Diana Nyad - American Fitness Magazine
July/August 2014
On Sept. 3, 2013, 64-year-old Diana Nyad was the first person to swim without a protective shark cage from Cuba to Florida. After trekking through waters the length of five English Channels—110.86 miles—in 52 hours, 54 minutes and 18 seconds, Nyad, dazed and exhausted, shared her philosophy with a wildly cheering crowd on the shores of Key W est. She said, “Never, ever give up, you’re never too old to chase your dreams. It looks like a solitary sport but it is a team effort.” This, her fifth attempt, was a feat dreamed more than 30 years ago. In 1 978, at 28, Nyad made her first attempt a year after travel restrictions between Cuba and the United States were lifted. She swam in a shark cage for almost 42 hours before aborting the swim because ocean swells veered her off course. Nyad retired from mar athon swimming at age 30 to become an award-winning sports journalist, accomplished author and motivational speaker. The X-treme dream came knocking at age 60 and Nyad displayed her true grit, courage, ambition and spirit to a worldwide stage. American Fit ness magazine caught up with the swimming sensation for a one -on-one with Contributing W riter, Lucia Viti.
AF: Why do you describe marathon swimming as the loneliest sport in the world? Diana: Marathon swimming is a lonely venture. When swimming for days —not just hours but days—you’re in a state of absolute sensory deprivation. My head turns to breathe 55 times a minute. I can’t see anything. I can’t hear well. I’m in my own little world thinking, counting and singing through a difficult, physical passage. Swimming is the only activity except for several seconds spent at the boat every 90 minutes for nourishment.
AF: What sparked a comeback after a 30 -year retirement? Diana: My 60th birthday. Although age had never been an issue —I was always the first to grab the tiger by the tail and dance as fast as I could —turning 60 hit me hard. I questioned, “Am I someone that I could admire?” This assessment wasn’t about my
ego, a hall of fame sports record or a bucket list. It was about my angst to live to be the best I could be without regret—to realize and challenge my physical, emotional and psychological maturity. Cuba whispered the mystique between two forbidden countries; ocean obstacles (gulf streams, currents and eddies); the animals and the distance itself. To swim from nation-to-nation and land in my own country—there’s nothing of that ilk anywhere on the map. I wanted to be the first one to do it.
AF: How did you train for the Cuba swim? Diana: Swimming is the best training for marathon swimming. At the ons et, I was in fitness shape, not swimming shape. I had not swum a single lap in 30 years. I started slowly—20 minutes—and every minute was horrible. I lugged along half under water. To peak, I swam every other day—intense ocean and occasional pool swims — increasing durations from 10 to 15, 20 and 24 hours. Onshore training included a two and-a-half hour, six-cycle routine of yoga, spine, groin and shoulder stretching, core, abs, planks, chin-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, dips, and burpees. Heavy strength training i s not an option. It’s important to stay supple, flexible and conditioned, without overloading the upper body that is already taxed from swimming.
AF: Do you bulk up with extra weight? Diana: Yes. I lost 29 pounds during my first Cuba swim, but we weren’t a s nutrition savvy as we are today. My body isn’t as thick as I looked during the swims, but I wasn’t swimming to look pretty. I needed a body that would swim nonstop for three days.
AF: What did you eat and drink during the swim? Diana: Hydration is the most important aspect of swimming nutrition. Hammer provided our compressed calorie foods—protein drinks, bars, Goos and Shot Blocs. Bonnie Stoll, my trainer, designed a “pink concoction” of water, sustained energy electrolyte powder, and finger extract hon ey. I also ate buttered pasta, ginseng sandwiches, bananas, honey and peanut butter. But honestly, it’s hard to eat after being in saltwater for an extended period of time. I’m not hungry. I’m seasick and vomiting.
AF: Describe the effects of saltwater on the body. Diana: Literally within hours tissues swell, dehydration sets in, and people hallucinate. Because I train in saltwater, I don’t suffer the ill effects that most first -timers do. But extended ingestion of saltwater caused the soft tissue lining th e inside of my mouth to swell until my teeth, which no longer fit, lacerated my cheeks and tongue. Chaffed lacerations made it painful to eat. Extended exposure also caused my throat to swell. I ingested a lot of saltwater wearing my prosthetic mask. If I had to swim another night wearing that mask, I may have been in trouble.
AF: How did you train to stay awake? Diana: No one can train for a lack of sleep. Experts confirm that sleep cannot be stored. My ability to stay awake was about my will and Coca -Cola®. Coke was my magic elixir. I don’t represent Coca -Cola, so I’m not trying to sell it, but between the caffeine jolt, the sugar bolt and how it settled my upset stomach, it worked.
AF: Discuss your will to succeed. Diana: I rail against the word success as a corporate concept that misses the human dimension of tapping into one’s potential to be all that you can be. The media described my first four attempts as failures because I didn’t reach the other shore. Of course I wanted to arrive at Key West, but w hen chasing fairy dust, let’s not bypass the personal, priceless journey of scientific discovery and the elevation of friendships. I’m proud that I swam the distance, but I’m even more proud that I “found a way” to intelligently assemble a team that formul ated solutions to the extensive variables to make our way across. That’s success. The Cuba swim was as outrageous as it was possible. Negative monkey chatter never kept me from believing that I would reach Key West. And I never second -guessed my achievement based on my age. I didn’t wake up at 3 a.m. for a grueling 15 -hour training swim and say, “I’m 64. I have a torn bicep tendon and an aching shoulder, I can’t do this.” I iced my shoulder, had physical therapy and changed my stroke. Thinking I could win Wimbledon at 64 may have been crazy, but I could find no reason in the sport of marathon swimming not to be in the prime of my career.
AF: How did you swim an additional 24 hours after a box jellyfish sting left you “on fire”? Diana: I was driven by will and spirit. In 2011 a deadly, box jellyfish wrapped its venomous tentacles and harpoons around my arms, legs, neck and across my chest. I should’ve died. Most people do. Since 1950, more people have died from box jellyfish stings than shark attacks. Despi te our meticulous preparations, no marine biologist knew that the box jellyfish had migrated into those waters until I got stung. But my mindset was carved in titanium. No matter what happened, I was going to bring the left arm over, followed by the right, until there was no longer a choice.
AF: How did you ultimately ward off the jellyfish? Diana: In 2012 Finis® swimwear made a form -fitting, non-neoprene, full-length body suit and Lycra® booties effective against jellyfish stings. I also wore latex surgeo ns’ gloves and covered my face with thick pantyhose that had eye slits for goggles and a mouth slit for breathing. And those brilliant jellyfish stung my lips! The pain, which wasn’t as severe as the overall body stings, didn’t cause me to stop. Raging thunderstorms, life-threatening lightning, and 45 -mph winds did. Determined not to get stung again, I found a specialist who made prosthetic gloves and masks for burn and explosive victims. A year and several prototypes later, I had a beautiful mask that was difficult to swim in. In 2013, because of the mask, I swallowed enough saltwater to make me as sick as a dog. But it didn’t matter because I promised myself and my team that the box jellyfish would not keep us from completing the swim.
AF: What was your defense against large ocean animals? Diana: The dolphins and whales aren’t a problem but the deep water 60 miles offshore is shark territory. My dive team is equipped with a Protective Oceanic Device —an electronic shark repellant—and nudges them away with PVC piping. We don’t carry fatal gear—spear guns or shot guns—we’d never kill an animal.
AF: How many crew members accompanied you? Diana: I must say, as solitary as the swim is for me, I could never have embarked on such an epic expedition without the co mpetent support of 35 handlers, trainers and teams—navigational, medical, weather, jellyfish, shark, and kayaks working the electrical shark devices—and their support teams.
AF: How did you deal with the naysayers? Diana: The credible people from my sport had every right to vet an event that would be historically recorded as one of the greatest endurance achievements. The right questions were asked and we answered them fairly and fully. Our navigational charts proved our status, not just hour by hour, but minute by minute. Frankly, I would have respectfully requested the same for anyone else.
AF: Do you ever reflect, “Wow, I can’t believe I did that!” Diana: Yes. I can’t believe that I trained the way I did and that my team stuck with me. Good things are happening now, but it’s not what you get —it’s who you are—it’s who you become when chasing your dreams. David Thoreau quoted, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” I was humbled by how the swim’s success inspired the world. The spectators lining the beach weren’t sports people witnessing the end of a phenomenal athletic pursuit. They were individuals living their lives and hearing the words, “Never, ever give up.” And they were crying. W e all have dreams. We all suffer heartache. But we need to somehow find the courage to “find a way” to our respective, individual “Other Shores.” Today the pride and honor to be who I am, not what I’ve achieved, courses through my veins. Oh glory days! AF Lucia Viti is an AFAA certified 30-year fitness professional and a freelance writer based in Carlsbad, Calif. Ms. Viti currently teaches group fitness at Pacific Athletic Club in San
On Sept. 3, 2013, 64-year-old Diana Nyad was the first person to swim without a protective shark cage from Cuba to Florida. After trekking through waters the length of five English Channels—110.86 miles—in 52 hours, 54 minutes and 18 seconds, Nyad, dazed and exhausted, shared her philosophy with a wildly cheering crowd on the shores of Key W est. She said, “Never, ever give up, you’re never too old to chase your dreams. It looks like a solitary sport but it is a team effort.” This, her fifth attempt, was a feat dreamed more than 30 years ago. In 1 978, at 28, Nyad made her first attempt a year after travel restrictions between Cuba and the United States were lifted. She swam in a shark cage for almost 42 hours before aborting the swim because ocean swells veered her off course. Nyad retired from mar athon swimming at age 30 to become an award-winning sports journalist, accomplished author and motivational speaker. The X-treme dream came knocking at age 60 and Nyad displayed her true grit, courage, ambition and spirit to a worldwide stage. American Fit ness magazine caught up with the swimming sensation for a one -on-one with Contributing W riter, Lucia Viti.
AF: Why do you describe marathon swimming as the loneliest sport in the world? Diana: Marathon swimming is a lonely venture. When swimming for days —not just hours but days—you’re in a state of absolute sensory deprivation. My head turns to breathe 55 times a minute. I can’t see anything. I can’t hear well. I’m in my own little world thinking, counting and singing through a difficult, physical passage. Swimming is the only activity except for several seconds spent at the boat every 90 minutes for nourishment.
AF: What sparked a comeback after a 30 -year retirement? Diana: My 60th birthday. Although age had never been an issue —I was always the first to grab the tiger by the tail and dance as fast as I could —turning 60 hit me hard. I questioned, “Am I someone that I could admire?” This assessment wasn’t about my
ego, a hall of fame sports record or a bucket list. It was about my angst to live to be the best I could be without regret—to realize and challenge my physical, emotional and psychological maturity. Cuba whispered the mystique between two forbidden countries; ocean obstacles (gulf streams, currents and eddies); the animals and the distance itself. To swim from nation-to-nation and land in my own country—there’s nothing of that ilk anywhere on the map. I wanted to be the first one to do it.
AF: How did you train for the Cuba swim? Diana: Swimming is the best training for marathon swimming. At the ons et, I was in fitness shape, not swimming shape. I had not swum a single lap in 30 years. I started slowly—20 minutes—and every minute was horrible. I lugged along half under water. To peak, I swam every other day—intense ocean and occasional pool swims — increasing durations from 10 to 15, 20 and 24 hours. Onshore training included a two and-a-half hour, six-cycle routine of yoga, spine, groin and shoulder stretching, core, abs, planks, chin-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, dips, and burpees. Heavy strength training i s not an option. It’s important to stay supple, flexible and conditioned, without overloading the upper body that is already taxed from swimming.
AF: Do you bulk up with extra weight? Diana: Yes. I lost 29 pounds during my first Cuba swim, but we weren’t a s nutrition savvy as we are today. My body isn’t as thick as I looked during the swims, but I wasn’t swimming to look pretty. I needed a body that would swim nonstop for three days.
AF: What did you eat and drink during the swim? Diana: Hydration is the most important aspect of swimming nutrition. Hammer provided our compressed calorie foods—protein drinks, bars, Goos and Shot Blocs. Bonnie Stoll, my trainer, designed a “pink concoction” of water, sustained energy electrolyte powder, and finger extract hon ey. I also ate buttered pasta, ginseng sandwiches, bananas, honey and peanut butter. But honestly, it’s hard to eat after being in saltwater for an extended period of time. I’m not hungry. I’m seasick and vomiting.
AF: Describe the effects of saltwater on the body. Diana: Literally within hours tissues swell, dehydration sets in, and people hallucinate. Because I train in saltwater, I don’t suffer the ill effects that most first -timers do. But extended ingestion of saltwater caused the soft tissue lining th e inside of my mouth to swell until my teeth, which no longer fit, lacerated my cheeks and tongue. Chaffed lacerations made it painful to eat. Extended exposure also caused my throat to swell. I ingested a lot of saltwater wearing my prosthetic mask. If I had to swim another night wearing that mask, I may have been in trouble.
AF: How did you train to stay awake? Diana: No one can train for a lack of sleep. Experts confirm that sleep cannot be stored. My ability to stay awake was about my will and Coca -Cola®. Coke was my magic elixir. I don’t represent Coca -Cola, so I’m not trying to sell it, but between the caffeine jolt, the sugar bolt and how it settled my upset stomach, it worked.
AF: Discuss your will to succeed. Diana: I rail against the word success as a corporate concept that misses the human dimension of tapping into one’s potential to be all that you can be. The media described my first four attempts as failures because I didn’t reach the other shore. Of course I wanted to arrive at Key West, but w hen chasing fairy dust, let’s not bypass the personal, priceless journey of scientific discovery and the elevation of friendships. I’m proud that I swam the distance, but I’m even more proud that I “found a way” to intelligently assemble a team that formul ated solutions to the extensive variables to make our way across. That’s success. The Cuba swim was as outrageous as it was possible. Negative monkey chatter never kept me from believing that I would reach Key West. And I never second -guessed my achievement based on my age. I didn’t wake up at 3 a.m. for a grueling 15 -hour training swim and say, “I’m 64. I have a torn bicep tendon and an aching shoulder, I can’t do this.” I iced my shoulder, had physical therapy and changed my stroke. Thinking I could win Wimbledon at 64 may have been crazy, but I could find no reason in the sport of marathon swimming not to be in the prime of my career.
AF: How did you swim an additional 24 hours after a box jellyfish sting left you “on fire”? Diana: I was driven by will and spirit. In 2011 a deadly, box jellyfish wrapped its venomous tentacles and harpoons around my arms, legs, neck and across my chest. I should’ve died. Most people do. Since 1950, more people have died from box jellyfish stings than shark attacks. Despi te our meticulous preparations, no marine biologist knew that the box jellyfish had migrated into those waters until I got stung. But my mindset was carved in titanium. No matter what happened, I was going to bring the left arm over, followed by the right, until there was no longer a choice.
AF: How did you ultimately ward off the jellyfish? Diana: In 2012 Finis® swimwear made a form -fitting, non-neoprene, full-length body suit and Lycra® booties effective against jellyfish stings. I also wore latex surgeo ns’ gloves and covered my face with thick pantyhose that had eye slits for goggles and a mouth slit for breathing. And those brilliant jellyfish stung my lips! The pain, which wasn’t as severe as the overall body stings, didn’t cause me to stop. Raging thunderstorms, life-threatening lightning, and 45 -mph winds did. Determined not to get stung again, I found a specialist who made prosthetic gloves and masks for burn and explosive victims. A year and several prototypes later, I had a beautiful mask that was difficult to swim in. In 2013, because of the mask, I swallowed enough saltwater to make me as sick as a dog. But it didn’t matter because I promised myself and my team that the box jellyfish would not keep us from completing the swim.
AF: What was your defense against large ocean animals? Diana: The dolphins and whales aren’t a problem but the deep water 60 miles offshore is shark territory. My dive team is equipped with a Protective Oceanic Device —an electronic shark repellant—and nudges them away with PVC piping. We don’t carry fatal gear—spear guns or shot guns—we’d never kill an animal.
AF: How many crew members accompanied you? Diana: I must say, as solitary as the swim is for me, I could never have embarked on such an epic expedition without the co mpetent support of 35 handlers, trainers and teams—navigational, medical, weather, jellyfish, shark, and kayaks working the electrical shark devices—and their support teams.
AF: How did you deal with the naysayers? Diana: The credible people from my sport had every right to vet an event that would be historically recorded as one of the greatest endurance achievements. The right questions were asked and we answered them fairly and fully. Our navigational charts proved our status, not just hour by hour, but minute by minute. Frankly, I would have respectfully requested the same for anyone else.
AF: Do you ever reflect, “Wow, I can’t believe I did that!” Diana: Yes. I can’t believe that I trained the way I did and that my team stuck with me. Good things are happening now, but it’s not what you get —it’s who you are—it’s who you become when chasing your dreams. David Thoreau quoted, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” I was humbled by how the swim’s success inspired the world. The spectators lining the beach weren’t sports people witnessing the end of a phenomenal athletic pursuit. They were individuals living their lives and hearing the words, “Never, ever give up.” And they were crying. W e all have dreams. We all suffer heartache. But we need to somehow find the courage to “find a way” to our respective, individual “Other Shores.” Today the pride and honor to be who I am, not what I’ve achieved, courses through my veins. Oh glory days! AF Lucia Viti is an AFAA certified 30-year fitness professional and a freelance writer based in Carlsbad, Calif. Ms. Viti currently teaches group fitness at Pacific Athletic Club in San
