A Super Mermaid Swims in Herald Square

Work has been insanely busy in the past couple of weeks (for reasons that those who know me will understand) and I've been grumpy and neglecting the blog.  Luckily I haven't been neglecting my workouts (I did miss one class due to a work emergency but that is the first one I've missed for work reasons in 10 months -- I count that as major personal progress).   My knee has been tetchy, so I need to stick with it.  On Friday, I did a closet purge and donated the clothes that are now way too big for me to charity -- so there is no turning back!

While I was stuck at my desk on Wednesday, Diana Nyad (one of my heroes) was swimming back in forth in a special lap pool in Herald Square, finishing up a 48 hour charity fundraiser for Sandy Relief.  As of today (October 12) she has raised nearly $110,000 for Americares.  For more information or to make a donation, click here.

My fabulous deep water running coach Robert Valentin swam up a storm this summer (including swimming around Liberty Island, across the East River, and down the Hudson to Lower Manhattan).  It cheered me up (and brought me out of my work-induced funk) to see that he spent part of Wednesday in the pool with Diana.  He was chosen to swim as part of his volunteer work with Air Force vets.

Robert swims with Diana Nyad

A post swim hug

He told me that after they swam, Diana commented that he has very positive energy.  I agree completely -- he rocks (he is a great coach).  I think some of that positive energy rubbed off on me when I made it to deep water running on Thursday night.  I told him we should have done a deep water running flash mob in the Herald Square pool.

Hoping to try a couple of new classes in the next few weeks, and I am almost done with the long-awaited Vancouver Part 2.

-MM