 16th anniversary and to date, they have raised close to one million dollars for the CBCC! The physician in charge of the center is accepting the check (to the left) with the Executive Director of Swim Across America and a host of volunteers.

I swam the 1.5 mile swim. The lake was initially choppy, then rolling, and then very cold with waves coming at us from behind. It eventually settled. I was glad to have a wetsuit; other swimmers, who perhaps hadn't been swimming in the lake this year very often, literally turned blue. The faster ones were okay; the slower ones seemed quite frozen when they popped out of the lake. No matter; it was all for a great cause. And they had towels!

The day was full of firsts. It was my first time fundraising, and I realized that I was probably a lower end fundraiser; I asked friends and family via an email for the minimum amount, expecting to have to pay it all. It was my first time swimming off Ohio Beach in Chicago; what a view to swim around the harbor and then turn in to see the city.

The day had other meaning for me. My grandmother died from colon cancer. I was very close to her. My parents and maternal aunt have had cancer, and survived quite well. I had originally approached the event as another opportunity to get a lake swim, and then realized it was a fundraiser. So, I figured I could pay the minimum amount, if no one gave me any money. With some trepidation, I emailed friends and family...to ask.

Within 24 hours, I had met the fundraising goal with a handful of friends and close colleagues, and people still gave even after that.

The juxtaposition of how terrible a swimmer I actually am, with the pride and generosity of my friends, really astonished me. It reminded me again that even as a psychologist, I learn all the time about people and their goodness; how nice to be surprised, and to give my friends and family a chance to express their support.

If you haven't tried fundraising, you may want to try it. If you haven't tried open water swimming, you may want to try it. And both together? You'd be surprised how much easier each reach-pull motion is, when you're pulling for more people than just yourself.