Me!

I am a marathon swimmer, with an understanding and supportive family. I live near Northern Virginia, USA.

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This is not Northern Virginia…
…but this is!

22 thoughts on “Me!”

  1. Jason referred me to you, I am interested in purchasing your C3 spot ASAP. Let’s talk soon Thanks

    1. Hello! This is probably random, but I’m searching online for a problem I am having with my new Neptune MP3 player. I plugged it into my laptop, later closed it, and unplugged it without properly ejecting it. Now it won’t turn on! Did you ever get an answer from Finis about your problem?

      Thanks!

      1. Hey Jasmine. That’s never happened to me. The closest thing to happen to me is that if I left the Neptune plugged in when I turned the computer off, the Neptune would stay on and run all night long, then the battery would be dead in the morning.

        Did Finis say anything?

  2. You sir, are a sexist pig you claim to respect Nyad swim but you infact belittle her with comments like this and I quote;

    IronMike September 4
    Charter Member 7 Likes
    Yes, “Pro” swimmer, but add in her feed stops of 12 min long, and those stops where her crew would clothe her and put her make-up on…but I guess you’re right since she made up all that time on night two what with not needing water or feed for 7+ hours.

    Put her make up on??? It’s called sun block. You said make up because you were being sexist – She’s a woman so she wears make up! Pathetic!

    I would love to see you do that swim all the way – without sunblock.
    You are just a bitter little no-body who has to rain on someone’s parade because you have no parade of your own.
    Do one – Ironpatheticmike!

    1. This comment still makes me giggle. /tehe/

      For those reading my blog wondering what the hell “realswimmerfan” is talking about, go to this post or maybe this one.

      When non-savvy friends say something to me about Nyad, I send them to this excellent website.

      Cheers!

  3. Mike,

    You sexist pig. Just because I am a guy why should I have to put on my own make up/sun screen? Frankly, I’m sure if you saw me during one of my swims you would make some rude comment about me using baby-butt cream on my face.

    1. You’re absolutely right, Bob! We men must demand slaves volunteers who’ll put on our make-up for us. After all, I always over-rouge.

  4. My daughter is a lifelong swimmer turned Peace Corps Volunteer stationed in Kyrgyz Republic. She would like to begin planning a open water swim across Issyk Kul summer of 2016. Would you have any information about registering a international open water swim? She is currently located in a village without much internet service. I would appreciate any information you can pass on to me (that I will in turn pass to her, at least until she gets more (any) connectivity).
    Thank you!

    1. Ms. Rapheal,

      Send me her name and I’ll talk to her boss on how I can best contact her. I know Tammi, the Peace Corps director in this country, as well as Jeremy, her deputy. I can definitely advise her and perhaps she and I can coordinate our swims. Our timing is similar.

      My email: TysonMJ (at) state (dot) gov

      Thanks for commenting on my blog! Click on Беш Кол to the right at the top of my blog (if you haven’t already) and see my Kyrgyz lake plans!

  5. My PCV daughter is Sarah D’Antoni. I spoke with her this morning and she is looking forward to meeting you in the near future!
    She is hoping to get some form of internet connectivity this coming weekend and will reach out to you at some point shortly thereafter!

  6. Mike, it was a pleasure to read through your blog, very informative and interesting. I run a small tour guide operations in Kyrgyzstan, and i have been reading up alot about Kyrgyz history, but the blogs about Kyrgyzstan i haven’t read before. Nice job finding the story. I am your new fan, keep up the good work.

    1. Чон рахмат! I’m so glad you found my blog. I’m going to look at your website as my family and I (as you saw if you read my Беш Кол column) want to see more of Kyrgyzstan!

  7. I accidentally stumbled upon your blog, as i was searching for the DELE exam in Bishkek and one of the links led to your other blog posts about your Kyrgyz language lessons. Which, i hope you are still learning, it would be really necessary if you traveled somewhere to Batken or Naryn regions, where locals speak Kyrgyz only.
    Your goal of visiting five lakes is very impressive. The last one, Kel-Suu is actually about 60 kilometers from my parents summer yurt camp(my parents are shepherds) in At-Bashy (Naryn oblast).You could actually stop by Son-Kol lake since it’s in the same route (about 50 kilometer detour from the major highway). And to visit Chatyr-Kol lake you need a special border pass that is obtained in Naryn (relics of the Soviet past, i say)
    Send me a friend request on facebook to Azamat Sharshenaly, it would be nice to widen my network of friends and acquaintances because i have only two years in bishkek. i have lived in Texas for a few years prior to that.

  8. Hey Mike, i’m an open water swimmer from South Africa currently travelling in Kyrgyzstan. Leaving Bishkek tmrw 10th Aug for Karakol gor trekking, planning to spend a few days getting there along Issyk-Kul. I’m planning on doing a swim by myself and just found your blogsite. How’d you like to host me for a swim? 🙂 Would be pretty cool. I was wanting to do anything from 3km to 5km. If you get this drop me a line on the email address I’ve given (subject to my wifi). Thanks, Warren King.

  9. Hey Mike,
    Love your site. I have work in the DC area in 2 weeks. I was hoping to swim in National Harbor but I am only there Thursday noon until Friday 2 pm. I see WaveOne has wednesday and sunday swims, but did not see anything for Thursday evening or Friday morning. I was just wondering if they leave buoys out and wheather or not anyone will yell at me if I just jump in and swim the area? When I did Alcatraz last week, we had to notify the coast gaurd and have a boat pilot with us the whole time.

    1. Hey! Sorry just now answering. For some reason WP isn’t emailing me when people comment on my blog.

      As for Nat’l Harbor, I’ve heard that residents down there walk down the pier and take the ladder into/out of the water in the mornings, but I have absolutely no experience with this, so I’m unsure. Denis is pretty responsive so if you email WaveOne he can probably advise much better than I.

  10. Wasn’t a long swim, but a long time and distance–32 years since I left the Air Force-trying to reconnect

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All I am is a body adrift in water, salt & sky