When we sign up for races that require months of training and contemplation, the idea of actually covering the given distance can seem so abstract. For example, when I signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon in March 2009, it was difficult to imagine running 20-milers in the sticky summer heat, or feeling the crunch of fall leaves under my feet at the actual race in October.
When I signed up for the 4.4-mile Great Chesapeake Bay Bridge Swim back in November, it was pretty much impossible to wrap my brain around *anything* about it, from the 6,000- or 7,000-meter long swims to the sun on my shoulders while I wait for the start in June. Even after completing two long swims, I was having a hard time imagining the reality of race day. The other day, as I practiced “sighting,” or the act of picking one’s head up from the water to look for the buoys that mark the open-water course, something shifted.
As I lifted my head mid-breath, I remembered that I will also get to use the two spans of the bridge to help me stay on course. Something about that thought triggered this realization: IN SIX WEEKS, I WILL SWIM ACROSS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, FOLLOWING THE TWO SPANS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE.
Is it any wonder I’m a bit extra-motivated to hit the pool this week?
Amy Reinink 
You’re gonna be sooo ready when the Bay Bridge swim arrives. You’re experienced, you’re strong, and you’ve already been putting in the yards. And you’re due for a killer performance after biding your time with injury.