I was in it to swim it, she was in it to win it. There’s a lot to unpack from this one. Kamiah went into yesterday’s rendition of the Long Bridge Swim (the largest open water swim in the PNW) riding the wave of her trip to Western Zones last week. Daddy’s been out of the water this year (literally without a pool), focused on the bike training and events like the Crusher In The Tushar and next week’s Breck Epic.
We decided earlier this summer with heavy hearts that we’d skip the 27th annual Long Bridge (we treasure our annual August open water events back on the North Idaho waters of my youth), knowing I just didn’t have enough water time under me to pull off the nearly two mile open water swim. After punching her ticket to Western Zones on the last evening at State, we put together a week-long trip to Fresno on the fly, and between that unplanned (and un-budgeted) trip and still feeling beat up from the Crusher effort, we pulled the plug on next week’s Breck Epic, which opened the door for a rendezvous with our favorite open water event. When I asked Kamiah on Monday whether she wanted to take on the Long Bridge this week or not, the smile was undeniable.
We missed Amanda this trip as this was the first August ritual swim back on the North Idaho waters of my youth that she’s not been with us. There’s always a buzz for racer/swimmer registration on Friday night at Sandpoint High School after the long six+ hour trek and we were certainly riding the wave Saturday morning after a good sleep in the back of the truck at our go to camp spot on the North Shores of Lake Pend Oreille. Like we always do, we drove to Sandpoint High School for the racer meeting, gathering and bussing, listening to our Common Kings songs that would guide our rhythm and pace for the duration of the Swim. Kamiah went with 24/7, the same song that guided her in 2021 to a strong finish, with a 78 beat per minute rhythm and I stuck with Wade In Your Water, with a 75 beat count.
The racer meeting for this event is always special. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, near the Canada border (North Idaho born and NW Washington raised), I’ve always loved the Canadian anthem and a local Sandpoint girl led us with that before singing our National Anthem, which is a special start to the race. There’s always a really palpable buzz getting on the busses as they shuttle us to the from the high school to the south end of the Long Bridge.
Kamiah went in with a big goal: win her age group. She was in the thick of it with the leaders for most of the swim, taking 4th in her age group, 17th out of 250+ female’s and 48th overall out of 500+ swimmers. I loved how audacious Kamiah was in her goal, and how she didn’t get so wrapped up in the result, that she forgot to soak in the experience and to honor the struggle. 17th out of 250+ females!! That’s a result worth celebrating. I don’t believe we can let the result be bigger than it is, but when the results come, it’s pretty cool.
I on the other hand, had two goals: soak up this treasured daddy/daughter experience and finish. With a dozen swims under my belt this year, I knew it was going to be a struggle—and the choppy conditions, currents, waves didn’t help, but boy did these waters of my youth humble me yesterday. This swim shattered me. I cramped at least four times and swam far longer than I ever have.
I really didn’t know if I could pull this swim off with his little time I’ve been in the water this year. I had to dig so deep, fight so long (I cramped like a mug), and find the toughness within, just to finish. I navigated the fear and anxious parts, “can I do this on so little swim training?”, with grit and grace, swimming longer (time wise) than I ever have before—by nearly 25 minutes—on less swim specific training than I’ve ever done in the last ten years.
Like every event, I learned so much from this experience. Toughness isn’t a machismo ability to just push through the fear, doubts, uncertainty and anxieties, but the ability to navigate these thoughts and feelings with grit and grace.
I’ve always said, there’s fitness and there’s swim fitness. I’ve been putting lots of time into my training this year, and I’m fit on the bike and in the weight room right now, but that didn’t really translate to the water, without putting in that swim specific work. These swimmers are special. I’m in awe of what Kamiah pulled off yesterday—what so many of these young and old swimmers did.
This event is special. Sharing these daddy/daughter experiences are something I truly treasure. I took one for the team yesterday and got to see Kamiah shine in her element. This girl inspires me in so many ways–it’s so multilayered. I’m feeling awfully grateful, loved, tough, beat up and humbled today.
I love this girl.
WNbL, mwl
Keeping the Cosmic Cowboy post swim ritual alive.
