From YMCA Flying Fish to France: My English Channel Swim
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Just 104 swimmers crossed the English Channel last year, a fraction of the climbers who reached the summit of Mount Everest. This month, after about 14 hours in the water, I hope to become one of them.
During 21 miles (34 kilometers) across the world’s busiest shipping lane, I’ll sing snippets of songs -- trying to erase “The Ship Titanic” from Girl Scout camp from my mind -- I’ll count and give myself pep talks. I’ll look out for jellyfish, but my biggest fear doesn’t come from the water: I worry about landing on sharp rocks and failing to haul myself out of the sea without help, a requirement to complete the swim.