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BETHANY BOSCH

By Phyl Newbeck

Age: 29 | Residence: Wallingford | Family: Chocolate lab, Guri | Occupation: Consultant/Inspector | Primary sport: Swimming

IN 2011, BETHANY BOSCH WAS THE LAST SWIMMER TO FINISH THE

KINGDOM SWIM IN NEWPORT. SHE WAS THANKFUL ORGANIZERS DIDN’T

PULL HER OUT OF THE WATER SINCE SHE HAD EXCEEDED THE SEVEN-

HOUR TIME LIMIT. VOWING NEVER TO FINISH LAST AGAIN, SHE WORKED

HARD ENOUGH ON HER TECHNIQUE THAT SHE QUALIFIED FOR THE

RIGHT TO SWIM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL THIS FALL.

VS: When did you start swimming?
Channel. I’ve thought about the Chan- The two fastest finishers came over I think of that swim as a real accom-
BB: I was on the Rutland Rec Depart- nel since I was a little kid. I never really to congratulate me. They did the race in plishment. It wasn’t a recognized swim,
four hours and I took 7:43, but the guy
ment swim team as a child, but I was thought it was possible because I thought but it was a great achievement to be pulled
not very fast. I was on the team for three I was a terrible swimmer, but it’s a good began coaching me and helping me im- from the water and then get back in and
or four years and nothing beyond that. I time in my life to do it since I don’t have prove my technique and my stroke. A lot keep going.
didn’t even realize there were teams in high family commitments.
of swimmers are so generous with their
school and college. In 2010, my friend was In 2011, I did the 10-mile Kingdom time and their information and they pay it VS: When will you swim the English
training for a triathlon and I offered to Swim. There’s a seven-hour time limit and forward. Meeting him was one of the best Channel?
things to happen out of that race.
swim with her. Once I jumped in the pool I I was so nervous because I knew I wasn’t BB: I’ll be going sometime between
started to wonder how far I could go and I fast enough so I spent the whole swim Sept.1-6 of this year. You go over and wait
steadily increased my swimming until one working as hard as I could and being VS: Tell us about your trip to Ireland. until the weather is good. There’s one per-
day I did 400 laps in the pool and thought, stressed out and wishing I had trained bet- BB: I raised the most money of anyone do- son ahead of me so as soon as they finish,
“maybe I should train for something.”
ter and worrying about being pulled out of ing the Kingdom Swim, so I got a prize it’s my turn to say yay or nay. I’m feeling
the lake. It wasn’t until I reached the sec- which was the payment of camp fees
very confident, but you never know about
VS: Is that how you started doing long ond to last buoy that I realized they would for a distance training camp in Ireland, the weather. There is no pool in Rutland
distances? let me finish. I knew I had gone over the which is run by Ned Dennison. They hold so there isn’t a big swimming community
BB: Most people do competitive pool seven hours and I figured the beach would a qualifying swim for the English Chan- for adults. I’m trying to use my Chan-
swimming and maybe a few shorter open be empty except my family. I wasn’t even nel where you swim continuously for six nel swim to gain attention to that. We’ve
sure I could stand up after swimming that hours in water that’s 61 degrees or less.
water events, but I jumped in the deep end. I saved enough money to fly out there started Intrepid Athletics, which is a non-
Three or four months later I did the 8-mile long, but when I got out of the water the profit for getting a community-minded
swim across Lake Champlain with the hillside was full of people at the award cer- and it was the most fun I’ve ever had. It aquatic center built in Rutland.
YMCA and that was my first event. emony and they gave me a standing ova- was hard, but it was so worthwhile. The
When I completed that successfully I tion. It was an incredible moment. I came water was 55 degrees so only eight of the VS: I understand your dog, Guri, is
thought I could probably do 10 miles and if in last, but these people were cheering for 50 people at the camp did the qualifying also quite the swimmer.
me. I also thought to myself that I wasn’t swim. I had never thought of myself as an
IcoulddothatIcoulddo15andifIcould BB: I was working in the Kingdom and
do that I could probably do the English
going to come in last ever again.
athlete before, but here I was at this elite Phil White suggested I do the Lake Wil-
camp with all these Channel swimmers.
loughby race, which is 4.75 miles, so I
had Guri come with me. She swam the
VS: I understand you planned to swim length of the lake right next to me. It was
across Tampa Bay this year. How did
that work out? so funny because she got out and she was
bounding around. How can you not be
BB: The swim started in a sheltered area, tired after that, but she’s only three or
but then there was an awful wind and the four so she has a lot of energy.
waves picked up. I was okay but my guide Gravel road bikes...
boat was taking on water and other boats
were sinking so the Coast Guard started VS: Is there an aspect to distance swim- for dirt-road cycling
ming that others might not realize?
pulling swimmers out of the water and BB: One of the key points about swim- adventures.
pulling boats to shore.
ming is that it’s a community thing. All of
My boat captain decided to pull me out. I my swim training is made possible by my
got on board and was feeling pretty sad,
but I realized that it was still calm in the friends, my family and my church, and Come explore Southern Vermont’s
bay so my captain said I could keep swim- people who are willing to kayak with me. scenic back roads.We’ve got rentals, too!
It’s an amazing journey, but it’s definitely
ming if I wanted to. My Garmin didn’t not something I’m doing by myself. That’s
work part of the time, but I swam for 14 a surprising aspect of swimming for some
hours for 21-22 miles, which was almost
the distance for going across the bay. I people. You need more than pool time
wanted to swim 20-plus miles in salt wa- and other swimmers. You need people
who appreciate you and what you’re try-
ter to see what it was like and I did that. ing to do to help you make it happen.
I also wanted to swim with dolphins and
towards the end a dolphin came by and I --Phyl Newbeck
could hear it singing.
Exit 4, I-91, Putney Vermont n westhillshop.com n
802-387-5718

AUGUST 2014
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