Swimmer goes the distance - and back

[joecax]

By Jack Nicas
Globe Correspondent / September 4, 2009

A 49-year-old New Hampshire man finished a marathon swim yesterday in which he crossed New Hampshire’s longest lake twice.

At 9 a.m., Maury McKinney glided up to Center Harbor in Lake Winnipesaukee, where he had entered the water at 6 a.m. Wednesday to begin an essentially nonstop swim, raising money for a proposed New Hampshire swim center.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,’’ McKinney said. “But the swim was a great experience. I’m proud of the accomplishment.’’

McKinney took 26 hours to swim across the longest part of the lake and back, or more than 42 miles, roughly the distance from Worcester to Boston.

McKinney, vice president of the White Mountain Aquatic Foundation, a group that hopes to create a world-class aquatic center in New Hampshire, swam to raise money for a study on the proposed facility.

At 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, McKinney arrived at Alton Bay, marking the halfway point, said Jamal Lee-Elkin, a trip navigator. McKinney was 90 minutes ahead of schedule at that point.

“It’s just amazing,’’ said Lee-Elkin, who spoke via cellphone while the group was taking a 20-minute break before heading back for the return lap.

But as the sun set and GPS units died, McKinney briefly lost his way. “We hit some really rough water and got pushed 1 1/4 miles off course,’’ McKinney said yesterday. “We had to respond very quickly and very accurately.’’

McKinney and his entourage - at times totaling 12 people in three motor boats and four kayaks - made it through the night and arrived on schedule. McKinney had predicted a 9 a.m. Thursday finish when he set the schedule.

McKinney said he did not sleep, stopping only briefly for food and water breaks, during which he ate energy bars and nutritional supplements.

“I’m getting ready to fall asleep for 36 hours,’’ McKinney said from his home at 11:15 a.m. yesterday. He had last slept at 4:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Beyond physical exhaustion, McKinney said, his mind was tired.

“Of course, it’s physical, but it’s a very mental exercise, too,’’ he said. “Your mind has to throw your body over the bar, and your body has to go willingly.’’

Last September, McKinney swam the 21 miles from Center Harbor to Alton Bay, half his undertaking this year, in 12 1/2 hours.

McKinney isn’t the only New Englander to recently complete a grueling long-distance swim. On Aug. 3, Elaine Kornbau Howley of Waltham swam the English Channel in 13 hours 35 minutes.


http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2009/09/04/swimmer_goes_the_distance___and_back/

[bas]

nice sad ni joecax dah! maayo sad unta naa sad nya ta swimming marathon nya dri sa ato sa...

[joecax]

mao gyud 5k and 10k open water swim.

[el toro]

sus the longest and scariest i did was the talikod straight. its between samal and talikod islands...dont know how long it is but i heard its only 2K(definitely the longest 2K for me). swam with rob greville, amy huston and leo oracion and at times leo and myself had to drag our inflated plastic bags, rob who can't swim without googles and amy who was cramping up. we were battling huge waves plus that area was shark infested as the locals informed us when we hit land! numerous blisters on our feet made that swim very difficult, specially the landing part...it's not powder white sand. we were running 1st but because i have to sleep for 3 hours that night, another team led by Pastor, overtook us. Oh, Amy shove about 5 pills down my throat to get rid of my fever on day 2 and that was a few check points before that stu*#d swim.

Anyway, just sharing what we have experienced years ago as i always remember that day everytime i read something about a long open water swim. Im sure some here have swam farther.

[coach b]

how about. swimming from sta. fe Port to sugar beach this holy week.

[bas]

sus the longest and scariest i did was the talikod straight. its between samal and talikod islands...dont know how long it is but i heard its only 2K(definitely the longest 2K for me). swam with rob greville, amy huston and leo oracion and at times leo and myself had to drag our inflated plastic bags, rob who can't swim without googles and amy who was cramping up. we were battling huge waves plus that area was shark infested as the locals informed us when we hit land! numerous blisters on our feet made that swim very difficult, specially the landing part...it's not powder white sand. we were running 1st but because i have to sleep for 3 hours that night, another team led by Pastor, overtook us. Oh, Amy shove about 5 pills down my throat to get rid of my fever on day 2 and that was a few check points before that stu*#d swim.

Anyway, just sharing what we have experienced years ago as i always remember that day everytime i read something about a long open water swim. Im sure some here have swam farther.

hahaha! ok rana el toro oi! ikaw pa sure ko fit kaayo ka ato panahona mao to kaya ra kaayo to nimo bsan pa e 4k to ang swim!

[el toro]

i cant do 4K bas, murag lud-on man ko sa swim. swim is the part i dread most in a triathlon. ma pugos tingale ko kung IM na gyud nga distance kay wa ta choice

coach B, perteng taasa ana uy! di kaha ta ma ligsan sa mga barko mu agi? I'm afraid of sea monsters too! that's why i have to swim hard to be close to the other swimmers during races

[coach b]

el toro, mobo rani kay sta fe. port raman dili man hagnaya...

[triblues]

Letter C na na cya nga swim route. coastal swim na cya.

can do! naa lang ta bouy para mao targeton sa mga swimmer! hehehe.... support crew na sa duol sa swimmer para mas cool.

[ziggy]

ganahan ko apil ani!

[bas]

sayon rana el toro para dli ta lud.on, naa ta sundon nga nice nig swim! hahaha!

[triblues]

sayon rana el toro para dli ta lud.on, naa ta sundon nga nice nig swim! hahaha!

drafting kunuhay.. dala hikap paa? ikaw gyud bas! bas-tos! wink wink wink*

[el toro]

tanaw lang ko ninyo mga idol kay murag taas taas gihapon na para nako

sugod na ko swim training for camsur, need training partner/s if naay mu sukol sa ako schedule 12 noon to 1pm at Montebello daily...but you have to be a member(reasonably cheap though) or you get a free pass if you know the life guards.

This pool used to be the training pool of some of our best triathletes, the likes of Nonoy, Abet, Chris and Leo. We number close to 15 athletes before on that small pool, samok pero lingaw ug sakit ang training.

[valcaro]

tanaw lang ko ninyo mga idol kay murag taas taas gihapon na para nako

sugod na ko swim training for camsur, need training partner/s if naay mu sukol sa ako schedule 12 noon to 1pm at Montebello daily...but you have to be a member(reasonably cheap though) or you get a free pass if you know the life guards.

This pool used to be the training pool of some of our best triathletes, the likes of Nonoy, Abet, Chris and Leo. We number close to 15 athletes before on that small pool, samok pero lingaw ug sakit ang training.

pila ang sa Montebello? mao ni luyo sa Countrymall noh? mo open sila og 6am? size sa pool? thanks... 

[el toro]

i dont know the exact amount but you can call monte...sho, if you read this please give membership details.

yup the one at the back of country mall. i think open na sila bai, i will ask the life guard later also. shorter than a 25M pool but was good enough for us. i think size of the pool doesn't matter. athletes who trained there can battle it out with guys who trained in a longer pool.