Did it!!! Great South Bay Swim

More details when less exhausted... but .... surprised myself w/ the time.... My main hope was to finish before they had to invoke the time limit of four hours. During the swim, I was sure I was pushing that time limit... very, very choppy late in the race... seasick... but seasickness didn't even matter when I stumbled/scrambled up onto the beach 3 hours, 25 minutes, and 12 seconds after the start! :fish2: :groovy: And then, the icing on the cake: an award!! First female over 50. Well, also only female over 50, but no matter! I was so ecstatic--the award is lovely and will be a wonderful souvenir to remind me that I can hang in when it's tough and reach the finish line! The organizers do a GREAT job taking care of the participants from start to finish! And swimmers get towels to keep with the race logo ... then they have bags for each swimmer/kayaker containing good quality long-sleeve t-shirts for both and a finisher's medal! Then there's a party for swimmers, kayakers, and family/friends afterward, with a delicious and plentiful spread of food at a local restaurant! And all for a great cause too. The race director is very dedicated to this event because it's named in memory of his daughter who passed away a few days before she was to swim in 1999, and so proceeds benefit the Family Bereavement Fund of Hospice Care. This to me is a shining example of someone who didn't turn inward in the face of loss but outward to give back to his community. He and his wife are an energetic, inspiring couple! If anyone wants to go longer and is looking for an extremely well-organized, worthwhile challenge, this is your race! You can check out www.greatsouthbayswim.com for more info. I recommend a look at the swim history link in that web site!