Diana Nyad

Diana Nyad just ended her second attempt to swim from Cuba to Key West. She attributed her stoppage to "wind conditions and less than ideal currents." Earlier reports had stated that she was suffering from asthma and shoulder problems, but she evidently preferred to mention only the extraneous factors.

I'm proud of the masters swimming records I've held -- which is bad enough. But some of the marathon swimmers I've known take egotism to an entirely different level. They tend to talk about their accomplishments nonstop, even to people who haven't the slightest interest in swimming. Even worse than that, they are so crazily conceited they can't even acknowledge that they are swimming for ego-driven reasons, and must justify their swims with noble-sounding causes (which they often ask you to contribute to).

Here is an excerpt from the AP article which came out an hour ago:

"Before the swim, Nyad told journalists she hoped her swim would inspire others her age to live active lives. She said she also hoped it could help improve understanding between Cold War rivals Cuba and the United States, even if just symbolically."

You have to have to be a pretty narcissistic personality to think of yourself as an inspiration to others. And you have to be awfully shameless to actually say that out loud. But you have to be downright insane to think that your swim will result in detente between two nations which have been longtime bitter enemies.