Realising your dreams

"Dreams that do come true can be as unsettling as those that don't." - Brett Butler

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Today:

US woman, 64, makes history with Cuba-Florida swim

"Diana Nyad swam into the history books Monday, completing a marathon three-day crossing from Cuba to Florida to become the first person to do so without a protective shark cage.

The 64-year-old American, who left a Havana yacht club early Saturday, arrived on a Key West beach to realize her lifetime quest after four previous attempts failed amid stormy weather and jellyfish attacks.

"I've got three messages," a visibly exhausted Nyad, her face puffy and sunburned, told cheering crowds as she walked ashore.

"One is, we should never, ever give up. Two is, you never are too old to chase your dreams."

"Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it's a team," Nyad added in a nod to her supporters"


In July, a month and a half ago:

Susan Taylor dies during English Channel charity swim

"Susan Taylor, 34, from Barwell, Leicestershire, died in Boulogne on Sunday after she "suddenly collapsed" on the final part of the challenge.

She was doing the 21-mile (34km) endurance test to raise money for Rainbows Hospice in Loughborough and Diabetes UK...

In the statement, the family said: "Susan was an experienced long-distance swimmer and had prepared tirelessly for the challenge...

"She was a very good swimmer; you used to see her going up and down in the fast lane at the pool and all the staff there knew her and got to know what she was doing"...

Earlier this year Ms Taylor spoke to BBC Radio Leicester about her determination to complete the challenge.

She gave up her full time job as a chartered accountant to dedicate more time to training and often swam for up to six hours a day.

The idea of first swimming the Channel came to her as a child.

She said: "A lady said to me, when I was going to a swimming gala, would you swim the Channel when you're older? I can remember looking up to the old lady and saying 'yes I would'.

"For some reason I decided I hadn't achieved that goal so I decided to charter a boat and swim the Channel."

"I'm quite a determined person so when I decided to do it I do what I say I'm going to do," she added...

Irish swimmer Paraic Casey, 45, died while attempting to swim the Channel in July 2012."


Survivorship bias: the dirty secret of motivational shit.

And in this case, it's literally survivorship bias.