It's been over a year since I've published a blog entry. I have about a million drafts, mostly about ice swimming, but nothing seems quite ready for or worthy of publication just yet. But, to keep things going just a bit (and at the encouragement of my kids, who seem to like the idea that I am a "blogger" and wonder if I still can be, having not published anything in 13 months), I wanted to at least share reflections and photos from a recent swim.
DC Marathon Swim
On June 18 2022, I embarked upon what was my toughest swim to date--the DC Marathon Swim. The DC Marathon Swim is a 20.5 mile marathon swim in the Potomac River, which is my "home river". I drive across or alongside the Potomac several times a day; we live 2 miles from its shore. I do much of my training in the Potomac, although I'm not able to swim close to my home as swimming is actually illegal in DC waters. More on that later.
The Potomac River is where I began my open water journey, and as such I was extra excited to take on the challenge of this new swim, which is just in its second year.
My training partner Brian Jaskot and I decided to do this swim as a tandem--meaning that we would share a support boat and crew, but have our own kayakers. We swim on the same masters team during the week, in the same lane, and also do a lot of our open water swim training together. As our pace is almost identical, it made a great deal of sense to do the swim as a tandem--we could pace together, and support one another during the highs and lows that inevitably happen during a long swim.
The Fundraiser
Although I have completed many endurance events, I have never incorporated a fundraising element into any of my events. Marathon swimming is different, though. It's not about a race (they are, after all, called "solo swims") and as such the "why am I doing this" becomes all the more important.
Brian and I have had many conversations in the past about wanting to get more involved with the organizations that help keep our rivers clean. We decided that as part of our swim, we wanted to support the Potomac Riverkeeper and do a fundraiser in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act. That the Riverkeeper has an active campaign to lift the long-standing ban on swimming in DC was an extra bonus.
We were fortunate to gain fundraising support from our friends and family, and even got a bit of publicity in a Video and Interview by Chesapeake Bay Magazine.
After the swim, I was pretty wiped out but at least had the energy to write up a thank-you and update for the supporters of our fundraiser. I still plan to (maybe??) write a blog post that would be of more interest to the swimmer/endurance crowd, but in the meantime I can at least throw out proof of life into my blog, a hobby that is otherwise growing cobwebs.
The DC Marathon Swim Write-up, As Sent to our Fundraising Supporters
Brian Jaskot and Andie Nelson back on the boat after finishing their swim.
Photo Credit: Carol Wortman
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Update written by Andie Nelson
Hello, Potomac Riverkeeper supporters!
I write with an overdue update on our successful swim. On June 18, 2022, Brian and Andie both completed the 20.5 mile DC Marathon Swim. The day had some challenges--the air temperatures got up to 98 degrees and we had sun almost the whole way. A headwind slowed our progress as well.
Whenever these challenges chipped away at my morale (which they certainly did after that many hours of swimming), I thought about why we were there.
I thought about the race directors, Denis Crean and Jim Loreto, and all of their hard work to get the proper permits so that we could do this swim. I thought about friends and family who have supported our fundraiser. Most of all, I thought of the inhabitants of the water that we shared on that day. How could I let down all of the creatures who rely on a clean habitat, and who are allowing us safe passage through their river? This is their home.
So, as the going got tough, we put our heads down and swam for all of you.
As we began the swim at Fletcher's Cove, the water was glassy. We started just before 8:00 am and we were the only ones out on that part of the river. Surrounded by nature--jumping fish and diving birds--I felt almost like I was back on the small lake I swam in during summer camp in Northern Wisconsin.
It's hard to believe we were so close to Georgetown, the Key Bridge, and all of the monuments of DC but that is one of the gifts that the river brings to those who are able to enjoy it--a complete escape from the hustle of the city.
After about an hour of tree-lined shores and flat waters, we passed the Washington Canoe Club and swam under the Key Bridge.
It was quite emotional to swim under these massive bridges. How many times have I driven, run or biked across the Key Bridge from Virginia to Georgetown? How many leaders of our nation have crossed the same path? But, then, how many people have had the privilege to see the underside of the bridge, powered only by their own body? I flipped on my back for a moment to take it all in.
After the Key Bridge, iconic Washington DC landmarks kept coming. We swam past Theodore Roosevelt Island, The Kennedy Center, The Lincoln Memorial, The Washington Monument, Arlington Cemetery, the Pentagon, and Reagan National Airport (to name a few).
About the time that we passed Memorial Bridge, the water became significantly more playful. I found that it took some effort to stay focused and calm as the waves crashed in from what felt like all directions. It was harder to keep a rhythm, but I worked on taking in the sights of DC from the water, and reminding myself how fortunate I was to be there.
As we got closer to Reagan airport, the planes felt as though they might touch the water. My swim cap muffled a lot of the noise that would normally be heard that close to a plane, which made their proximity all the more surreal. How many people have swum down a river with planes taking off and landing right over their heads? I wondered if the pilot and passengers could see swimmers in the water, and if so, what they thought.
The airplanes felt like they lasted a long time. What seemed like hours after airplanes were grazing my swim cap, I could still see them taking off (or maybe landing? I wasn't sure...I was, maybe, getting tired).
Was I even moving? At some point, Jim and Denis came by on their boat and yelled out, "YOU'RE FLYING! GREAT JOB!!!" so I guess I was doing ok.
I popped my head up to see the Woodrow Wilson Bridge way off in the distance, and was relieved to have a new landmark to swim toward. The thing about large landmarks (especially massive bridges) is that you can spot them LONG before they are anywhere near.
Brian and I both took in feeds (mostly liquid) every 30 minutes during this swim. When I saw the bridge, I estimated that it would be 2 feeds from the time I spotted it until I swam under it. It ended up being 3, maybe even 4, which means I stared at that bridge 2 hours before I got under it. These sorts of mental hurdles can beat up a marathon swimmer!!
After the Wilson Bridge, we passed National Harbor, which is a regular swim spot for both Brian and me. Race Director Denis Crean holds open water swims 3x per week near the Ferris wheel from spring until fall, welcoming new and seasoned open water swimmers alike. (Do you want to swim? Check out Wave One Open Water for details). It was many years ago during these weekly swims that we first met many of the people we currently swim with.
As a side note, because National Harbor is in Maryland where swimming in the river is legal, we did not need to go through the same arduous permitting process that was required for the DC portion of this swim.
Swimming past National Harbor felt a bit like "coming home" because of its familiarity. There have been many Sundays that we have swum beneath the Wilson Bridge and floated on our backs to admire its buttresses framed on either side by the sky.
The second half of the swim (south of the Wilson Bridge) had very natural surroundings, with a wide open river, little boat traffic, increasing headwind and deceptive points of land that felt very difficult to get around. Brian said that he felt stronger during the second half of the swim--I (Andie) lost steam and a few times had to ask Sharon if I was even still moving forward. I was assured that I was.
It was during this portion that I needed all of you, our supporters, the most. I had my lowest point right near Fort Washington, which was about 2 hours from the finish. I knew I had been swimming for a very long time (8 hours!), but still had a long way to go. I was certain that the tide had turned and I was swimming backward. (It hadn't, but there was a strong headwind impeding our progress). The heat also began to get to me (I was later told that the air temperature reached 98 degrees). I kind of wanted to quit.
For a brief time I thought about how nice it would be to get on the boat and stop this nonsense, but I thought about all of you. I thought all of the people who believed in us, I thought about the Riverkeeper, how hard Denis and Jim had worked to make this swim possible and all of the animals who deserve clean water.
So I kept going.
Eventually Sharon gestured to the shore and I caught a glimpse of Mount Vernon. One mile to go. The chop had flattened out, the wilderness gave way to homes, expansive lawns, and docks. I knew the swim finished at a dock but also remembered my friend Doug Karr telling me that "there are a few docks" and not to get too excited when I saw a dock after Mount Vernon because it probably wasn't the finish just yet.
Mostly I breathed to my left to look at Sharon's smile and avoided looking at the shore, because if I did, it sure didn't look like I was moving. Finally, finally, finally, the lighthouse that marked the finish came into view. I put my head down, thought about everyone who has been behind us the whole way, and kept on swimming. I swam until I heard the horn of the boat signaling the finish of my swim.
I floated around in the water for a bit, just enjoying it all. There was a large osprey nest at the finish and I checked that out before finally getting in the boat to enjoy my first ICE COLD water of the day. Ahhhhhh!
Not long after, Brian, his kayaker Robert Meyers and our crew boat came into view. It was so much fun to cheer Brian into the finish. He looked strong and fast--Jim had to honk the boat horn several times because he passed the lighthouse (finish), and then the end of the dock, and just kept on going with no sign of slowing down.
Our journey had come to an end with both Potomac River Swimmers successfully completing the DC Marathon Swim.
Thank you to our friends, our family and all of our supporters for helping to make this a successful fundraising swim. We will keep the fundraiser open for a few more days, so please feel free to pass this along to all who would like to support a healthy Potomac River.
With gratitude,
Andie Nelson and Brian Jaskot
PS--The fundraising page is still open, so if you feel called to donate, we would love support! https://www.classy.org/team/428791
You barely look like you've just swum for, what? 10+ hours? (What was your time?) And you finished in the daylight, which is a bonus! Congrats. (And I've added you to my blog roll.)
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