Eric Schall’s Marathon Swim Story
I always talk with my clients about marathon swims being events.
Not races.
They are milestones in our life, like getting married, or having kids…
They become part of our being. A source of pride, a reminder of what we are capable of in tough times.
But what if that event involved a close call with a squaliform that landed you in the emergency room 9 and a half hours into your swim?
How do you internalize that experience and move on?
Eric Schall knows all too well.
I hope you enjoy his story!
In his own words:
I am from Kingston Pennsylvania. I have been involved with sports my whole life. I was a bicycle racer in my 20s and 30s. To maintain my fitness, I started swimming in the off season. I quickly discovered that swimming was easier on my body than bicycle racing and that I could swim for many hours and still feel great the next day. My first 10K swim was in Lake George and I was hooked! I gradually challenged myself by increasing the distances: a 10-mile swim in the Potomac River (2016), a 15-mile swim in Lake Memphremagog (2017), 20 Bridges (2017) and one of two stages (completed Stage 5) of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim (2019). Life was good!
Of course, there were challenges with some other swims. In 2019, I attempted to swim the Molokai Channel in Hawaii and was bitten by a shark after 9 hours of swimming. After 3 months of recovery, I completed Stage 6 of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim. Upon reflection, I probably should have not participated in the event because I was not completely recovered, but I was anxious to get back to swimming. Later that year I completed the 3 Rivers Marathon Swim in Pittsburgh. Since 2020, swimming (and life) have been a challenge for everyone. I was lucky to have an endless pool at my home to continue swimming during the pandemic.
I have experienced failures and successes in marathon swimming, and I feel like I have been able to apply those experiences to my everyday life. I hope that my enjoyment of pushing through and making the best of challenging situations inspires others to find their own journey of happiness and success.
