Randy's Swim Around Manhattan, by David Boudreau
TEAM RANDY NUTT and THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MANHATTAN ISLAND MARATHON SWIM, by David Boudreau
The Statue of Liberty was but a shadow in the foggy (smoggy?) distance of the Lower Manhattan mid morning horizon an hour before the start of the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim -- a 28.5 mile trek around perhaps the world's most famous piece of real estate. Ernie Leskovitz and myself sat in a boat in the middle of the East River about a mile from the Battery Park start/finish line impatiently waiting for the race to start so that we could then begin our assigned task -- to take Randy Nutt around the island as support crew for him in this marathon swim. Though anxious, we also were somewhat relieved because we knew that for at least eight hours the vacuum cleaner hose that had been clearing our pockets of cash for taxi cab fares was temporarily disconnected. Accompanying us was a knowledgeable captain and a volunteer race official on board to enforce race rules.
Listening to the boat radio, we heard the starting gun and envisioned the 20 swimmers beginning their journey around Manhattan's south end. I made sure my stopwatch was running and Ernie double checked our supplies as we bothed strained our necks and our eyes looking for our swimmer. Within minutes we picked up Randy's familiar long loping stroke, lined up with him and aimed the boat for the Brooklyn Bridge. When Randy turned over to backstroke so that he could take in the sight of passing under this well known link between Manhattan and Brooklyn, we cheered knowing this swim had all the makings of being special.
Northward up the East River into the Harlem River Randy proceeded at a good clip, ahead of his predetermined time goal at each checkpoint. If he continued at this pace, he would exceed his goal of completing the course in less than eight hours. The lead group of approximately eight swimmers had strung out, but were all visible during open areas of the river. We kept Randy fed with a variety of fluids, Powerbars, jelly beans, and peanut butter cups (such a diet!) as we navigated past New York's Harlem and Bronx landmarks that lined the river near the halfway point.
As we went under the Henry Hudson Bridge and turned south into the river of his namesake, the George Washington Bridge loomed ahead in the the haze. Within an hour, Randy had swum to the this massive crossing that hooks Manhattan to New Jersey. As we fed him some water and a peanut butter cup, we informed Randy that the race was five hours old and the entire lead pack incredibly was bunched back together -- this nearly eight hour race thewas going to be decided in the final two hours. Randy seemed energized and stroked toward West Side piers. A strong current was found on the Manhattan side of the river and he made good time as he worked toward the Big Apple's westside locales.
A stiff breeze roughed the waves up into the face of the swimmers. It was getting late in the day and as Randy began to get cold Ernie and I both knew the last hour was going the be a challenge. Up ahead the lead swimmers had all continued to do well and two more competitors had joined the lead fray -- this field had plenty of ringers on its roster.
Past seven hours and the World Trade Center we went. Not much later Randy stroked to the finish line at Battery Park where he was met by a cheering crowd of well wishers, some medical personnel and warm blankets. His time was 7 hours 38 minutes and he finished seventh among this elite group. Among those offering support was last year's winner Gail Rice of Miami Shores, who had finished second to John Gatti of New Jersey, with a swim of 7 hours 27 minutes. Gatti, 29, recorded a time of 7 hours, 16 minutes and 42 seconds. Places second through seventh all finished within a span 11 minutes -- a very close race by marathon standards.
