Channeling courage

Dec 07, 2006 12:12:58

Austinite Lynne Smith survived the cold Catalina Channel swim and has the tough currents of the English Channel ahead of her By Pamela LeBlanc Monday, November 27, 2006 Think how it would feel to swim for 11 hours and 27 minutes straight. Now imagine what it would be like if six of those hours were in pitch darkness. In the ocean. With strange creatures bumping your feet. That's exactly what Austinite Lynne Smith did when she swam 21 miles from Catalina Island to the coast of California in September. Next up? The English Channel in August. In the Catalina Channel, Smith, a 38-year-old manager at Dell Computer Co., braved 61-degree water, got stung by jellyfish and suffered shoulder pain so severe she couldn't move her arms fast enough to generate body heat. She got nauseated from swallowing too much saltwater, and learned to keep swimming while vomiting uncontrollably. The last two miles were the toughest, and she repeatedly fought off the urge to climb onto her support boat. Smith, who was a distance swimmer in high school and at the U.S. Naval Academy, calls the Catalina swim the hardest thing she's ever done, including a Hawaii Ironman she did before giving up triathlons. "It took everything I had, every ounce of self-discipline, to stay in the water." As harrowing as it was, she says, the physical discomfort was easier to deal with than quitting and wondering for the rest of her life what might have been. Besides, it wasn't all bad. She'll never forget the feeling of raising her arms to signal she was ready to start her swim: a whole page in front of her, unwritten. She saw lots of interesting marine life along the way, including a school of 20 or 30 dolphins and a squid the size of a tall man. Swimming through a cloud of yellow-green phosphorescent flecks was like being cradled in a flower garden, she says. Swimming the English Channel will be an entirely different experience. For one, she won't have to swim in the dark. The water will be slightly warmer, too. On the downside, the English Channel is saltier than the Catalina Channel. Its currents are stronger, too, especially in the last mile, where dozens of crossers have quit after realizing they were being pulled backward instead of making forward progress. It probably will take longer to cross — Smith guesses 13 or 14 hours. She knows she'll have to increase her shoulder strength, and plans several long swims in Lake Austin this winter as practice. She seeks out the coldest water in the lake, which is about 65 degrees now where it is released from the bottom of Mansfield Dam. And this time, instead of focusing entirely on how to stay mentally tough, Smith is doing yoga. She wants to learn how to just be, to embrace whatever happens. Lynne Smith keeps a journal of her swims at the Web site itisnicetohaveaninterest.com. Challenge for women's hearts We hear about men's risk of heart attack all the time. But did you know that cardiovascular diseases are the top killers of women in Texas? I didn't. Turns out that heart disease and stroke kill more women in Texas than the next four causes of death combined. One in 2.5 women will die of them, compared with one in 30 from breast cancer, according to the American Heart Association. To make matters worse, doctors have a harder time detecting heart disease in women than in men. Although chest pain or discomfort is the most common symptom of heart attacks in women (just as in men), women are more likely to experience other symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea and back or jaw pain. That bit of information caught my attention (statistics are good at that) at a recent breakfast to celebrate the Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement. But what really got me psyched was word of the agency's new fitness challenge, which will help Austin women avoid becoming part of those numbers. The 12-week Go Red For Women Fitness Challenge, developed by Austin experts, guides women who want to improve their fitness through exercise and better nutrition. Participants log their activities in a notebook, earning points for everything from strength training to eating fruits and vegetables to relaxing with a book. Every four weeks, they submit their latest results to the Heart Association. At the end of three months, prizes are awarded to the top finishers. "People know they need to get exercise," says Edie Surtees Wall, communications director for the association. "It's doing it, it's motivation." The challenge begins Jan. 2 and wraps up at the end of March. The notebook costs $20 ($15 for seniors; $10 for students; $15 per person for three or more notebooks.) I'm planning to do it myself. Why not join me? Get a jump on the competition by starting now. Eat five or more fruits and vegetables a day. Eat more fish. Eat more whole grains. Eat more beans and lean meats. Limit high-calorie, high-cholesterol and high-fat foods. Drink alcohol only in moderation. And my favorite — get at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days. For more information, go to americanheart.org/austinfitnesschallenge. To get a notebook, send a check to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 15186, Austin, TX 78761. New gyms aim to pump up self-esteem Liberty Fitness is opening several gyms in the Austin area — one at 107 RM 620, another at 3808 Spicewood Springs Road, and one at 2000 S. Interstate 35, Suite H-5, in Round Rock. The owners say the new gyms, which specialize in 30-minute workouts for women, offer a place to build self-esteem and improve overall wellness in a spalike environment. The gyms offer exercise instruction, relaxation treatments and nutritional consultation. pleblanc@statesman.com; 445-3994