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Joining Swim Across America on May 30? If not, you have a year to train

 
Ron Collins of Clearwater is a member of St. Pete Masters Swimming and local race director of Swim Across America. He's shown doing laps this month at the North Shore Aquatic Complex pool in St. Petersburg with members of St. Pete Masters Swimming. Swim Across America, which raises funds for Moffitt Cancer Center, comes to Clearwater Beach on May 30.
Ron Collins of Clearwater is a member of St. Pete Masters Swimming and local race director of Swim Across America. He's shown doing laps this month at the North Shore Aquatic Complex pool in St. Petersburg with members of St. Pete Masters Swimming. Swim Across America, which raises funds for Moffitt Cancer Center, comes to Clearwater Beach on May 30.
Published May 28, 2015

CLEARWATER

Ron Collins likes to go big. The open-water enthusiast wasn't satisfied just crossing Tampa Bay, so he had to swim the entire length, all 24 miles, from the Sunshine Skyway bridge to the Courtney Campbell Causeway.

And as if that wasn't enough, the 53-year-old Clearwater man also swam around the island of Manhattan and across the English Channel. His biggest accomplishment to date, however, is helping to make the annual Swim Across America fundraiser a success.

"As the race director, I make sure that everything goes smoothly," said Collins, who also founded the Tampa Bay Marathon Swim. "But for me, this is really just a labor of love."

This month marks the 25th anniversary of his wife Rebecca's survival from cancer, after what Collins described as a "first-of-a-kind breakthrough, miracle" brain surgery.

"She owes her life to her neurosurgeon, Dr. David Cahill, and Moffitt Cancer Center," Collins said. "This is a way we can give back."

Since the first open-water event off Nantucket Island in 1987, Swim Across America, which comes to Clearwater Beach on May 30, has raised more than $55 million for cancer research and treatment. Past swims off Clearwater Beach have raised more than $400,000 for the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

"In our lifetime, one out of every two men and one out of every three women will be diagnosed with some form of cancer," Collins said. "We got involved with Swim Across America so that, together, we can change that."

The formula is simple. Participants who are 18 or older are asked to raise a minimum of $500, and those younger than 18 are asked to pledge $250.

Swimmers can choose one of three distances: half-mile, mile or 2.4 miles, the new "Ironman" distance. They can swim as individuals or as part of a team in honor of friends and loved ones who have fought, or who are fighting, cancer.

Registration opens at 6:45 a.m. and the first swimmers hit the water at 7:25. If you don't think you can swim a half-mile in open water, come out and cheer the participants on.

It's an annual event, so now is a good time to begin training for next year. Before you get started, understand that the difference between those who are swimmers and those who can simply swim is technique.

To get the full health benefits of swimming, you need to develop a strong, fluid stroke that can propel you through the water for at least a half-hour training session. This low-impact activity will promote good cardiovascular health, and unless you overdo it, swimming is an exercise you can do your whole life.

If you have never had any formal instruction, it's a good idea to find a personal coach or training group that includes stroke technique. Check with your local YMCA or public pool. Many have Masters swimming programs and coaches who are willing to offer private lessons.

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Your biggest challenge will be mastering bilateral breathing. Conditions can vary greatly in open water, so the ability to breathe on both sides will help you in choppy conditions. Bilateral breathing also gives swimmers symmetry. It helps establish rhythm, which is a must for long open-water swims.

You will probably spend most of your time in a pool, but when you are ready to start training in open water, remember that safety comes first. Swim near a lifeguard. If no lifeguard is on duty, think twice about entering the water on a rough day. Clearwater Beach and Fort De Soto Park both have professional lifeguard staffs and well-patrolled waterfronts ideal for those new to the sport.

Most local beaches have a clearly marked Safe Bathing Limit, or SBL. Stay inside the buoys. Lifeguards do a good job of keeping personal watercraft away from swimmers, but on beaches not patrolled by lifeguards, swimmers should exercise caution.

A brightly colored swim cap will make you more visible to boaters and rescue personnel. If possible, swim with a partner. There is safety in numbers. Never swim alone.

Contact Terry Tomalin at ttomalin@tampabay.com.