Flashback to Fall 2022 – I am not sure which month, as I have no concept of time anymore. I was still feeling pretty tired from my Catalina Channel crossing in July, and burnt out from two years back to back of hard training for Anacapa and Catalina. I wasn’t sure if I was going to plan any big swims for 2023, or take a year off and swim purely for fun. Well, I always swim for fun, so let me rephrase that: take a year off and swim purely for “Type 1 fun“. I wasn’t sure if I was down for more “Type 2 fun” in 2023. I was leaning towards not. So, I went for a “Type 1 fun” swim with my friend and training buddy, Michella. She did a lot of my training for Catalina with me, and was on my crew as a pace swimmer and hype woman. We can swim stroke for stroke for hours. I have nicknamed her my “swim twin”. 👯‍♀️ We were chatting after our swim and she mentioned her interest in swimming 20 Bridges in 2023, to complete her Triple Crown (Catalina Channel, English Channel, and 20 Bridges). She asked if I was interested in doing 20 Bridges as a tandem swim together. Without hesitation I responded, “YES”. That was that, there would be more “Type 2 fun” in store for 2023 (provided New York Open Water-NYOW accepted our swim application the following Spring, which they fortunately did).

I also wanted to lead by sharing that this swim became very meaningful to me. I decided to swim in memory of my partner Rick’s mother, Marie Kuhnla, who passed away in 2018. She was a native New Yorker who lived on Long Island for most of her life, and loved spending time at the beach and out on the water. She was an incredibly kind and compassionate person – her love for her family was unparalleled, and she always treated me like one of her own. She was an intelligent, dedicated public defender who devoted her career to fighting for justice for those in need. She had a clever sense of humor, great sense of adventure, and profound love for animals – especially cats. Some of Rick’s favorite childhood memories with his mom included their cats, Bub and Guppa. Thus, as part of my swim I raised money for the East Coast Maine Coon Rescue in Marie’s memory. Rick chose this organization as one he felt would be meaningful to her, to help animals in her long-time community. Michella also raised money for the UC San Diego Basic Needs Initiatives that offers important resources to students. So, our swim was doubly meaningful and impactful!

A little bit more about the swim itself – 20 Bridges is a 28.5 mile counter-clockwise circumnavigation of Manhattan, starting in the Hudson at the Battery, going through the Harlem and East Rivers, and finally back down the Hudson towards the starting point. This swim is unique because it is tidal assisted, so it is a FAST swim. Every swim is different based on conditions, but for example I finished Catalina (~20 miles) in 13 hours 14 minutes. In contrast, we projected 20 Bridges (28.5 miles) to take about 9 hours. Finally, I would know what it feels like to be a “fast” swimmer! Not that it really matters, I say that jokingly as I am perfectly happy swimming my pace. Our swim was scheduled for Friday June 2, the first date of the season, and would be unique because this was the first year that NYOW offered night swims! I figured, since I will have this 9-hour night swim under my belt this season, I might as well attempt the Length of Lake Tahoe this year too, since I’ll be trained for it! I went ahead and secured a date for Length of Tahoe on 7/21 – more on that to come. Quickly things had escalated from “Type 1 fun” only in 2023, to “Type 2 fun” with 20 Bridges, to possible treading in the “Type 3 fun” territory with the addition of Length of Tahoe. Once again, time to fuck around and find out!

… and fuck around and find out we did. Our training proved to be interesting with record breaking cold ocean temperatures well into the Spring. The water was in the mid-fifties for most of April. Michella and I completed 4, 5, and 6-hour training swims in sub-60 degree water. The swims kept getting longer, but the water did not get warmer. I think the water was about 55 degrees the day of our 5-hour training swim, and we were relieved when it warmed up to a “balmy” 58-59 degrees for our 6-hour swim. I have been swimming year-round in all conditions without a wetsuit for over 10 years now, and I thought I “knew what was up”. I entered a whole different realm of cold water swimming this season and pushed my own personal limits, broke through new barriers. Like, swimming THROUGH being cold to the point where you become warm again. Swimming for so long in the cold that you develop “the claw” and lose finger dexterity, and then continuing to swim so long in the cold that “the claw” goes away and your finger dexterity returns. I found that usually the first 90 minutes of a sub-60 degree long swim are usually the worse, and then it gets better. Or I just got used to being uncomfortable. Whatever. Disclaimer: I swim safely, with a buddy, gradually increased my time in the cold water, and did not compromise my safety or health during my training.

Finally, the water broke the 60 degree mark in May and our long swims became significantly more comfortable. Before we knew it, it was time to taper, and we were off to NYC on 5/31. “We” included myself, my partner Rick as land crew and morale support, Michella, and Michella’s daughter Mia as Crew Chief. My mom served the important role of Virtual Crew Chief and supported us from Dallas, as she would be headed to Tahoe with me for a week in July for my Tahoe Length swim. Our friend Abby Fairman met us in New York and would be the official NYOW observer for our swim. We truly had the A-team, and the swim wouldn’t have been possible without them!

We flew into JFK on Wednesday, May 31. The flight was uneventful, although the Uber into the city was questionable. Our driver greeted us with his fly unzipped and butt crack exposed. Terrible traffic into the city. But we made it! Rick and I stayed at the Ace Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. It was an absolute serendipitous coincidence that the Milk Bar flagship bakery was adjacent to our hotel. Milk Bar is one of my favorite must-visit places; I ordered a cake from them to enjoy after my Anacapa and Catalina swims and couldn’t wait to visit the bakery in NYC. Total happy coincidence. Rick and I went to grab pizza for dinner and then quickly made a beeline to Milk Bar where I got a build-a-pint with cereal milk soft serve and birthday cake crumbles, as well as 2 slices of cake and 2 cookies to have on hand in the hotel room during our trip. Everything was delicious and gone within a few days.

Thursday was a lot of fun, but I may have bitten off a little more than I could chew the day before a big swim. I was worn out by the end of the day and a little overstimulated from being in “the big city”. I wouldn’t have changed a thing, though. Rick and I went to the Met, Central Park, out to a nice Italian dinner at La Pecora Bianca, and then up to the top of the Empire State Building for sunset. We were still in bed by 9pm.

We slept in the next morning, met my friend Jeanne for brunch at Bubby’s, and then it was time to REST as much as possible until it was time to head to the swim start at Battery Park. I took a nap, mixed my feeds, then headed down to Black Seed for a bagel sandwich as “the last meal” before my swim. I wanted to explain the significance of this bagel to the individual at the bagel shop, so I shared with them, “This bagel is going to be the last thing I eat before I head down to the Battery and jump in the Hudson at 6pm”. He looked VERY concerned and said, “you have so much to live for!”. “No!” – I explained, “I am not suicidal, I am going to swim around Manhattan … for fun … it’s a thing”. I would later go back after my swim to get another bagel, show him I was indeed alive, and make a new friend (we bonded over our mutual bunny tattoos).

Before I knew it, it was time to grab all my gear and feeds, summon a cab, and head down to the Battery for the swim! Rick and I arrived around 4:30 PM and met Michella, Mia, and Abby there. There was a fun group gathered for the start of the swim, including Milko and Dan (the 2 other swimmers swimming that night) as well as Sarah, Amy, and Bengisu who would be swimming the next day, and their support persons. The good vibes before the swim helped alleviate typical pre-swim nerves. After reviewing details and safety info, it was time for Michella, Mia, Abby, and I to board our support boat and take a quick ride down to Pier A, where the swim was to start. Our captain and kayakers were all ready to go. Dave Barra was my assigned kayaker- which made me happy as I had met him over a decade prior at the Highland Lakes Challenge in Austin, TX. This was when I was a new open water swimmer, and his achievement of the Triple Crown seemed like an unimaginable achievement to me. It was so cool to tell him this, as this swim would be my second of the Triple Crown swims.

The start of the swim felt a tad rushed and chaotic as it took some coordination to get the boat, both kayakers, and Michella and I into position. We were supposed to start at 5:45pm, although we were delayed about 30 minutes. This was a tad nerve-wracking, as it gave us less time to reach Mill Rock before the tide changed. This is an important milestone several miles into the swim. If you don’t make it before the tide changes, you will not be able to outswim the current, and will not be able to complete the swim. Abby encouraged us to swim hard for the first 2 hours to make the cutoff. We were determined, and before we knew it, it was time to start our swim! We jumped into the water, swam over to the starting point at Pier A. Rick, Sarah, Amy, and a few others were there on Pier A to cheer us on at the start. Then we just started swimming, as we always do!

It was a windy and overcast afternoon, and I could feel the movement in the water. It was choppy and textured, water was swirling around us, and we were moving with it! It was amazing to see how fast we were moving relative to the shore. Michella and I settled into a synchronized pace quickly. All those hours training together truly paid off. We rounded the corner past the Staten Island Ferry building and had to stop briefly to let the ferry pass. Then, off to the right, I saw a truly beautiful sight. I picked my head up and asked Dave, “Is that… a TRASH BARGE?!!!”. He stated yes, and added that it was there for an authentic NYC experience. “That is AWESOME!,” I exclaimed, utterly delighted. He may have been confused, as he wasn’t aware of the “Team Dumpster Fire” moniker, or that I identify as a garbage person. I watched the trash barge go by and felt that moment was on brand for a great swim ahead. I put my head down and kept swimming.

Before we knew it – we reached our first two bridges, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge (1.4 miles and 1.8 miles in, respectively). It was truly indescribable to swim under these bridges. I HATE backstroke, but I flipped over onto my back to swim backstroke under these first two bridges for the full experience. I have walked over the Brooklyn Bridge before, and it was such a unique experience to have the opposite vantage point. Around this time, it started raining softly and there were small flashes of lightning off in the distance. I was a tad worried that the weather would deteriorate and impact the swim, but mostly I was just present in the moment and enjoying the experience of swimming in the rain. Shortly thereafter, it was time for our first feed. It seemed like a lot of time had elapsed before our first feed. The plan was to feed after the first hour, and then every 30 minutes thereafter. Abby informed us that she held our first feed until 1 hour and 30 minutes to make up lost time at the start to get us to Mill Rock faster. Her strategy worked, as we were now ahead of schedule and on track to make the cutoff with time to spare. Phew! We swam onward.

The water started to calm down and the rain stopped as we made our way down the East River. Once you reach the West Channel in the East River and continue onto the Harlem River, the rivers narrow which makes for a significantly different experience than swimming in the Hudson. The water became incredibly calm, and we were swimming much closer to the shore and the bridges. It was a Friday night, and the city was truly alive. We swam by parks where people were out and about for the evening. It was fun and engaging to see signs of life outside of our little aquatic world. The bridges also literally start flying by. Many of them are less than a mile apart from one another on this portion of the swim, and they go by quickly- I lost count! While swimming under the bridges, we could visually see just how fast we were swimming relative to how quickly the bridges were passing by. We were MOVING. I have never experienced anything like that, coming from a background of swimming in the ocean and lakes. The sun set, the city lights were illuminated, and fireworks went off over the East River. It felt as if the fireworks were planned just for us.

It was so nice to have Michella in the water with me as a companion during the swim. Every time I breathed to the left, my trusty friend was in sight. We checked in with one another and offered words of encouragement to one another during our feeds. “We got this! We are doing great!”. I shared with Michella that my right shoulder was a bit uncomfortable (but not painful). My mind is usually very active and hyperaware during swims, although I feel that Michella’s presence and our sense of camaraderie helped me relax. Instead of worrying or fixating on it on my shoulder, I was able to be present and enjoy the swim. Eventually, the discomfort went away. I lost track of time, and all of a sudden the Columbia University “C” in the Harlem River appeared off to our right. I knew this was a significant landmark in the swim – as it is right by the Henry Hudson Bridge (the 19^th of the 20 Bridges), and right before the point in which the Harlem meets the Hudson for the last stretch of the swim. “YOU’RE IN THE HUDSON” Abby exclaimed, moments later. I was literally in shock and disbelief we had already made it that far. Time to swim down the Hudson back to Pier A, where we started from!

I might have gotten a little ahead of myself – because the home stretch of the swim down the Hudson is a pretty LONG home stretch. It is okay though, as we had plenty to look at as we approached the beautifully illuminated George Washington Bridge with the Manhattan skyline in the near distance. This moment in time was particularly meaningful to me. I thought of Marie and felt her presence. I felt a warm sense of well-being, resilience, and perseverance. The physical challenge of the swim paralleled the emotional challenge of working through ongoing, complicated grief and trauma I have faced after Marie’s death. Dedicating this swim to her was a way to reclaim the narrative of her life, shifting the focus back on who she was as a person, instead of what happened to her. Swimming in the same waters she loved was a meaningful celebration of her life, and a beautiful, cathartic way to remember her.

We continued down the Hudson. It was well past midnight now and I was feeling tired, and a little chilled from the winds picking back up. I drank some hot coffee with my feeds for warmth and a jolt of energy for the final portion of the swim. I popped my head up a few times to do some sightseeing from the water with Dave, admiring the illuminated skyline, and identifying the Empire State and Chrysler buildings. There were some rainbow lights up in the city for Pride, which may the skyline even more fun and festive. My hand hit a few blobby jelly-like things a few times. I decided not to ask what they might be, as I had heard tales of swimmers dodging used condoms in the rivers. Abby later said they could have been salps, and I am sticking with that story.

We passed Midtown Manhattan, and I knew that we were likely getting close to the end of the swim. Dave shared that we were at Chelsea Piers. I could see One World Trade Center down the river, which is the most obvious landmark near the Battery. We kept swimming, and before I knew it Abby and Mia announced the two sweetest words to any marathon swimmer, “LAST FEED! One mile to go!”. I couldn’t help but cheer in excitement. Not only would this swim be a huge accomplishment, but the last of three swims in The Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming for Michella. Catalina Channel, English Channel, and finally 20 Bridges. I was so excited to share the last leg of this journey with her, and the excitement to finish and crown the queen was palpable!

We picked up the pace for the last mile and made it back to Pier A, confirmed that we were in the correct ending point, and gave each other a huge hug in the water to celebrate our success. We did it! It was time to get back into the boat, bundled up, and back to dry land. Milko had finished shortly before us, and Dan was coming in just after us. We were awarded medals for finishing, and Michella and Milko (also a now a Triple Crown finisher) were crowned. A king and a queen! We took group pictures and celebrated an epic swim.

Then it hit me- it is almost 3am! I am exhausted! Michella, Mia, and I shared a cab back to our hotels. Rick greeted me in the lobby to congratulate me and help me bring all my gear up. I took a long, hot shower, and collapsed into bed.

The only problem was that I was so hyped up, I could barely sleep! I rested as much as possible, and we got a late start the next day, not emerging from our hotel room until afternoon. I still wanted to make the most of the rest of our trip so I rallied and we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge to get pizza and go to the park. It was surreal to think just the prior evening I had swam under where I was standing.

Amy, Sarah, Jordan, and Bengisu were swimming that day, so we headed over to Pier A that evening to cheer them on at the start of their swim. It was fun to support them and share their excitement after they were there for us the prior day. I love the sense of community in marathon swimming. It is unparalleled. Finally we headed back to the hotel for a magnificent, full night sleep.

The next day Rick and I made a trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. My great grandfather, Victor Blazic, immigrated from former Yugoslavia through Ellis Island in the early 20^th century. I still have memories of him from childhood, and my family is still in touch with our relatives in Croatia and Slovenia. It was amazing to find the records of his passage in their archives, and see his name inscribed on one of the memorials.

Rick and I flew back to San Diego later that evening. Our flight was uneventful, and I was tired. I also felt a distinct sense accomplishment and gratitude. Michella and I had an extremely successful tandem swim and essentially functioned as a single organism throughout the entire swim. I was grateful for her and proud of what we accomplished together though our training and fundraising. We did the damn thing!

Most importantly, I am grateful that Rick and I had the opportunity to visit NYC together, the city that his mom loved so much. It was an honor to be able to experience the city in a totally unique way by completing the 20 Bridges Swim in her memory. I wanted to thank everyone who supported me in any capacity and donated to the East Coast Main Coon Rescue in Marie’s memory. Marathon swimming is truly a team sport, and I appreciate each one of you so much. Thank you for reading – the saga of the 2023 season will continue with a write up of the Length of Tahoe. Stay tuned!