A week from today, I’ll be in Los Angeles for final prep before hopping on a boat to head to Catalina Island to kick off my attempt at Uberman.
The boat ride will take about two hours. The swim back to shore will be a bit closer to 15 hours…
I’ve done all the training I can do and now it’s just a matter of whether or I’m able I can put together five days of execution. I’m well past the physical challenge of the ordeal. It’s become a massive puzzle:
… How to manage a 21-mile swim that starts in the dark and likely ends in the dark
… How I’ll keep myself going while still deploying good judgement after what’s safe and responsible to my family and myself.
… What to do if the current is strong. Or the winds create chop. Or there’s a migration of sea lions causing a shark feeding frenzy. Or that I’m just plain tired and unable to safely continue.
… Then if I finish the swim, how to get on a bike less than 12 hours later to start the first of two, 200-mile cycling segments knowing I’ll have back pain after the first 90 minutes…
… And if I finish the bike, how to start, continue, and complete a 135-mile trek by foot over 36 hours.
Yep, shit is getting real.