Making It A Game - How to Get Across

Make It A Game

Outtakes from Article by Erin Barker on Navy Seal Training

Don about 14 miles into the Tampa Bay Marathon Swim

In this second part of the series we are breaking apart Erin Baker's article on why Navy Seals are so tough (Resilient) and what the everyday open water marathon swimmer can learn. 

When we do things repetitively we do take notice. More often than not however its an annoying type of recognition rather than motivating. I choose to make it a game.

• What’s one of the things people who live through disaster scenarios have in common? They make survival a game.

• Happiness expert Shawn Achor said the best way to deal with stress is to see problems as challenges, not threats.

• Kids do better in school when it’s treated like a game.

James, a Navy Seal, said the same thing about getting through the tough times at BUD/S:

Many people don’t recognize that what they’re doing at BUD/S is assessing your ability to handle a difficult circumstance and keep going.

It’s a game. If you want to be or attempt a seriously long swim in excess of say 6 miles and/or in cold water , you’ve got to play that game. You’ve got to have fun with it and you’ve got to keep your eye on the bigger picture.

Recovery from an Almost fatal Cardia Arrhythmia - Manhattan Island Marathon Race from the Kayakers Perspective

The 28.5 kayaking trip around the Island of Manhattan will be both grueling and scenic and more importantly bringing awareness to Two important Causes (literally near and dear to my heart) - Cardiac Arrhythmia Prevention and Doug McConnell's ALS charity efforts.

Doug’s swim will be accompanied by an escort boat with two crew members (Susan and Cliff Wilson I believe) as well as the support of a kayak manned by his long-time training partner, Don Macdonald. 

Bob Lee and others will be biking around the Island as well all supporting the cause and friend in the quest for raising money and awareness.

Here is a short video clip of the perspective from the kayaker and support crew for Manhattan Island.

Don's Journey since the English Channel has taken a twisted path.

While starting my training for a second attempt the English Channel that was planned for this fall (2014) I had a sudden cardiac arrhythmia event, collapsed, received life saving help. I was found to have arrhythmia problems perhaps brought on by high intensity exercise, that had gone undetected perhaps for years despite years of grueling training and hours submerged in ice cold water and distances.

Well I survived and now find myself with an implanted ICD to prevent such future events. I was running, which I jokingly say was the problem, instead of swimming. "I think ICD stands for I Can't Die".

However my experience now takes me down a path relatively untraveled since only about 1% of such incidents leave survivor's. So onto the next chapter of my swimming journey just One Stroke At A Time and Advocate Health System, Cardiac Care Services.


I am hopeful to return to the pool in the near future. But until then kayaking for Doug and his cause is great. We been at his for five years and like open water swimming, you have to adapt. As Dori says...just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, or in my case kayaking, kayaking, and kayaking.




Doug's ALS Challenge:

After another long year of training, the A Long Swim Team is planning for the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, a 28.5-mile circumnavigation of the most prominent island that makes up New York City, in June 2014.  In the unique world of marathon swimming, successfully completing swims across the English Channel, The Catalina Channel and around Manhattan Island is considered the “Triple Crown.”  If he completes the third leg of that challenge, Doug will be in a select club of fewer than 100 swimmers with that honor.