The Origins of Olympic Swimming

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In 1896, the first Olympic gold medals in swimming were won in open water, not the pool, by a Hungarian named Alfred Hajos.

The conditions: 12-foot waves and 50 degree water. After receiving his gold in the 1200 meters, Hajos was quoted as saying "my will to live completely overcame my desire to win."




Sounds pretty extreme.

Who's the toughest swimmer of all time?

Lynne Cox.

You've never heard of her. Some have compared her to Lance Armstrong. But compared to what she has done, Lance Armstrong was a "pansy on a tricycle." What could she have done that surpasses his multiple Tour de France wins and comeback from cancer to win even more?

Imagine starting a five-hour swim and five hours later finding that you were farther from the finish line than when you started. Thanks to high seas and nasty currents, that's where Cox found herself in New Zealand's Cook Strait. She didn't stop.

Read more about TOUGH swimming HERE. Simply amazing.

If you ever start to think about complaining again when the water is 77F, maybe you should think again.





How would you describe -your- swimming toughness? :-)