This will be my running blog post for my journey to Greece and competing for the US National Team at the Freediving World Championships
Friday, September 20, 2024
The journey has begun. 2 days to Greece. This is going to be a doozy. 12 hours forward, 12 hours in layovers, 21 hours in flights. Please don’t lose my bag. 😱
It has been an amazing journey over the past six months. Training and preparing for this years World Championships. It is an honor to represent the United States at this event. Last year in Roatán, Honduras I set the Masters (50 over) Continental Record for the Americas (North, Central, South) in the Constant Weight Discipline.
Saturday and Sunda, September 21 &22, 2024
Wow, what a trip that was. Half way around the world and finally made it to Greece. Was a little rushed in Paris and almost missed my flight as they kept moving gates, and my final gate ended up in a completely different terminal I had to shuttle to and go the customs and security twice. But I made it.
Monday, September 23, 2024
Today was my rest day after two days of travel. I get back in the water tomorrow for my first training days dives. Just random photos below you can scroll through from around this beautiful small town. Some things I have noticed:
1. Lots of after school centers for youth
2. Most small businesses close about 4pm
3. Good prices on food
4. Lots of graffiti-I have been told dates back to the financial crisis Greece had years ago.
5. Cats are so chill just hanging out in random places.
6. No clothes dryers, hang dry only
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
My first day in the water to train. I had an early morning dive, and sun was not quite over the mountain yet. So it was a bit cold. As I did my dive, I could feel the thermocline on my face. Still made the dive, then got to sit on the boat and warmup. The water here is a dark blue, and at 200+ feet of water does get a bit darker.
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Day 2 of training- Today was CNF day or better known as NO FINS. You swim down breaststroke, and swim up, these dives are not as deep, but obviously a lot tougher. Training dive went as planned. It was a little tougher, because I had not slept well as jet lag kept me up most of the night. Also I don’t think I was hydrated like I should have been. Some first for me today. I had my first latte coffee in my 54 years of life. I took my first ice bath to try and help with my sciatica which was triggered from my long 2 days flight to Greece. And something really cool. There are some doctors from Spain here doing cardiovascular research on freedivers. So I volunteered to help them with some research. Had ECG done and got to see my heart via ultrasound. Tomorrow will be a rest day, so will have time to explore a little and rest up.
