We never, ever, ever give up.

There is definitely a common character trait amongst all marathon swimmers.  We simply do not quit.  It does not matter if the conditions are perfect.  Actually, we quite like it if we are presented with cold, inhospitable, or simple impossible conditions.  It helps us achieve the sacred mark of The One Who Did Not Give Up. 

I love the Winston Churchill's quote: "Never, ever, ever give up."  I wore it proudly on the back of my tie-dyed-for-conference-championships t-shirt during my senior year of college, the year that I spent weeks in the hospital and spent the weeks of winter break recovering from surgery instead of training with my team. 

Our endurance attitude lets us achieve mind-boggling feats.  Like Phillipe Croizon, a quadruple amputee who swam the English Channel in thirteen and a half hours, or Antonio Abertondo, who swam the Channel both ways.  In 1961.  Before Carbo Pro or gels or even soft and comfy swim suits and goggles. 

The swimmer's psyche does not change when they get out of the water.  We are still that diehard person in every aspect of life.  Chances are, if you have met or are a marathon swimmer, you can attest that we are the most stubborn, determined, and slightly insane people you ever met. 

So when JC and I met, we BOTH brought our marathon swimmer souls to the table.  Really.  Life can get pretty ridiculous.  Especially when you consider that many of our friends are marathon swimmers as well.  We just do not know when to stop!

That is how I find myself in situations like yesterday afternoon.  Surfing in the Gulf of Mexico.  The gulf actually can bring forth some pretty decent surf, but the waves, although small, are best suited for tiny, light shortboards.  Shredding and doing tricks.

Of course, not knowing how to call it quits, I will paddle out my longboard and give it a try!  The wipeouts are not as bad in the gulf...as long as you don't wipeout into the sand...so it is easier to try new stuff.  And to not quit. 

The winter training that I missed during college was actually at the beach of my current home where I swim and surf.  Most of the people that I swam with in college are done with their swimming career.  But I am still swimming, plugging away when everyone else has left.

When I swim along the gulf coast, I think about how I had to pause life nearly a decade ago.  But that does not mean I stopped.  Just that the conditions were a little bit rough and it was time for a breather.  Time to stop for an unplanned feed. 

But that is okay.  Us marathon swimmers like it tough.  The more impossible the situation, not just in swimming, but in anything, the more we just have to do it.