Aging Gracefully with a World Record

This week's beauty is none other than 61-year-old Diana Nyad. You may have heard the buzz lately about Diana's upcoming 103 mile swim from Cuba to Key West. Any day now she will begin and it is going to take her about 60 hours of swimming to get there- stopping only to refuel while she threads water. I've been checking in on her facebook page every day in anticipation of any news about the start of the swim. You may remember that I wrote about her last year when the swim had to be postponed until now because of water temperatures. Anyway, I can't remember being this excited about anything for a very LONG time. I don't know if I will be able to sleep once she sticks her toes in those Cuban waters and begins her swim towards Key West.

I like how Diana and her partner's mission, even before she had the idea to train for this swim, was to raise the collective self-esteem of women through exercise. That is one very profound concept. A few weeks ago at a master's swim meet I was fraught with fear, as usual, before my race. I just wanted to run in the locker room and cry. But then I thought of Diana and I said to myself, "If Diana can swim 103 miles, at the age of almost 62, in shark infested waters, I can swim my best time and win this thing." And guess what? I did. It just goes to show how much one person can inspire so many others. People all across America, and even the world, are doing things they were too afraid, or unmotivated, to try before hearing of Diana's mission. She has awakened a generation.
 
A heartfelt best of luck to you Diana.
xo, Louise