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I’m starting to get organized for my  Stage 1 swim tomorrow. I also was involved with the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim yesterday, and that required a lot of focus up until late last night. Fortunately, it went well, with a 100% completion rate.

One of my last moments of down time was at the start of the week, during my small, weekly yoga class. The instructor is very good about tailoring the practice to what the students have going on. Another classmate was also preparing for a big athletic undertaking, so Monday’s class focused on our upcoming efforts. The instructor chose the theme of the elephant, or sanyama (sp?) in Sanskrit, to help us focus on our strength.

I found the metaphor

helpful for a different reason: because elephants are known for being stubborn. For me, that trait is every bit as important as strength in a marathon swim undertaking. It’s not big muscles that keep you going several hours into a swim. It is simply

the stubborn desire to finish what you started.

The other helpful image that popped into mind relates to one of New York City’s more unusual annual activities. One night a year, the circus comes to town–and elephants get here by running through the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. They trot in a line, one after another, some of them dressed up in their circus finery as they pass under the East River. I imagine it must be rather bewildering for them–from the lineup to the transit through the tunnel to their emergence in Midtown Manhattan to their parade across town to Madison Square Garden. And yet they do it, somehow trusting that everything will work out.

That’s what I’m going to try to do tomorrow–stubbornly head toward the finish, not caring that the activity is perhaps a bit unusual, and trusting that everything will work out. I’ll be thinking of elephants the entire way.

It’s been like Christmas around here lately. I know, it’s usually cold at Christmas, though not where I am from. Fun packages have been arriving via UPS, with more to come.

++ Last week, boxes and boxes of GU Energy Labs chomps and gu arrived at David’s work. I can’t wait to try some of the new flavors they sent such as peach.
++ Yesterday, a big box of Blueseventy swimsuits arrived at my apartment. And there are Blueseventy goggles and caps on the way as I write.
++ Keen Footwear has given pairs of shoes to many of our volunteers, and there are Keen socks for the schwag bags.
++ The New York State Bridge Authority have been incredibly generous to the swim. At the crack of dawn every morning they will be busing all of the participants from the meeting point at the finish, to the start of the event.
++ Tara Sullivan at the Bridge Authority introduced us to Scenic Hudson who are generously providing gifts to the winner of every stage.
++ We’ll also be hoping for a visit from the Riverkeeper boat and the water quality testing program folks during the swim.
++ Last but not least, the  Hudson River Maritime Museum at Kingston are allowing our boats to dock at their marina in Roundout Creek for two nights.

It’s been great to have the support of so many organizations that we really admire and value. Thank you!

8 Bridges is just over one week away and I’m getting excited! One reason is because the Hudson has been so inviting lately; it’s hit the 70s, it’s been flat and calm, and the weather has been great. Things are falling into place with the organization — swimmers, kayakers, boaters and volunteers are all set. However, there are still some loose ends — we need a few boats/boaters for Stage 7 and to finalize some docking arrangements. I can’t wait to put the months of preparations aside and go on a very, very long and (hopefully) peaceful swim in a favorite waterway surrounded by really wonderful people. Follow the event here and on facebook and twitter.