Home waters, childhood docks, a finish line farther than planned. Pride and cheers carried me into history.

Horns, sirens, tears in goggles. Seventeen miles later, I crawled out lighter than I began. Changed forever.

Shallow waters, punishing chop, and a gut punch: this wasn’t a 14 mile swim, it was going to be closer to 17.

Johnson’s Bay stripped me down. Cold, shaking, slipping. My crew’s hot water and fire kept me alive.

Buttermilk Point → Fish Hatchery → Griffiths Marina → Natti Crow Beach → Enchanted Hills As I powered around the east side of Lake...

. The south shore was a grind of silence, weeds, and whispers of doubt.

The dock was cold. The water colder. One kiss, one breath — and I slipped into the silence of Lake Wawasee.