Every day I go in the water, I make sure I tell it, I love you.

My love affair with the sea began through learning about myself as a swimmer, learning acceptance of self exactly as I am, and learning from the signs of life in a world completely unfamiliar to me. Each day when I look out towards the sea, I see something new to behold. I see the embrace…… Continue reading Every day I go in the water, I make sure I tell it, I love you.

The Amy Hiland Double Swim: Celebrating Community, Discovery, and the Puget Sound

There’s no other way to start this blog post than to say this swim was for you. This swim was to celebrate community. My swim community. My open water buddies and my pool lane mates, family and friends near and far. All of you who have helped me achieve my goals, who have inspired others…… Continue reading The Amy Hiland Double Swim: Celebrating Community, Discovery, and the Puget Sound

Swimming the Enchantments: There’s a new lake filled with love, respect, trust, and kindness

A very good friend and human being whom I respect dearly once posted a picture with the caption “The swimming equivalent of ‘always play tennis with players who are better than you.’ ” This phrase has been at the forefront of my mind the past three days as my initial plan at an ice mile…… Continue reading Swimming the Enchantments: There’s a new lake filled with love, respect, trust, and kindness

Swimming Alaska: Adventure, Excitement, Vulnerability, and Solitude in Nature

It’s hard to express how much I enjoyed the Change Your Latitude – 57˚ N Challenge, one of the northernmost open water swims. The swim itself, a combined 10k/6k/3k/1k open water swim located in beautiful Sitka, Alaska and organized by  Baranof Barracuda Swim Club, is fantastic in itself because of how inclusive the event is.…… Continue reading Swimming Alaska: Adventure, Excitement, Vulnerability, and Solitude in Nature

Marathon Swimming Meets the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame

The past several years have been an incredible journey. I’ve swam across the United States and around the world. I’ve met people of all different backgrounds and cultures, learning about their daily lives, dreams, and desires. I’ve watched as friends reframed thoughts on their potential and witnessed them achieve goals then raise the bar higher.…… Continue reading Marathon Swimming Meets the Greater Lansing Area Sports Hall of Fame

Winter Mountain Hike-in Swimming: When experience is in deficit, make smart decisions and learn

Swim flop. That pretty much sums up my most recent adventure into the mountains. However, things are not always as they seem. While I (cough, cough), didn’t swim on this trip, I learned a ton about my solo comfort level in the backcountry and mountain snow in search of winter swimming paradise, the reality of…… Continue reading Winter Mountain Hike-in Swimming: When experience is in deficit, make smart decisions and learn

Join me August 15th in Seattle for Grit+Resilience!

Join me on August 15, 2018 for the Thinkspace Grit+Resilience talk in Seattle! Super excited to be speaking about open water swimming, balancing professional success and personal passion, and how my journey to the Triple Crown parallels the entrepreneurial spirit. It’ll be a great talk, open question session, and mingle. RSVP to the Thinkspace Grit+Resilience meetup invite.…… Continue reading Join me August 15th in Seattle for Grit+Resilience!

20 Bridges Manhattan Island Marathon Swim: Drop expectations and just swim

New York, the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, the Big Flipper (at least that’s what I like to call it). This is the city where you can dream big, where anything can happen, and anything is exactly what happened. New York was the last leg of the Triple Crown, an open water swimming…… Continue reading 20 Bridges Manhattan Island Marathon Swim: Drop expectations and just swim

Body Image II: Pink Sprinkled Doughnuts, Let the Frosting do the Talking

Body transformation is an amazing thing and for me it all started with a pink sprinkled doughnut. To see yourself physically look one way and then to see yourself physically look another way….. hold up, I bet you’re thinking about weight loss. A body transformation where you work hard to reduce your size, reduce your…… Continue reading Body Image II: Pink Sprinkled Doughnuts, Let the Frosting do the Talking

One More Wave: Helping Veterans and Surfers by Swimming around Manhattan Island

The countdown is on to New York and I’ll be the first to admit that it’s felt like a rough go this training year. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to finish no matter what, but it will be a challenge! For so many reasons my swim, work, and personal schedule hasn’t been as optimal…… Continue reading One More Wave: Helping Veterans and Surfers by Swimming around Manhattan Island

Inspiration: Heart, Commitment, Pursuit and Story

Inspiration is a funny thing.  It can come from anyone, anywhere, and at any time.  This year I was fortunate enough to be awarded the VO2 Inspirational Person of the Year Award for the 2017 season.  I’ve spoken on so many occasions this year about my English Channel swim, marathon swimming, training plans, health and…… Continue reading Inspiration: Heart, Commitment, Pursuit and Story

Swim the Suck: What happens when performance and enjoyment are removed from the equation? We learn.

How do you plan for an event that you knew going into it you wouldn’t be performing at your best? You go into it confident in the love of your sport and make an enjoyment plan instead of a performance plan. That is exactly what I did, I planned on enjoying Swim the Suck, enjoying…… Continue reading Swim the Suck: What happens when performance and enjoyment are removed from the equation? We learn.

Scoops of Sherbet: What is your purpose? (a serious, not serious post)

What is your purpose? I challenge people to really think about that question. Not discuss it with others or bounce ideas of one another, but really think about the things they are doing in life, their beliefs, the relationships they have, their emotional connections and how they all align. Do they align with what you…… Continue reading Scoops of Sherbet: What is your purpose? (a serious, not serious post)

England to France: The Beautiful Wait Begins….

What a trip, what a journey and it’s not even begun! I’ve been in Dover, England for a little over a week and it has been a beautiful, humbling, frustrating, amazing and wonderful experience that is just beginning. The travel to Dover took about 22 hours between car, flight, luggage transfer, layovers, but we arrived…… Continue reading England to France: The Beautiful Wait Begins….

The 100x100s Swimtacular Fundraiser Recap: A Day of Smiles, Swimming and Friends

What an amazing day filled with fun, friends and swimming for The 100x100s Swimtacular, a fundraiser for my English Channel attempt in August of 2017. After months of planning, I was so excited the night before I could hardly sleep. I woke up extra early to double check everything, make sure I had everything packed,…… Continue reading The 100x100s Swimtacular Fundraiser Recap: A Day of Smiles, Swimming and Friends

Race Report: Catalina Channel Swim, Just Close your Eyes

Let’s start off with the indescribable feeling of how excited I was! Walking down to the dock at 7pm the night of the swim, the warm southern California breeze, Bobby the seal eating fish off a boat, smiles, handshakes, pelicans gliding in the water…. Ah, what a night it will be! We all settle into…… Continue reading Race Report: Catalina Channel Swim, Just Close your Eyes