Teresa Forsyth's Swim Story

Speaker A: Where land meets water, an invitation lingers, not just between elements, but between versions of yourself. You could remain on shore where it's safe, familiar, predictable. Or you could cross into the unknown. Shannon. I'm Shannon Keegan and this is Stories from the Water, where we dive into the courage it takes to begin, the resilience that keeps us moving forward and the wisdom that only emerges in the space between.

Speaker B: I'm here today with Teresa. Teresa, tell me, what's your relationship with the water?

Speaker C: Thanks, Shannon. Thanks for having me. Um, um, my relationship, I think with the water is probably going to be explained best by my swim yesterday. Um, I live on Whidbey island on the south end and it's about north of Seattle. And I have an amazing place where I swim. Um, that's about a mile away of the crow flies and so I can just pop down there. And yesterday I went down about 7:30 and uh, I basically had the place to myself. It's one of those waterfront property areas where everyone has cabins. I'm using the air quotes. They just use them in the summer so there's nobody there. And uh, it was a sunny morning and it was quiet and I got down to the beach and the place is deserted and it's just me and the water is still. There's no wind. Um, and we're. Right now we're in the, we're in the highest and lowest tides of the year. So there's good current. Um, so. And I'm by myself, so I'm swimming shallow along the shore and I just get in and uh, it's, it's sacred space. Um, you know, get in, it's cold. I would guess the Temp is probably 52. I don't wear a watch. It tells mine and all of the temperature things. I swim with friends that do that. Someone's like, hey, what's the temp? Um, but I just have these times when I could get in and swim and be with everything that's there. Um, and I just swim against the current for as long as I can stay in. I do a flip turn because I like to think I'm in the biggest pool in the world, you know, and then, and then I swim back with the current. And um, yeah, I'm just doing it for joy. And uh, I've always had a connection with Puget Sound. Um, I was born in Seattle. I'm a fourth generation Pacific Northwesterner. And that's a little unusual these days. Um, but growing up my parents were teachers so we didn't have a lot of Money. But we had, um, summers together, and my parents loved water, and so we spend the summers camping on Admiralty Inlet at Fort Flagler or Fort Warden or on Hoods Canal. And my dad always had this crappy, like, used kind of power boat situation that would break down all the time. But we would just. My sister and I, we would spend the entire day just in the water. You know, literally, just. You know, my dad would be in the middle Lake Washington. He'd cut the boat motor, and we would just get out, and we would just play. Just for the longest period of time, just trying to stand up on an inner tube, you know, or something kind of dumb, you know, when you're like, three hours later and you're just. You're having fun and you're being in the water all the time. Um, so I've always, uh, been lucky in that to always be exposed and in it. Um, ever since I was little, it's never been enough to be in a boat or buy it. I've always felt like I've been called into it. Um, there was a scary instance when my mom put me in a beauty pageant when I was 4. Uh, and I almost drowned in the swimsuit competition.

Speaker B: Oh, man.

Speaker C: I know, right? I mean, there was no chance. You know, I wasn't a beauty queen by any means, but I tease my mom about that a lot. Like, mom, you know, almost drowned in the swimsuit competition.

Speaker B: But.

Speaker C: But, uh. Right. I know. I think she was overworking the, like, JP Patches connection to try to get me a better spot in the pageant. I don't know. But, uh. Uh, yeah, lifeguard scooped me up, and. And I was okay. And I didn't have any fear after that, which is amazing. Got right back in. We did have a little community pool by where we live, like, a little seasonal pool, uh, like, two blocks away. And my sister and I spent, you know, I was age 6 to age 12 on the swim team. Had so many pink ribbons, which was fourth place. I was not competitive. Like, competitive edge is like a butter knife, I would say. Not super driven, you know, but we had a good time, and. And, um. Yeah. So I've always been in the water, been called into it, get into it as often as I can. Bellingham. We moved to Whidbey about 26 years ago, and I got involved with, um, just kind of doing some sprint triathlons, as I think I've heard a lot of the people on this podcast kind of find open water swimming through that. Yeah, the bike and the run sucked, but I really like to swim and learned about how people actually do this. There's open water swim races. There's all these, you know, this new community that I wasn't aware of kind of opened up to me. And when I moved to Whidbey, there was a real, um, I would say with. With love. I would say with love. A real hardcore kind of triathlon group of people here that did really. And, uh, I wasn't into swimming for time or anything like that, but I would be able to join them and, you know, go to the beaches with them and they would have figured out, you know, tides, currents, all the things. And I could kind of join that way, um, and met some of my closest, dearest friends, um, figuring that out. And we have a big group here on Whidbey, and, uh, we swim every Saturday down at Robinson Beach. It's an open invite to anybody, any distance, any speed. We have dippers and bobbers and, you know, four milers and all this stuff. Um, but it's a great community. And, uh, started getting involved with the Whidbey adventure Swim when we started in 2011. Started on the committee the next. The next year. And I've been involved with the swim, been race director for the last seven or eight years, um, for that race. And we're coming up. We're three weeks. Is it three weeks? Oh, God. Not even gonna think about it, right? I'm like, oh, you probably should have interviewed me after the race. Cause right now I'm at that time of the year where it's like crap and everything's falling apart. Which it always does every year. That's just how it goes. And I'm thinking, what am I doing? Why am I putting this on? Why are we putting this on again? But it's going to be great.

Speaker B: It's always okay, but always okay.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker C: It's always okay, right?

Speaker B: Yeah. We'll come back to the adventure swim. Let's get into your story a little bit. So you're. You're growing up on the water and, uh, completely comfortable with everything that you're in the water with. First thing m. Pops in my head is like, I want to hear, like, the coolest experience that you've had when you're just going to the water by yourself and seeing and just being with what you see in the water. Like, is there any epic experience that you've had with something that kind of took your breath away?

Speaker C: You know, it's so. I love that question because it's. Even though I go to the same place, it's Always new. It is always different. Yesterday it was, um. There's sand dollars on this beach. And if you ever seen a live sand dollar, they're black. And they have all these little tiny, like, tiny legs underneath. And they move. I mean, you have to have a lot of time on your hands to watch them move, but they do move. And so with that. With a tide that was going out quite quickly, um, they were digging. Like, they turn sideways, and then they dig down into the sand.

Speaker B: Wow.

Speaker C: Um, because when the tide. Yeah, when the water's gone, like, they gotta, like, okay, we gotta get down there. Everybody move, move, move. But, you know, I take my first couple strokes out yesterday, and looking south, which I can see a little bit of Rainier and the Seattle skyline, and then in the water, just thousands of sand dollars, and they're just black, and it just goes forever. And I think, you know, I'm the richest person in the world. Like, look at all this company. Look at all these little things. They're amazing. Hey, you. And all the things. Um, I think down there. One time I did have, um. I've had a couple harbor seals come. Um, They're a little more brave when it's just me. And, uh. I think it was. Maybe. It was a couple years ago I had one. Usually they kind of. They. I think they like to scare you. They're like, boop. You know, they come up, suddenly, they're right next to you, and you're like, oh, you know, ah. Okay. And then I love. I love swimming with them. I'm not. I don't have any fear there. But that startle is always like, oh, my God. Um, but this one was. And he was following me, and this sounds kind of woo.

Speaker B: Woo.

Speaker C: Um, and I. I'm not a woo.

Speaker A: Woo.

Speaker C: I'm just. I always say I'm just woo. Like, but I'm. Yeah, right. I'm just woo. But I. I can buy into it. And, uh, there's energy. The energy in the water changes. Have you felt that, like, when there's something around you or had that Shannon, like, where you feel like, okay, something's different, what's happened?

Speaker B: I. I feel like I've heard people say that, but I don't think I've had that experience personally, which. Which I need to tap a little more into the woo. I think I'm in the woo. And I haven't got the ooh yet, so. But it. But I believe it. I believe it because I keep hearing those stories. I know. I think that, you know, people talk about it like if a shark, like surfers will be like, it felt sharky today, right? I've heard people say that. And anyway, you heard that before.

Speaker C: That's interesting. No, that's cool that it feels sharky. That's one thing about great about Pacific Northwest, we have sharks, but they, you know, you never, you never see them. Um, anyways, but so I'm swimming and the energy just kind of changed and I turned around here, you know, you know, come on along. Glad to have you. And it must, I don't really understand the whole like where they are in the season, if there was a territorial thing or something. But he was behind me and he hit my feet, which I guess is pretty common. And I stopped. So when I turn around, I look, he's still there and I go, I didn't like that. Let's not do that again. And I do. And people, seriously, I think people on that beach probably just, I'm just not. Okay, probably. I'm talking, I say it out loud. And he swam right next to me the whole time. And I'm like, okay, so we get this. And I was getting out.

Speaker A: Have you ever noticed how the water shows you things about yourself you didn't know you needed to learn? My swimbound program isn't necessarily about swimming farther or getting tougher, though that often happens. It's about learning how to stay oriented when things feel uncertain. How to trust yourself in motion, how to, to build capacity without force. I'm exploring a new swim bound experience based on a houseboat on Lake Shasta. A multi month coaching program culminating in an in person swim experience. We'll spend our days swimming, connecting, resting and reflecting. Learning how to listen to our bodies, stay oriented and move with more ease in the water and in life. If this stirs something in you, email me Shannon trepidwater.com and let me know. I'd love to hear what you're curious about.

Speaker C: And uh, I'm in a wetsuit when I swim because temps are low 50s usually, sometimes in the 40s in the winter. Um, and uh, so I just kind of inked around with them and there's nothing that makes you feel more clumsy in the water than like a sea lion or a seal going around and doing their stuff. And I'm like, look, I can do a little twist just like you. And I can see the pity in his eyes. Like, yeah, great, you know, good job. But that was, but that was great. It's amazing. And then I, and then I just wonder what's in their heads. Like I stand up and I take my wetsuit off in the water. Because it's always easier in the water, as you probably know. I was through their heads, you know, it's like suddenly I have these legs and I'm walking out and. And um, anyways, I love those moments. And that was a really. That was a good one. That was a good one.

Speaker B: How often do you find yourself out there frolicking with the seals?

Speaker C: How that sounds so romantic. It doesn't happen very often. There are. We do have porpoise out farther out. Common porpoise. They're super shy. Um, and you never get close to them. And I never usually swim out that far where they're at, but it's kind of fun to see them roll. And if it's real quiet, you can hear them do the with, with their breath. Um, that's amazing. I, I get out there, um, in winter, I'm usually in the water about twice a week. Um, and then come summer, uh, a lot of people, we put together different swims around the island and there's different beaches and things like that. So I'm lucky to be in the water probably four or five times a week in the summer.

Speaker A: Wow.

Speaker C: So it's good times. Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker C: Great.

Speaker B: What frequency do you find yourself swimming with seals? Was it like a weekly or monthly or. Who knows?

Speaker C: You know, they do like, um, so I'm on the west side of the island and Langley, where the swim race is, is on the east side of the island. And that's where the marina is. And the seals, there's a really good, um, harbor seal. So there's more of a chance if I'm swimming on the east side, uh, time of year right now, they're, they're out and active and, you know, we'll see them. They don't always get close like that, uh, encounter that I times. They'll just, you know, you'll breathe and. Oh, yep, there's a little head. You know, they kind of check them out. We do. I always laugh at the race. There's always one seal that really likes the winner. And so if we have some person that's coming in, you know, to finish, and they're kind of usually out on their own. And here's this little head that's just following them, you know, which is kind of like, oh, yeah, there's finishing seal. Good job. You know, it's kind of. So it's fun. So we do have them on the island. They're pretty, um, they're pretty prevalent. We do have, um, elephant Seals that come on the mall and those guys. I.

Speaker B: That's.

Speaker C: That's a lot. I don't want to see that out there. We had one at Robinson beach this fall. Yeah, they're huge. That's. It's a lot, but yet, like, it's. But it's. It's beautiful, right? And my. I have a friend that says, you got to remember we're echo terrorists in their water. Like, this is not where we belong. This is not our place. So, you know, be respectful, um, all that. But it's. It's kind of an amusing, amazing thing, uh, to see things like that.

Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker B: That's so cool. Where, um. Have you always been comfortable swimming by yourself?

Speaker C: Um, if I'm shallow, yeah. I don't. I mean, I think that's part of the respect for the water and making smart choices. Um, there might be something that, you know, you want to do, um, you know, a little bit farther or a little bit, you know, farther out. And I'm always like, eh, no, you know what? I need to be smart, um, and do those things because it's unpredictable. Um, my best swims are with my friends, though. You know, like I said, we have a big group here. We meet every Saturday. Um, everyone's welcome. Uh, yeah. I love my girls. Uh, my daughters are in their 20s now. They'll come out and swim with me sometimes.

Speaker B: Wow.

Speaker C: And that's my greatest joy, is to have them. During COVID We did, um, you know, in your home with your parents. It kind of sucks. Um, but there's nothing else going on. And we were still swimming outside, and, you know, I drugged my oldest along. I'm like, come on, you know, look at this. And she's like, I don't want to do this. And she's like, I froze my ass off, mom, and I want to go back tomorrow. So that was. That's one of my greatest joys, is having my girls out there with me. And we swam to Camino together and done some really cool swims. So it's fun.

Speaker B: Very cool. Take me into that space for a little bit. So did your kids. You talked a little bit about yourself, and you did some swim team. Did your kids do swim?

Speaker C: They did. We have a little, um, A little local swim team here. Um, unfortunately, we don't have a public pool yet. It's very exciting. Um, we're just building our first public pool on the south end of Whidbey. Should, um, be done in a year. Yeah. In fact, all the race proceeds have always gone to building a Public pool on the south end of Whidbey. So we've been fighting for it for a long time. I'm on the foundation board, and we got it. Got a bond passed and a levy, and it's going to be open next year. But when my girls were growing up, we didn't have that option. So it was just a small swim team during the summer. Um, there's also a really generous, small, um, little private athletic club that has the only indoor pool here on the south end. And they would have swim team. So. Yeah, so I would help coach, um, some of that. Uh, yeah. So both my girls did swim team in elementary school. My youngest swam through high school, and she made it to state. She was a great swimmer. Um, she, um. Since we didn't have a public pool here and no swim team for the high school, she would go across six days a week to swim with Kamiak High School. That coach over there invited anybody from Whidbey that wanted to swim for South Whidbey to come and train with them. Um, and so she did that, and it was amazing. It was amazing that he was that generous. And she loved. It was really a good thing.

Speaker B: What made me think of it with your girls was just that then they're home. How old were they when the pandemic set in? Like, six years ago.

Speaker C: Yeah. My oldest had just turned 21.

Speaker B: Okay.

Speaker C: And that sucks. She's in college and you have to, you know, you want to go out with your buddies drinking, and you got to be home with your parents watching, you know, the Tiger King or whatever. It was so different, right? Different scene. Um, and my youngest had just. I think she just finished her freshman year.

Speaker B: Oh, wow.

Speaker C: So, yeah, that was something.

Speaker B: So you. You drug them out to the water with you because you knew it was gonna. It was gonna help.

Speaker C: Yeah, yeah.

Speaker B: Our minds, right. Like, because we. We were all going crazy then. We needed the water. And you had. You're surrounded by water. Did you have, like, did you. Did you, like, did you know, like, from research about, like, just, like, for mental health, like, the need to kind of get out there, or was it just. You just were like, mom's intuition, like, we gotta go, right?

Speaker C: Yeah, you know, I did. That's one of the things that fat me, particularly with cold water immersion. Um, all the studies, it seemed like a lot of them were coming out of the uk, um, that I had read, uh, about that amazing study, amazing result about the endorphins and all this cool stuff that happens in your brain and with your body when you're in cold water, um, even if it's just for, you know, a couple. And it caught on like it was a craze. I don't know if you. You probably realize this too. In 2020, I remember seeing, um, someone sent me an article that was actually in Vogue magazine, and it was one of their writers, like their beauty writers or something, that had written about, um, going somewhere in, you know, New York and finding a place and getting the cold water. And it was, you know, really well done. And the picture was so hilarious. That accompanied the articles because it was like icebergs and like these very thin, like, all in black, you know, very dramatic sort of photo. And I thought, holy crap. Like, open water swimming is finding this, you know, moment with cold water and embracing and all of that. And it was, um. Yeah, so I have. That's always fascinated me, um, that change, uh, the mental piece, the mental support. And. And my oldest daughter even says that. She's like, yeah, she's like, I was, I was depressed. It was really a hard time. And, um. And, yeah, she came out and she, she's like, I froze my ass off. But I came back and it was amazing. And, uh, yeah, she had. She went back to school, a little pride moment with mom here, and she went back. She's a track runner. She had 100, 200 sprinter. And the season after she did the open water swimming, um, she went back and broke university records, conference records, and actually went to nationals for NCAA Division 3 and won the 100 and the 200.

Speaker A: Wow.

Speaker C: In 2021.

Speaker B: So, yeah, I know the cold water, obviously.

Speaker C: Well, she did a podcast and he said, so what were you doing for training, you know, during 2020? And she's like, well, actually, I was cold water swimming with my mom. And so that was fun.

Speaker B: Yeah. Wow. Have you always swam, like, year round?

Speaker C: No, Um, I always, you know, as kids, I think. I always look back and I think about, you know, when even we would camp a lot of times in the winter too, and my mom would say, don't get wet. You know, don't get your shoes wet, don't get whatever. And kids just don't care. You know, it's like 38 degrees out and they're like, wow, you're splashing around and stuff because you don't care about the cold. And, uh, I think we become adults and we suddenly fear being cold. I love being cold. Like, that's. That's my thing, which is weird. Um, and I have a good tolerance for it, uh, now, of course, but um, there's just something about that. You know, there's something about that. And so, yeah, purposefully, uh, getting in the water in winter, you know, swimming throughout the year has just been. Since I've been here on Whidbey and with these swim friends that are, um, that are willing to go out there with me in February and January and November, and we get down to about 47.

Speaker B: Wow.

Speaker C: Is our holding temp through the. Through the winter months. And. Yeah, now it's starting to rise. And it's. It's great.

Speaker B: That's nice. Yeah. Do you shed any layers?

Speaker C: I do. I do, I do. It's funny. I do. Um, I will go just skins, um, in the winter, just for, you know, short amount of time. Short amount of time, I should say. Um, because it's amazing, like, getting out. Yeah. You know, I've got my knitted cap like the Brits do, you know, and I'm out there with, you know, just hanging out for 10 minutes or whatever. Um, but, yeah, in the summer, I really love without. I love without my wetsuit. Because you just feel the water differently, right?

Speaker A: For sure.

Speaker B: Yeah. Do you find. You said you have a tolerance for cold. Do you find that you have an intolerance for warm water or warmer, like, for swimming? Yeah, really,

Speaker C: I.

Speaker B: We did.

Speaker C: I've done, um, swim to Alligator Lighthouse in, uh, Ilamorada twice. For some crazy reason. It's a. It's so well run. I love going. I don't do a lot of swim races because, like I said, I'm not super competitive. But I'm always interested in finding how other races are run. You know, how they're doing it. What's your method? How. Oh, those are really cool buoys. How. How are you anchoring those? Like, how are you handling this? Um, and that. That race is great. It was run really well. It's a. It's a out and back, and it's eight miles total. And so, um. And you're in a kayak and I did. It was a team of three the first time. And I think the water temp was like, 83. Oh, you're so much. Um, and then we went back the next year. Cause I was like, oh, boy, we were kind of a mess. Um, you know, every time you do a race the first time, it's like a learning curve. Um, and then, uh, so the second year, just two of us went back, and, uh, and it was. It was something. It was a hard. Was a hard year. Um, you have warmer water and you have all kinds of different Critters and creatures.

Speaker A: Um.

Speaker C: Ah. And they have a lot of. Both years we had moon jellies, and they call them pink meanies. And they're not super bad, but they do. They're like the size of dinner plates. And there's, you know, at first you come into them and you're kind of like trying to dodge them, you know, And I can go under this one or whatever. And then suddenly there's just this wall and there's no way but through. And, um. I don't know. I think I have leathery skin. You just, you know, you capped, and that's just how it goes. Have you. You probably swam through a lot of jellyfish on your swims, have you?

Speaker B: No, uh, no, I've hit. Well, I had one hit me in, um, when I did the swim in the Caribbean, um, along the length of the, um, the island of Dominica, I had. I had one. I mean, I had a lot of, like, zap. Little zappy things. I took a group back this year and they all were getting the same, like, the south part of the island. Everyone was getting zipped and zapped or a little tendril around the rest. But, um. But no, I've not done a lot of. I've not done a lot of swims that hit a lot of jellyfish. I've definitely heard a lot of stories about a lot of people swimming through this max of jellyfish. But, um, no. Personal experience is relatively limited. But, um. Yeah. So alligator, lighthouse. So when you went back, well, you were doing it as a relay. So the eight miles as a relay, and you had to get in and

Speaker A: out of a kayak.

Speaker B: Yeah, it sounds really hard.

Speaker C: There's so much. But it's so much fun, right?

Speaker B: I mean, they.

Speaker C: And if they have a big field, I think they had, um. I think they had over, I want to say, 700 people in the water. Uh, because you got teams of three. Um, yeah, it's a lot. And they. So how they. How this safety piece and how they. They have a ton of jet Skis and just watching. And that second year, there was. There was pretty good wind, and I think two thirds of the field ended up getting out m. And so. And so watching them, um, get people out, you know, people were just like, nope, you know, it's not for me. Um, and that's great. And they were on a barge and they'd get them back or whatever. And so. So Chris and I just kind of. We kept plugging along, you know, and I do a couple miles and she do A couple miles. And you know, you just coming back and. And you know how it is. It's that grit. Like there's something in every swim, I think, um, where you think you're not going to finish. And then something in you, if you have it, just says, screw it, let's go. Let's see. Let's just try until I can't. Um. And that was one of those swims and we finished. We got up and finished and I housed an entire can of Pringles. I'm not proud of that, but I did.

Speaker B: I've done it. I've done it. Baggage right?

Speaker C: In chocolate. Yeah. Heck, yeah. Yeah, I know. Yeah.

Speaker B: So.

Speaker C: And it was.

Speaker B: It just.

Speaker C: It feels good. But I. I do think, and I'm sure as a coach and what you do, that you see that in people too, that it's, uh, it fascinates me that that grit piece. And I think there's good in that and I think there's bad in that, but I do think every open water swim. Have you found that?

Speaker B: I think it's an interesting thing, I guess, to coach, but to be aware. I guess it's to be aware, like, why you're pushing through is kind of why I help. Try to help people make sure we know why we're pushing through. Because it is a good skill. But it. But like you said, there's kind of a bad side of it, too. But it's an interesting thing to help people find that little wall, the first one, and kind of push through and then realize, oh, I feel great. Like, I'm so glad I didn't stop at that first wall or I never would have known how good you could feel on the other side. And then. But then it can come up again and it's like, you know, I'm coming to this place in my life of balance of things. It's like, at what cost, right? So it's like, oh, you can keep pushing, keep pushing and pushing, but, you know, at what cost? And you know, and if you're not in pain and you kind of feel okay and you've got nutrition coming because you're well supported and okay, maybe there's no. Or, uh, like, what am I going to feel like tomorrow?

Speaker A: I don't know.

Speaker B: But it's. We always just have to kind of be, hmm m. What am I doing this for? Just trying to make it. I try to think of it as just like, we want to make the. The educated, like, push through.

Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Maybe taking a moment and just weighing the. Weighing the Risks, maybe, is that.

Speaker B: Yeah, Well, I think there's a. Like, there's the question of, like. Like, can I. Can I stay? Like, do you. Basically, because. Because there's a cost to getting out as well. If you're like, ugh, uh, I'm done, I'm out. Get the boat. And then you're waiting for the boat to come and you're like, could just have been swimming. Right. I've had that happen.

Speaker C: But dang it, what the heck?

Speaker B: When did the express ride back? Like, that's not how it goes. You get out in the middle of a swim, there's going to be some hanging around. So it's like, what. What's the reason for stopping? You know, is that, you know, the boredom, pain, discomfort, run out of nutrition, wind, you know, like. But it's. I just. I think it's an interesting experiment, like, mind experiment. And I think. I think there's a lot of, like, the parallels too, though. It's like, you know, you're not just going to quit in your life, so sometimes you've got to learn how to push through. So what are you going to tap to get through a really rough time? It becomes a muscle we can flex in all kinds of areas of our life, Right?

Speaker C: Yeah, a hundred percent. I love that. I, uh. That's. I love thinking of that as a muscle. I like that a lot. That's a good image.

Speaker B: Yeah. Well, because then it's like, you don't have to flex it, but you can.

Speaker C: Right, Right. Exactly. You know, there.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker C: I think a lot of people don't know what they're capable of. You know what I mean? I found that for myself, for sure. You know, it's like, you end up. It's like getting through the jellyfish. Right. Like, there's no way but through. I, um, felt that way about my. My cancer. Um, I was diagnosed in February 2020, um, with breast cancer. And, uh. Yeah, yeah, don't. If you're going to get cancer, you know, choose a good time. Don't choose cares.

Speaker B: A little

Speaker C: care is a little tricky, you know. Um. But, uh, yeah, that was, you know, start of the pandemic. It was just. Again, like, what you're talking about, like,

Speaker B: right when the pandemic. Like right before the pandemic, like in February, you said. Right. And then it was like, March that were, like, shut down. So you got some. Tell me, tell me how this went. This is crazy.

Speaker C: Yeah, it was. It was crazy. Um, everything was shutting down. Um, my mom had breast cancer, so I'd Always gone in for my yearly mammograms. Anybody out there listening? Please go do that self care. Please do that. Um, and, uh, yeah, so I was going every year since I was 40. And, um, yeah, that scary back of, hey, you won't come in for an ultrasound, and we want to do a needle biopsy. And, you know. You know, I mean, they can't. They don't tell you they're looking, but you can read their faces. They're like, you're not going to call me to come in and talk to the nurse navigator because I'm. Everything's okay, you know? So you kind of know. Um, so, yeah, so I was diagnosed on Valentine's Day, February 14th. Um.

Speaker B: Oh, gee, thanks.

Speaker C: I know, right? Yay. It was a great Friday. Um, and, yeah, it kind of out of body experience. This gal calls me in and she says, well, you know, it's. It's breast cancer. And I. One of those moments where I just kind of felt like suddenly I was not in my body. I was kind of listening somewhere else. Yeah. Do you know what I'm talking about? Yeah, totally. And. And I'm like, okay. And she shows me and she goes, it's dcis, which is ductal carcinoma in situ, which is what my mom had had, which is the most survivable type. So I knew right away. Okay, I know this. Um, and so lucky with my diagnosis, with my treatments, um, everything, um, after that, they were stopping, um, uh, breast cancer surgeries because of COVID And I was lucky enough to have. I had to have a full. Right. Mammogram. Or not mammogram. Mastectomy, uh, because they found it, and it was big. Like, I was like, oh, great. Um, so, yeah, because usually right now, um, with breast cancers, they just do lumpectomies. Um, but I grew it. Really well, apparently I grow cancer cells. Great. So, yay. Overachiever as I am. And, uh. And so. So I had to go in, um, had the right mastectomy on April 8th. So really lucky again, just two months later, but really hard. Um, you know, I had my husband drop me off at the car park in the hospital and, uh, you know, had to walk myself in. Had to go through it all alone.

Speaker A: Oh, my God.

Speaker C: That was hard. Yeah. You know, but it's. It's like what you're talking about. Like, you. You can't go around it or under it. You got to go through it. And so you just pick yourself up and you keep going. And I remember. I remember the. They had, like, A sky. You know, sky bridge from the. From the garage into the. Into the hospital. And my husband was, you know, watching me go, and I'm like, I'm not going to cry. So I. I just grabbed my. Both my tips of my hands and, like, did a little, like, shake, like, a little, like, you know, vaudeville number. And then, you know, went into the. Went in through the doors. And, um, that's one thing I found, um, with myself is my sense of humor really helped me through a lot of that, um, because it. Control. And I knew it was false sense of control, but it made me feel like I can make a joke, I can laugh about this, and, um, it makes it a little more palatable. So. Yeah. So, mastectomy in April. Um, I didn't want to be out of the water. My support group for my swim friends was incredible. And I, uh, think ten days after the surgery, I met them for a swim. I couldn't swim, but I had my water shoes on and my shorts, and I walked along the shore as they swam. They were so great. They'd be like, oh, no, I'll walk with you today. You know? And, um, yeah, it was just this incredible support community. Um, and, uh, I did choose to do a rebuild because as a swimmer, we're symmetrical.

Speaker B: Right.

Speaker C: And it felt weird just to have one boob. It just. It just did.

Speaker B: So.

Speaker C: So I was like, yeah, if they would have taken them both, I probably wouldn't have done anything. But, um, I was really lucky. I was a candidate where they used my own body fat to kind of.

Speaker B: Oh, wow.

Speaker C: Make me. I know, right? Isn't this cool? It sounds like elves or something are doing it. So magical. But, um, do you get to pick

Speaker B: where the fat comes from? Be like, no, over here.

Speaker C: Oh, right. No. So I had enough. They take it. Um, it's kind of a. It's. This is. It's really. It's an amazing. It's an amazing surgery. Um, not easy. Seven and a half hours.

Speaker A: Wow.

Speaker C: Uh, but they harvested the belly fat.

Speaker B: Right.

Speaker C: Um, underneath, like, where my. Where my belly button is. Right. They didn't cut through the muscle except to harvest an artery because they have to keep the fat alive.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker C: So then they. Then they, um. They hooked it up to an artery in my chest, and they kind of put the fat all in there, you know? And, uh. I know, right?

Speaker B: Wow.

Speaker C: And then hopefully there's enough blood flow. I was in the hospital for three nights. Again, totally alone. Crazy journey. Yep. Crazy journey. Yeah, they always call it a journey. Your cancer journey. I'M like, worst trip ever. Like, one star. Do not take that trip. Like, no, thank you.

Speaker B: I bet those nurses loved you, though, because you were just making their day with your jokes, right? Oh, my gosh.

Speaker C: Yeah, there was one. I remember there's one point I was pre surgery and. And, you know, hooked up. I had. And I'm m. Like, sorry. I just, like, no, no, just take all your stuff with you. So I did, like, wheel my little IV bag and all my, uh. And, you know, I go, and I come back, I'm getting. Trying to get settled in this weird bed, and across the hall, somebody else waiting for surgery is this guy, and he's kind of looking at me and smiling. I was like. And so just this. I go, you're welcome. Because the whole back of my gown was open. I couldn't hold. I gave Joe and lucky him, you know, so

Speaker A: you just.

Speaker C: You just do you get through it. And, um. Uh. So that's my cancer journey. Yeah. Don't do it. In a global pandemic cancer journey.

Speaker B: Okay, okay, I'll take a little. But on that, you know, no cancer.

Speaker C: Right. Don't do it. Don't do it. Bad journey. But again, it's going back to the grit and going back to what you. What you do. You just. You do it. And, uh, how you do it is. Is your choice. And, yeah, so I had some good. And so afterwards, it was a lot getting my arm movement back, um, and all of that.

Speaker B: Did it change your stroke? Do you feel like.

Speaker C: Yeah, for sure at first, you know, and she knew I was a swimmer, um, my pt. And so she's like, yeah, you're an athlete. She's like, let's do this. We're going to get you back in the water. And. And, um, yeah, for sure. It really did. Um, but, you know, you come back. So I'm lucky to be here.

Speaker B: Then you can just the little blip on the radar. Oh, yeah. And then there was that year I had cancer. It's, like, so weird to be able to. And there was a pandemic, uh, whatever.

Speaker C: You do what you do, you know? Yeah. Yeah. I learned a lot. I mean, I have a love of life that I didn't have before, an appreciation for every day, um, and knowing it can come back. My type does not usually come back, which is great. Um, I'm very lucky that way. But it still makes me, um. You know, we always say, oh, we're all going to die. We're all, you know, all these little things. But when you have cancer, diagnosis like, suddenly, like, you know, death is right here and just looking at you and you're living with it every day for the first time. It's not on the back burner. It's not another room that you can compartmentalize in your brain. It just becomes very real. And, uh. And it really. It's a gift. It really is a gift.

Speaker B: Not the wake up call that you want, but a wake up. But a wake up call nonetheless, maybe. Right?

Speaker C: Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker A: Interesting.

Speaker B: Yeah. And then there's this ability to, um, push through that. You've this muscle that you've built through that cancer journey. That's where you are. Is that. But that you know. So you know this about yourself. But I'm curious, like, does it. Is that something, you know, you don't want to go through that journey again, but do you want. Uh, when did that. When was the Alligator Lighthouse. When was that before or after the cancer journey?

Speaker C: It was after.

Speaker A: After?

Speaker C: It was after, yeah. Yeah.

Speaker B: So you had that to tap that muscle. You'd already flexed that muscle. So you're like, oh, I can do this. I can do hard things. Yeah.

Speaker A: Interesting.

Speaker C: Yeah. A hundred percent. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. It probably made me do, um, things a little less, uh. I don't want to say protected. That doesn't sound like the right word. But it made me, um, do things with a little less control. I'm a big control freak. I'm a Virgo. I love having everything, you know, all together, things like that. And it really made me kind of have to go like this and let go. Yeah. And so it would. I would swim and, you know, we'd go by a dock and I'd have to jump on the dock and, like, jump off into a cannonball. Like, just, you know, joys of life that maybe we, as adults, we don't really think about, but I. I would do that a little bit more. Um, taking those opportunities.

Speaker B: Yeah. I think that's just a good policy anyway to swim by a dock and do a cannonball. But I guess if you're trying to win the race, isn't it, you know, it's probably harder to convince yourself that you could do that. Interesting, right? So many things to think about. Oh, my gosh. Wow. So when did you start? Um, the. When did you take. Because you were involved with the Whidbey island adventure swim. You said since it started, but it was maybe only recently that you started being the race director. Tell. Tell me a little bit about that.

Speaker C: So race started in 2011. Uh, this is our 15th anniversary, which is kind of fun. Um, I did it that first year and then the next year I was like this is really cool. Want to be a part of putting this on? So, um, I was on the committee um, for I guess 14 years now. And I've been the race director for I think seven or the last seven or eight. And it's me and I'm just the race director title. But there's a group of uh, another 10, 11 people that make this happen. They put it on. We love it. We've done it for a long time. Um, and people just come out and have a really good time at our race. We're really safe. We make sure there's a lot of safety and um. And uh. But mainly we just have a lot of fun, good time.

Speaker B: Yeah. And I mean I love that it's called the Whidbey Island Adventure Swim. So I hope that encourages some cannonball jumping. But right, tell who had the idea to do it like you know, were you there? And like it's, it's like um, initial stages like help envisioning it or just pushing it along.

Speaker C: There were three um, folk master swimmers here on the south end that really loved open water. And they're like we live in an amazing place. Let's see if we can put on a USMS sanctioned cold water swim race. And so they went through USMS and learned all the stuff that you have to have. The safety plan and the Coast Guard stuff and all the things and buoy placement and all those race things. And so they figured all that out um, and then put it on. And uh, that first year it was just a uh, regular course, people. It's a 1.2 or 2.4 mile swim. Um, and so people doing the 2.4 mile had to go around the triangle like four times or something crazy. Um, uh, and then eventually we made it just into a long rectangle along the shore, uh, which was great. It's a good swim for first time race folks that is along the shore. And so that makes people feel a little more secure. They can walk out if they need to. Um, and uh, yeah, so those three started it and started a committee and we just kind of rolled from there. First year we had there was 19 of us uh, swimming and I think almost all of us were from Whidbey. And as of um, this year, last couple of years we've bumped up. We have 125 uh, spots that open up. We open up for registration usually the first week in March. And we've been Selling out all the positions for the last. Since probably 2018. And, uh, this year we sold out an hour and 50 minutes. And last year we sold out in 48 minutes, so.

Speaker B: Wow.

Speaker C: Yeah, we're popular, which is really fun. And, uh, and I think maybe 10% of the swimmers are from Whippy and everybody else is kind of from Seattle, Tacoma, Portland. It's a good event.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

Speaker B: I've had a few of my swimmers have done it and they just love the. I mean, like you said, like, it's a nice. Well, it's cool that they get to swim. I mean, there's the cold water, there's. The distances obviously are great for ironman training, but they don't have to do the bike in the run. So you can show them there's open water swimming.

Speaker C: Exactly.

Speaker B: I can run. But then to be able to practice in salt water and cold water and against. They go against the current. Right. And then they ride it. Do they go which way does it go? Yeah, you go against the current and then ride back.

Speaker C: Or that's usually. That's what we hope for. Um, yeah. Tied. Yeah. It's so crazy.

Speaker B: Those currents. They don't actually just do what we say. Okay, you're right.

Speaker C: Right. I know you've got. We've got a little bit of Eddie that happens. And so I love listening to the swimmers wouldn't get out. Like, oh, the current was so hard. It was, you know, going against us. I know it was going against us and we were coming back. And so there's this, you know, everyone has different experiences. Um, but it's. We purposely choose of the race. It's different every year based on tides, based on those currents. Um, because we have to get, you know, safety boats out off the boat ramp. And if m tide is low, um, you know, they can't get out or they can't get back in. They've got to have time to get back in. Um, we have it at Seawell park in Langley. And that beach is a tide flat. And so the water has to be either coming in or be high enough. Uh, so it won't drop below 5 because otherwise, you know, people are sinking up to their knees in sand, which isn't. So there's a lot of little tricky. There's a lot of timing to it. And, uh, we definitely take time to carry it into account.

Speaker B: Wow. Yeah. That's a whole lot. It takes an army, right, to pull these things off, huh? To think of all the things. It's amazing.

Speaker C: The committee is so incredible. We have a guy, um, who's been on the committee I think since the race started, who worked for Taylor Shellfish, who's a marine biologist and knows all the time, all the stuff. And we have um, a person who works at NOAA who has his PhD in um, in meteorology and weather. And it's like we've put together this like, you know, dream team. That's amazing, people. Yes, it is. That help and everyone is, is so great. And um, we just love sharing where we live and, and we, we have a really good time.

Speaker B: That's so cool. I love it, man. It's been so fun talking to you. I could talk to you all day. But I, I have one last question. How do you motivate yourself to go swim by yourself? I'm like, it's such a block for me to go do anything. Like I can't even go work out in my garage by myself. Have the fortitude show up for yourself like that. It's amazing.

Speaker C: I hear that. Well, how, how far like do you. Is it kind of a ways for you get to water? Like where's your closest water?

Speaker B: I have an endless pool in my backyard.

Speaker C: Oh, I love that. I love that for you. Okay, I get that. Right? No, I get that.

Speaker B: It should be so easy. Yeah, but. And I have a million excuses. You know, when the kids were little, I didn't want to wake them up because the current machine's in the garage and their bedrooms are above that. So of course, you know, like I've had. I. The excuses is miles long. Um, um. And then now it's like I teach lessons for this big block in the afternoon. So like I'll just swim after that and then, you know, I get out after that and make dinner.

Speaker C: Yeah.

Speaker B: The pool's right there though. It's more like I just need to carve out the time I need the secret. What's the secret sauce? There's a secret sauce, right?

Speaker C: Secret sauce. Yeah. Where. Where is the uh, where's the closest wild swimming?

Speaker B: You had a wild swimming? Yeah. That's a different story. That's 30 minutes and again, nine, 11 year old kid, kids to school, lunches, packing. I just it when I went last Friday and it was great, but I had to like pack lunches the night before, make sure the husband, you know, and if that's on me too, like they're old enough, we could, they can do all this themselves. I'm having to let go of like. Okay, you'll be fine. I'm just gonna go do my thing. I'm still working on that.

Speaker C: No, I get it. Oh, my gosh. I packed, um, my. When my girls graduated, I think we. We counted how many lunches I packed because I like doing it. Like, they were. They could care less. I'm like, I need to pack you lunch. Like, I love it. I love that you said that. Cause I was the same way. And I. I packed like 3,000 something lunches, like, during the period. I was like, wow. But it's great. I don't know, but that's so funny. But you're in the midst of it. I mean, all of the. The parenting and all the stuff that you've got going on and. And I think just be good to yourself. Don't. Don't should on yourself. You know, I should do this. I should do that. But, yeah, I. For me, when my kids were little, that time in the water was the time where I could truly be just me. I didn't have to worry about anybody else showing up for anybody else, taking care of anybody else. And so that was kind of what kept me sane. What was the. You know, and there's a lot going on. So, yeah, just be good. Be good to yourself. And, um, awesome when you do it. Don't feel bad when you don't.

Speaker B: Right. And for you, it sounds like it's a sacred space that you hold for

Speaker C: yourself a hundred percent.

Speaker B: That's beautiful. And we should all hold a, uh, sacred space for ourselves wherever we can find it. Right?

Speaker C: I love that. Yes. Yes, exactly. Exactly.

Speaker B: Thank you so much, Teresa. It's been lovely chatting with you, Shannon.

Speaker C: Thanks. This has been so much fun. I wish you all the best, and hopefully we'll cross paths again.

Speaker A: Thanks so much for spending part of your day here listening to stories from the water. I know there are thousands of things vying for your time and attention, so the fact that you choose to be here, to tune into these voices, these experiences, Experiences truly means a lot. Stories help us understand ourselves, connect with others, and make sense of this wild, beautiful world. They're more than entertainment. They're lifelines. They're bridges. And sometimes they're the spark that keeps us moving forward. If this episode spoke to you, if it made you feel something or see things differently, I'd love it if you left a review on your podcast provider or shared it with someone who might need it, too. That's how these stories ripple out and reach the people who need them most. Until next time, take care, and thanks for listening.