History of Chicot Challenge, (Part III)

To this day, Chicot II (2013) remains the toughest swim I ever did. I knew pretty early on it was going to be a long day at the office. The water was choppy, the weather was threatening, and by half way in I wanted out. But my crew: Randy, Robin, and my son Forrest, pushed me on to the finish. Once we had to take refuge from a major storm under the causeway. We had begun that day at Lake Chicot County Park, directly on the other side of the lake from Ditch Bayou. The plan was to swim back towards Greenville for a mile or two before turning around and finishing at the State Park. Instead, with a storm stalled over the State Park, we eventually turned back towards the County Park.

Swim morning 2013

Besides the distance, 16.0 miles, and the course, a major change in the Challenge for 2013 was a switch from the American Diabetes Association to the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. Only days after the swim, I received a text message from Mary Fortune of the DFM. In short, she said she had seen the article on my swim and asked me to consider them if I did another such adventure. On my way to Masters Swim when I got the text, I pulled over and wrote back that I would like to talk to her later. She called immediately.

Smart lady.

We chatted and she told me a bit about the history of the DFM and some of what they do. Later I checked them out at www.charitynavigator.org, and I also looked over their website at www.msdiabetes.org. In 2012, I had mailed money to Alexandria, Virginia when right here in Mississippi we have more diabetes than virtually everyone in America. With 100% of donated funds staying in the State of Mississippi, and 89% of every dollar given going to its charitable purposes, it was a no-brainer. Any diabetes swims I would do from then on would be for the DFM.

I suppose Chicot II is one of the reasons I have always been nervous before my big swims. I never feel confident and the 2012 swim is always in the back of my mind. I know a swim can go from good to bad to worse. It's happened. To me. It ain't fun. 

Be that as it may, Chicot III, 17.7 miles, was fun. New for 2014 was the addition of a pontoon boat which I rented from South Shore Cottages. Justin Nunnery piloted the boat in addition to doing some support swimming with me. Joining Justin were my wife, Penny, my irrepresible son, Forrest, Paul Brown, Randy Beets, and Robin Bond. Randy swam and paddled. Robin paddled. Paul and Forrest had to leave about half way through when I was swimming up Connerly Bayou. The bayou was a little weird, beautiful but disconcerting. I was nervous the whole time we were in there and when we finally got back to the main lake and were rejoined by the pontoon, I felt like a new man. And having my wife, Penny, on the boat gave me tons of inspiration. 

The ride back to Ditch Bayou (Chicot III)

Bethany Theilman of the DFM and her son Evan were waiting on us at the boat ramp at the State Park. Bethany rounded up some fishermen and their families, and I was greeting to cheering, handshakes, and congratulations upon exiting the water. It was a good day.