The Twelfth Annual 24 mile Tampa Bay Swim

Up until this point, the two tests I've had have been a seven hour English Channel qualifying swim and a straight five hour pool swim. The qualifying swim was this past October in Lake Michigan. The water temperature was 59 degrees. It was really the beginning of my training. The five hour pool swim was on April 4th and I held 4,700 yards for each hour.

My coach Marcia Cleveland has done an excellent job teaching me on how to train properly for the English Channel. The Tampa Bay race is going to be a real test. I hope to do it in nine hours or less. Obviously, the weather conditions will play a part in my goal time.

The race begins at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in St. Petersburg, Florida. The finish line is located at Ben T. Davis beach on the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The water temperature will be 70 degrees or higher so the water temperature won't be a factor. The hard part will be completing the 24 miles in my goal time. My boat Captain is John Rose and I'm looking forward to working with him.

Since I'm simulating the English Channel my Sister-in-Law Elizabeth will be on board taking notes and doing the feedings. I plan on taking a 60 second break for each of the first two hours and then 30 second breaks every half an hour.

My friend Mike Tschantzhahn is doing the race as well. He is doing the English Channel several weeks after me. We are training together and having a partner in Lake Michigan is a real advantage. I will post the results of the race and my goal is to have a strong swim.