GLOW: Great Lakes Open Water Adventures

Next one in ordinary people doing extraordinary things is my dear buddy Joel Ruddy My mom, an avid runner, ran the Metro Toronto Wang Marathon in 1986 and 1988. I was astonished by the marathon distance, and her times (9th in her group)! Inspired by her, I persuaded some friends to start to run with me. One of those friends still runs today at a very competitive level (more on him later). I ran cross country in grade 9. Did some track in grade 11, and was showing promise. Unf...Continue reading

#outerpeace Sunriser with a Doctor Here’s the full magic: April 5th 2021 Glow Swimming Sunriser https://youtu.be/iaEV4MBV2do #ourgreatlakes #glowswimming #swimdrinkfishsunriser #swimdrinkfish Arc'teryx Toronto Swim Guide Great Lakes Trust IJC - International Joint Commission

Check out the full magic at April 10th 2021 Glow Swimming Sunriser https://youtu.be/lG2JJK51wv4 #Swimdrinkfishsunriser #outerpeace #swimdrinkfish #arcteryx Arc'teryx Toronto Swim Drink Fish Canada Swim Guide Toronto Lakefront Community Great Lakes Trust Surf the Greats South End Rowing Club

Next one in ordinary people doing extraordinary things is our own January Jam champion from Glow adventures. My name is @Melodee Liegl and I am from Wisconsin. I have three young adult children and work full-time as a statistician for the Medical College of Wisconsin. I have been actively swimming for the past 27 years. Nothing can replace the high I get from swimming and that is why I rarely miss a day. Early mornings are the best, my schedule is to be at the club when ...they open at 4:00am on the weekdays. We can all make the time to do something we love to do. Since my health club re-opened in June, I have been fortunate to have access to a pool without reservations or time restrictions. When the lakes warm up here, that is where you will find me. Swimming has always been my sport, even as a child. I have been limited in physical activities due to hip dysplasia. I had surgeries as a child and then two complicated hip replacements on the same hip in 2017 and 2018. In a two-year time period, I needed to use a walker for 3-4 months and a cane for an additional 3-4 months. Swimming never bothered the hip and I was able to swim a 10K the morning of both surgeries. Once I was allowed back in the water, I would spend up to 3-4 hours in the pool working on my recovery. Swimming made me a strong woman. I truly believe I would not be where I am now without swimming. My first open water swim was in 1996 and that is when I fell in love with open water swimming. As the years went on, I challenged myself with longer distances. It is not that easy to find swims over a 10K that are close, but traveling to new swim events is fun. The open water swimming community is wonderful, and we all help each other out. When a woman recently asked me, Do you just love to swim or are you training for something?, my response was, Both! I am very focused when I am training for a long swim. I am sure I tend to be obsessive and over train, but it works for me. Any time I am in water, I am in my happy place. #arcteryx #arcteryxtoronto #arcteryxmontreal #outerpeace #glowswimming #outerpeace #OurGreatLakes #arcteryxtoronto Arc'teryx Toronto Medical College of Wisconsin Great Lakes Trust

#outerpeace Sunriser with an Adrenaline Junkie @alana.giustizia #swimdrinkfishsunriser #ourgreatlakes #swimdrinkfish #swimguide #arcteryx #arcteryxtoronto Arc'teryx Toronto Swim Guide Swim Drink Fish Canada Great Lakes Trust Alana Buote Giustizia

#outerpeace Sunriser with a Doctor! Watch the full version on Glowswimming YouTube channel. April 3rd 2021 Glow Swimming Sunriser https://youtu.be/7yFeVFH2PU8 Arc'teryx Toronto Swim Drink Fish Canada Great Lakes Trust Swim Guide Great Lakes Guide Surf the Greats #ourgreatlakes #swimdrinkfishsunriser

Compiled and produced by @Mike Morton

Rob Mcglashan raising the bar! Sharing via @waterkeepermark and @swimmingprofloren #swimdrinkfish #ourgreatlakes #glowswimming Swim Drink Fish Canada Great Lakes Guide Swim Guide Great Lakes Trust... IJC - International Joint Commission Toronto Athletic Club Lake Ontario Waterkeeper See more

#wintersolstice2020 #wintersolsticeswim #winterswimming #coldwaterswimming #UrbanSwimming #greatlakesopenwater

Next one in ordinary people doing extraordinary things is @VINAY SHAH , 45 years from Mumbai. I don't think of myself as doing extraordinary things but swimming in open water is my passion & something that I love Nice to see the same passion in my daughter HETAVI SHAH. Swimming is not a game, it's a adventure sports with physical & mental strength. I am inspired by my Adventurous daughter to swim. I started my open water swim in 2012 with 3 km distance. I have swum around 37... swimathons , more than 3000 kms. It is so much fun. No lines, No lanes, No limits. Every race teaches you something. In 2017 I swam 76 km (12:30 hrs) in Bhagirathi river in 81 km race (DNF). All amazing experience, but my favourite swim route is Sunk rock light house to Gateway of India.I am first Indian to swim this events 8 times this panoramic route in mumbai. I ran 1 full marathon (2013) & 1 half marathon (2018). I successfully completed 1 Olympic distance triathlon (2018) & 1 sprint distance triathlon (2019). I have also done 3 cyclethon. I have some really nice memories of successful open water swim in INDIA 19 km - bhagirathi river -2014, 2018, 2019 ( w.bengal) 13 km - Ganga river - 2017, 2019 (Bihar) 10 km - porbander 2015, 2016, 2020 (Gujarat) Goa 2015, 2019 (Goa) 6 km.- PRONG REEF TO INWTC- Indian Navy 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Maharashtra) 5 km.- sunk rock light house to Gateway of India 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 ,2020 (Maharashtra). 3 km - Malvan 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 (Maharashtra) Ratnagiri 2012, 2013 ( Maharashtra ) 1500 mtrs - porbander 2015 , 2016 (Gujarat) 1 km - porbander 2019, 2020.(Gujarat) 500 mtrs - porbander 2015, 2016 (Gujarat ) Pool Swimathon 5 km - khar Gymkhana, Mumbai - 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020 3 km - The champions club, Pune -2019.(Maharashtra). Arc'teryx Toronto Arc'teryx Yorkdale Arc'teryx Montreal Arc'teryx #arcteryx #arcteryxtoronto #arcteryxyorkdale #arcteryxmontreal #forwhatstocome Swim Guide Swim Drink Fish Canada World Open Water Swimming Association Goa Swim Club Vinay Shah See more

Monday, December 21st. 5:02am. Winter Solstice. We can't promise a burning boat sailing out to meet the first sunrise ... but you won't know for sure unless you come out! Join us at #GLOWBeach, Coronation Park Oakville, to welcome the sun at our annual #WinterSolsticeSwim (sunrise 7:49am). See you there! #WildSwimming #UrbanSwimming #ColdWaterSwimming #WinterSwimming #GreatLakesOpenWater #SunriseSwim #365Sunrises

Next one in ordinary people doing extraordinary things is Dr. Oz, Annapolis resident by way of Istanbul and Baltimore. A native of Istanbul. Dr. Oz has been living in the US for over 26 years: most of her life. A mathematical statistician and a mother first, Ozlen has been a public servant for most of her working life working as an employment specialist in Baltimore City in the late 90’s, a Regulatory Economist regulating utility market for State of Maryland, and finally has... been a Statistician for the Federal Government for the past 10 years. Ozlen started swimming in early 2000’s to give her aching hips a break from her daily runs. After completing numerous marathons in Baltimore, DC, Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh, the doctor ordered to pick swimming or cycling because running was too much for my hips. And swimming started just like that and a transition to triathlons. Upon completing few Half IronMan Triathlons Ozlen settled on long distance open water and cold water swimming since 2005. Ozlen completes ice miles in her backyard and travels to swim with her swim friends around the nation and the world. These days Ozlen is living on the Chesapeake Bay within yards of the Bay waters where she starts almost each of her days in the water in 36F and up (almost 89F and jelly fish filled this past summer!!). The beauty of open water is its inclusivity: regardless of speed or ability, open water welcomes every swimmer. As long as the swimmer has that initial courage to step in. Please look me up if you are in my area and I would love to share one my swims with you. Arc'teryx Toronto Arc'teryx Yorkdale Arc'teryx Montreal Arc'teryx #arcteryx #arcteryxtoronto #arcteryxyorkdale #arcteryxmontreal #forwhatstocome Swim Guide Swim Drink Fish Canada IJC - International Joint Commission Ozlen DemirciOzlen Demirci

Next one in ordinary people doing extraordinary things things is @Cheryl Coletti from New Hampshire! She’s also being featured on @Shannon’s show Intrepid Water Adventure Swimming this week. The first and most important role I have is a mom to my awesome teenage children Brianna and Garrett. Being their mom and trying to be a good role model is the greatest job I have. I am the chief operating officer at our family business. My teenage years and young adulthood was fraught ...with great challenges and adversity. I struggled, albeit successfully, as a high functioning alcoholic never giving thought to sport. In 2017, someone suggested I participate in a sprint triathlon. I didn’t enjoy the bike, I hated the run, and the 300 yard open water swim scared me to death. Right before the swim, my friend commented that I had my wetsuit on backwards! Go figure. Something sparked inside me that day and I fell in love with open water swimming. I met my current swim coach, Bob Fernald, that summer at an open water swim event. The following year in 2018, I swam a 10K at the Kingdom Games and 10K in Barbados. I was part of a relay team at IMMT that August. Towing the start line with 2500 other participants in a mass start was not for me! I completed the 2 1/2 mile swim and swore to myself never again. My interest in open water swimming turned to solo marathon swimming. Since then, in 2019, I completed the 12 mile length of Lake Tahoe and I swam the 10k Around the Sound in Bermuda. In 2020, with all events cancelled due to COVID, my awesome crew and I pivoted to local swims. I completed the first documented 12.28 mile double crossing of Newfound Lake of the first documented 16 mile double crossing of Lake Sunapee, both here in New Hampshire. In marathon swimming, I find peace, serenity, and the calm within the storm. I don’t race against anyone, I don’t swim to beat another person‘s distance or time. I swim in complete gratitude for the confidence I have developed in myself through my marathon swimming accomplishments. We all fight our own demons. Swimming helps me quell the noise of negativity and empowers a positive mindset. I am grateful for the amazing people I have met and the friendships that have evolved in the open water swim community. I swim in gratitude of my sobriety for without it, I would never have set foot in the water. I have an amazing husband who supports me in all things swimming. I have a superb crew who, without them, my marathon swimming would never be possible. I swim alone but it takes a team to help me succeed. Arc'teryx Toronto Arc'teryx Yorkdale Arc'teryx Montreal Arc'teryx #arcteryx #arcteryxtoronto #arcteryxyorkdale #arcteryxmontreal #forwhatstocome

Next one in ordinary people doing extraordinary things things is our own El Sharko There was a Shark in the English Channel!! I spent my early years growing up in Southern California, at the beach mainly, surfing and diving since my father was the co-originator of Skin Diver Magazine. After high school I went to Cal Poly and studied Agriculture Science and obtained my Bachelor of Science Degree. Mary Giannotti & Chris Blakeslee met at Carpinteria High School and were married... in October 1972. Mary was from the class of 1968. She was the cheerleader and I was the ASB jock president. We moved to beautiful Sonoma County in 1979 near the waters of Tomales Bay which became my swimming grounds as an aquatic sort of creature. In 1986 I formed a vineyard and winery consulting business for local, national and international clients. I am now semi-retired, still swimming and gardening mostly. Many of my friends soon began calling me El Sharko (I know El Tiburon is mas correcto) but this is how that all got started: I convinced a group of pool swimmers to join me for open water swims in Tomales Bay. My swimmer friends heard the story from the locals and started calling me El Sharko which, for some strange reason, stuck after all these years. This swimming ultimately led me to the South End Rowing and Swimming Club at Aquatic Park in San Francisco where I became a Polar Bear marathon swimmer and in 2004, at the age of 54 (two weeks shy of my 55 birthday), swam the English Channel in 14 hours and 44 minutes. Arc'teryx Toronto Arc'teryx Yorkdale Arc'teryx Montreal Arc'teryx #arcteryx #arcteryxtoronto #arcteryxyorkdale #arcteryxmontreal #forwhatstocome swimzi Swim Drink Fish Canada Great Lakes Trust South End Rowing Club

Next one in ordinary people doing extraordinary things things is our own Michelle Smye Hughes Lifelong swimmer, swim teacher, coach, past masters swimmer and past few years, Lover of swimming in our beautiful Great Lakes thanks to GLOW Swimming. Life changer for me. Many friends are accomplished swimmers, Olympics, Lake Ontario, Ice Milers, English Channel and I’m lucky to get to swim with them sometimes. ... These days, I prefer swimming with my head above water taking in the view, the sky, the parting of the water and especially during the Sunrise. Swimming with friends, seeing their faces light up, especially in cold water. Doing handstands together like kids. It feels like being a part of all of it when you’re swimming in the Lake. It does heart good see all the people enjoying Lake Ontario recently, like me, they’re discovering the playground. Last year, with a few tears and sad goodbyes, we moved to Thornbury area. Georgian Bay is five minutes away and still doing regular swims with some old (but youngish) GLOW friends. Never miss a Sunrise, from the water or in the woods. Just couldn’t do it. Fuel for the day. Arc'teryx Toronto @arcteryxyorkdale Arc'teryx Montreal Arc'teryx #arcteryx #arcteryxtoronto #arcteryxyorkdale #arcteryxmontreal #forwhatstocome Swim Drink Fish Canada Swim Guide Great Lakes Guide Great Lakes Trust

Next one in ordinary people doing extraordinary things is our own John Johnston (I would love to to go to Sri Lanka with you) I grew up under the flight path for runway 23 at Pearson Airport in Etobicoke, which probably leads to my incurable wanderlust for getting on a plane and going somewhere totally different. After leaving school, I started my career in Human Resources and gradually made my way into consulting. I specialized in helping organizations implement projects i...n a way that supports people in the organization through change. I seemed to have changed careers frequently and evolved moving from routine administration to exclusively project work that I enjoy. When I reached my 50th birthday I sat down to write out a bucket list of things I wanted to do before I kicked the bucket! When I realized that, all I had accomplished, was writing out an exhaustive list of everywhere I wanted to travel. I sat back and re-framed it into a list that combined a place AND an activity (or a number of them). It wasn’t enough that I wanted to run a marathon. It wasn’t enough that I wanted to ride in a hot air balloon. I wanted to do it somewhere really exotic and I wanted to create memories. I wanted to have a creative outlet which was difficult as I have no musical or artistic talents, but I could use a camera and that became my outlet. So what are some of the things I have pulled off? I have: Ran the classic route marathon from Marathon to Athens as my first marathon, SCUBA dived on Cleopatra’s palace in Alexandria’s harbour, Hot air ballooned over the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, Learned to speak French and then lived for a period in Bordeaux learning about wine, Drove a go-cart through the heart of Tokyo (dressed as Goofy), Hiked the Inca Trail to Manchu Picchu to watch the sunrise, Tandem Paraglided over Miraflores Peru Visited Templar castles and churches in Portugal. I started Bucketlistthings.com as a way to record my photos and stories on the road. Bucketlistthings.com is a blog website focused on budget travel, adventure travel and travel advice. Arc'teryx Toronto #forwhatstocome Arc'teryx Salomon Arc'teryx Niagara Arc'teryx Montreal Connors Runners Friends John Johnston See more

November 7, 2020 Glow Swimming Sunriser https://youtu.be/7UiwLlssEjA Here’s 378/365 Glow Sunriser from Glow Beach, Lake Ontario.... Dedicating this Sunriser to Democracy, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris We all have good days and bad days!! Don’t let the behaviour of others destroy your inner peace- Dalai Lama "The early morning has gold in its mouth." Benjamin Franklin This is a paradise- Sivan Virtue, Liberty, Independence- David Barra Contributor: Sivan Featuring: The Great Lakes Follow public health guidelines. Be safe. Enjoy safe swimming. Green belts play a critical role in keeping up the health of our Great Lakes! Here’s a personal message to all the drivers out there: Please don’t use your devices while driving. Town of Oakville and Glow adventures group are working to keep plastic out of local waterways! #UrbanSwimming #HomeWaters #OurGreatLakes #365Sunrises #GreatLakesSwimming #GLOWswimming #SwimDrinkFish #sunriseswims #evolutionbydesign #lakeontario Arc'teryx Toronto Arc'teryx Yorkdale Arc'teryx Montreal Arc'teryx #arcteryx #arcteryxtoronto #arcteryxyorkdale #arcteryxmontreal #forwhatstocome Swim Drink Fish Canada Swim Guide Great Lakes Trust Lake Ontario Waterkeeper