Liz Fry’s Marathon Swim Story

I had to prod International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honoree, Liz Fry, several times before she finally agreed to be our guest on Marathon Swim Stories. What a treat it was to hear her tell tales from her nearly 2 decade long career. The oldest person to complete the Oceans Seven, and the only person to ever double all of the lakes in the 4 day, 41 mile SCAR swim challenge – that’s right, 82 miles in 4 days! Liz is incredibly humble about here accomplishments while quietly motivating marathon swimmers the world over with her achievements and her words of encouragement.

In her own words: I was born in New York City but learned to swim when we moved to Long Beach, Long Island at the municipal swimming pool.  We moved to Westport, Connecticut when I was in 6th grade and I joined the age group team at the YMCA.  I swam at the University of Connecticut and then after college started working and stopped swimming. I didn’t think people swam after college.  Luckily, I came back to Westport before moving into NYC for a Wall Street job and started swimming with the local Masters team.  It was there I met amazing “adults” who showed me that swimming was a lifetime sport. Unfortunately, city life, graduate school, and long work hours led me away from swimming to running through most of the 1990s.

I always loved to swim and body surf.  As a kid my dream was to swim the English Channel.  My father was British so as children we five kids heard constantly that to be a “real” swimmer, you would have to conquer this swim.  I was very blessed that he was still alive and came to Dover, UK  in 2003 when I completed it. 

I am a little dorky – my day job is consulting to global banks, broker-dealers and capital market firms on corporate strategy and tax & compliance initiatives. Outside of work, I volunteer as the Marathon Director for the St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound which fundraises over $2 million to support patients and their families impacted by cancer. I started an event called the “January Jam” in 2008 in honor of Dave Parcells that raises funds for MS while challenging participants to swim as much as they can for the month of January.   I also volunteer as a coach/mentor and judge for the Fordham Foundry Pitch Challenge, Fordham University’s hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. As a member of the Board of Directors, I have led the development of strategic plans for the Westport/Weston YMCA and Safe Haven for Ethiopia (SHYE) a non-profit 501(c)3 organization operating in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. SHYE runs a children’s center which serves 115 impoverished children between the ages of five and eighteen.

Swimming-wise I am self funded and have an amazing crew led by my sister Peggy.  We have been to lots of beautiful places, experienced wonderful cultures and met incredible people.  I am so thankful for all the support I have received along the way from fellow swimmers, organizers and boat captains.