The fearless 60-year-old marathon swimmer, her devoted coach, and the impossible swim from Cuba to Florida — The swim I want to do is 60 hours. That’s Cuba to Florida. And it’s outrageous and it’s overambitious, but I think I can make it. And that’s my last swim. — Diane Nyad, (professional marathon swimmer, age 28 years old, 1978) After a year of training, Diane Nyad attempted…

How underdogs chase progress, not perfection — “Are you just learning to swim?” That’s what a stranger asked me while I was joyfully swimming in the Pacific Ocean. I laughed and replied. “Oh — am I that bad?” I told him I’d been practicing open water swimming regularly for the past two years and I was surprised…

The power of counting to ten and living the dream — “The swim will be a nightmare,” I whispered. Me and a slew of bodies splashing in the rocky waves in skin-numbing temperature. I was hyped up on nerves and adrenaline on Race Day — but I had zero sleep the night before. One hundred nineteen women of different ages and…

The Journey of a Mermaid — My swim technique is based on my “terrified of drowning” 10-year-old self — the girl who hated swim lessons, the deep end, and gasped for breath in the shallow end with fingers clenched to the edge. I could barely do the doggy paddle and a weak frantic front crawl, but…

December Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Freestyle Six” — I stop. Smile. Every single time. We’re open for submissions and invite you to submit to the current December Challenge — “Freestyle Six.” Can you tell a story in six words inspired by a photo taken by yourself? Remember — no backstories are allowed for December. Deadline is NOON, Thursday, December 21, 2023, Pacific Standard Time. …

December Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Freestyle Six” — Beautiful mess stranded on the beach. We’re open for submissions and invite you to submit to the current December Challenge — “Freestyle Six.” Can you tell a story in six words inspired by a photo taken by yourself? Remember — no backstories are allowed for December. Deadline is NOON, Thursday, December 21, 2023, Pacific Standard Time. …

Hot yoga, a dude named Danny & a sweaty bikini — Doing it like Danny I’ve done yoga, but that evening was the first time I experienced 26 poses of yoga plus 2 breathing exercises — in a room hot as flaming hell with 30+ scantily clad strangers. The temperature was cranked up to a steamy 40 degrees C (104 F) — geared to make…

Fitness Bit #50 | I like to get around — Fitness Bit #51: Can you be faithful to just one? When I walked into the hot yoga studio this fall, the owner said, “Hey Mary, it’s been so long since we’ve seen you. Where have you been? We’ve missed you!” “Oh, yeah. Well, summer happened, and then I just never got back into the studio. But I absolutely love the…

December Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Freestyle Six” — Be free! Fly — you’ve got wings. The December Challenge is “Freestyle Six” brought to you by me — Mary Chang This month, we’re going back to the basics, and December is about simplicity. All submissions will be “freestyle.” This means your photo story can be about a topic of your choice. The only requirement is that it must be six words. And absolutely no backstory! Six words, one photo. The…