Days Away: Final Update Before Swim

In all likelihood this will be my last entry before the swim on Saturday, July 26, especially if there are no weather delays. The next update in this space will be from my assistant, Kim Reffner, who will learn the details of the swim from my family on the boat. Once I recover I shall provide an update.

I must now go from the modest where I have been saying “if I succeed” to the confident and arrogant wherein I must believe and say “when I succeed.” Thus there is no point in writing after this, as I shall not in all likelihood be very realistic. I am sure you understand. Any spare time I have will be with family and by myself focusing.

However there are so many people I would like to thank for their interest, support and love as well as, of course, encouragement. Some have said in effect that I have succeeded already in that my efforts and communications have been educational and at times inspiring. Good, for that is the greatest compliment that you can give one who has all their career endeavored to share and educate.

I know I have done all I could in my preparation. I set tough goals and met them all, and at times exceeded them. I trained well and sensibly. Read, studied and listened to others all the time taking responsibility for all my decisions. Now with days to go I must rest, relax and prepare to push my body to its limits. I shall be in the water most days for an hour or so just trying to acquire some more ability to handle the cold. I will walk, sit and think. Then with two days to go my wife Catherine and son Stan will arrive and the next day my oldest son, Alan, and his family. They will understand my mind set – calm and focused – determined. Externally confident and internally resolved – prepared for a 13- to 15-hour swim. The swim is scheduled for a 4:30 am start.

I am pleased with all the publicity that the swim has gained for physical therapy and for the Foundation and its research agenda. Stories in the Los Angeles Times and US News & World Report, as well as several magazines and local newspapers have been gratifying. The night before the swim BBC-TV will have me emerging from the water to do a brief interview. So congratulations to APTA and its staff both in the Foundation and in Public Relations for raising the profile of physical therapy.

Know only that I will do my best. I will get to France or be defeated, but I will not quit.

Thank you one and all.
Stanley V. Paris


Details of the past week follow:

Monday, July 14
I served as an Observer/Referee for an English swimmer, Mark Ranson. We left the dock at 7:30 am and motored to the beach. He left the boat, swam ashore and then re-entered at which time I started the clock and he exited 12 hours and 23 minutes later having swum well through some quite rough conditions. On four occasions he used another swimmer to “pace” him. This, of course, is allowed. I’ll not use a pacer as I think such would be a distraction. We arrived back at the dock at 2:30 am the next day – a long day.

Tuesday, July 15
I went to bed at 5:00 am and arose at 9 for a scheduled “hot stone” massage and then returned to catch up on sleep. I am sleeping well and need at least 9 hours a night. I did a 1-hour swim.

Also worked out in the gym for 2 hours, 30 minutes of which was on the treadmill. I noticed that my aerobic fitness might have dropped. So I am back up at 120 cardio for 20 to 30 minutes. My resting rate is 52 per minute with walking moderately at 80 and swimming at 78. With such cardiac efficiency it’s quite possible for walking and swimming to become rather useless as a form of exercise for cardiac fitness.

Several swimmers here have asked me about swimming offshore in Florida. I have been cautioning them that there are more shark attacks in Florida in any one year than the rest of the world combined. I don’t think I have been believed. But in today’s British national daily, The Times (July 15, pg 19), it reported that in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, which is just south of my St. Augustine home and beach, there have been 12 reported attacks thus far this year. Most of these are on surf boarders for they are out further than most bathers. But guess where a Channel swimmer would be? Right: out further. Without a board and companions, a swimmer could bleed to death or die of shock before getting ashore. So that’s why I went to Bermuda and stayed inside the reefs for my offshore training.

Wednesday, July 16 – 10 Days to Go!
Three-hour swim. Cold was not too bad. Exited without shaking and was quite steady on my feet. Hot bath and a single malt scotch is a just reward!

Thursday, July 17
One-hour swim, two hours in the gym and watched Chariots of Fire for the umpteenth time. A week today, Catherine and son Stan arrive. Stan will wear a wetsuit and serve as a lifeguard for me on the day.

Friday, July 18
Three-hour swim – the last of the long swims. Next week I shall swim 1 hour each day up to Wednesday then cease so as to build enthusiasm for Saturday. Oldest son Alan will arrive in a week along with wife Becky and grandson Tucker. Last time Alan and I were in England it was at Buckingham Palace for him to receive an MBE from the Queen for service to sailing, which included a solo around the world.

Saturday, July 19
One-hour swim, two hours in the gym and a massage. Health is good. The hand still goes numb, but at nearly 3 hours it seems to improve – let’s hope so. Having a little less problem with the cold after the 3 hours yesterday. I was cold to the core but no violent shivers. Let’s hope the Vaseline/lanolin mix works, as I shall apply loads of it – everywhere.

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