08/29/2025
Yesterday was a first and an absolutely incredible experience. Mary reached out to me about swimming 10 miles (unassisted) in Lake Ontario as part of her training to swim across the lake in 2026. At first, I thought she was a little crazy but I quickly realized she’s just a total badass with a goal and the grit to see it through.
We planned for two potential days, hoping one would bring favorable weather. At 5:30 AM, we met at the launch to get everything ready. Mary was incredibly organized she had every detail dialed in: when to eat, drink, what nutrients to take in during each scheduled feeding, it was impressive.
She had two amazing support crew members join the mission. As we got out onto the lake, we were greeted with some pretty decent-sized leftover rollers. At 6:12 AM, Mary got in the water and started her journey.
Swimming alongside a boat was new for her, so it took a bit to get in sync and stay on course. After a couple loops, we had it figured out. She chose to swim 5 miles out in one direction and then turn back.
Every 30–45 minutes, we stopped to log her progress and handle her feedings. One of her biggest concerns? Running into a fish. I confidently told her it was highly unlikely. Well… I might’ve been wrong. About 10 minutes in, a salmon came to the surface and swam right at her. Thankfully, she didn’t see it. She also bumped into a log and swam headfirst into a raft of seaweed. Lake life at its finest.
It was incredible to see her friend Bree push through seasickness smiling every time Mary swam by the boat to check in. At one point, Bree even jumped into the water to give her a morale boost. Ted was another solid rock throughout the entire swim the kind of teammate you want on a journey like this.
During the final hour, the wind and waves picked up, making it harder to keep pace and position with her. But we pulled together as a team and pushed through. After 8 hours and 12 minutes, Mary crushed her 10-mile swim.
Congratulations, Mary you are one tough lady.
It was a privilege to witness your determination, and I can’t wait to see you conquer the lake in 2026. You've got this.
