Extra Inspiration That Keeps Us Working Out!

Do you sometimes need extra inspiration to keep working out? I do too.

Enter Diana Nyad...remember her? Diana Nyad, now 61, is a former world record holding American swimmer. Diana broke many records including the 50-year-old mark for circling the island of Manhattan in 1975 in 7 hours and 57 minutes. 

In 1979 she completed the longest swim in history...102.5 miles from Bimini to Florida.

In one of the few things she tried (publicly) but did not succeed, Diana attempted to swim from Cuba to Florida in 1978. Though she swam for an incredible 49 hours and 41 minutes in a metal shark cage, she couldn't finish due to high winds and high seas.

After a ten year stint as a top swimmer, Nyad went on to pursue a career as a sports announcer on TV and as radio commentator on NPR. She has also written three books, "Other Shore," "Basic Training," and  "The Keyshawn Johnson Story."  

 Not long ago, facing her 60th birthday and feeling the weight of the approaching milestone, Diana (photos left and below) asked herself  what she regretted the most in her life. It turned out to be the aborted attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida. So, two summers ago Diana began training for the swim again. 

For the last year, her training has consisted of swimming point to point and island to island in the Caribbean. She even once swam from St. Maarten to Anguilla. The Cuba-to-Florida swim is scheduled for June or July.

The now-61-year-old will have a support team of 25 and and will no longer have to deal with the shark cage, but will use the more scientifically advanced "shark screen."

I'll be watching, because Diana has become my latest fitness inspiration. You can keep up with Diana's plans and progress at her website, diananyad.com/blog.

What about you? Leave us a comment below on the person who inspires your fitness training.