Back in 2022, former Cal and U.S. Olympic Trials competitor Catherine Breed went on what she dubbed a “soul swim,” a 28-mile journey from San Francisco to Half Moon Bay.
“There was no record to go after and it had never been done before,” Breed said in an interview with NBC Bay Area. “I was just spending the day in the water with my best friends doing something amazing. I wanted to do something in a bigger way and inspire people along the way.”
Breed will indeed now try something bigger and better.
Next year, Breed plans to begin a roughly three-to-four-month swim where she will swim the entire coastline of California.
In the interview with NBC Bay Area, Breed said she hopes to start the swim in June 2026. She announced her intentions a year early in hopes of raising awareness and sponsorship opportunities.
It will be the first known attempt to swim the full length of California’s coast from Oregon to Mexico.
“Training for this has been my whole life,” Breed said. “I don’t think you can train for a four-month swim. This is going to be an extremely complex swim. The currents, the tides, stretches of coast where we won’t have shore access, wildlife, weather and just logistics, such as dealing with a boat and stopping and starting each day.”
Primarily a middle distance swimmer at Cal from 2012-2015, the now 32-year-old Breed finished her college career ranking in the program’s top-10 in the 500 free, 1000 free and 1650 free.
She also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2008 and 2012.
Breed said in the coming months, she will have various training swims, such as swimming 70 miles on Lake Tahoe.
In 2018, Breed swam across the English Channel from England to France, completing the 33.5-kilometer journey in 9 hours, 50 minutes. In 2019, Breed then swim 35 kilometers across the North Channel from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 11 hours, 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
Ultimately, Breed feels she will be ready for a swim nobody else has attempted before.
“I do think about what’s underneath me, when do I have to eat next and how does my body feel,” she said. “Ultimately, ultra-endurance athletes settle into this very cathartic-flow state where you really are not thinking about much. I’m very focused on the task at hand. I black out for a little bit and get through my hours.”
How does she get past the military bases and Barbra Streisand’s house?
How rich is she?
Good thing she is planning North to South. Chances of contracting a water borne illness is high in SoCal, especially as you get closer to the border. Starting in San Diego, her attempt might be over before it really begins.
Wow! Good luck. That’s a massive undertaking.
Also mad props to her orthodontist.
Cool story! Hope you go with the current and stay safe.
How about sharks?
Baller
you should reach out to Jim Dreyer if you haven’t already. I met him decades ago when he was learning to swim and getting ready for his first swim across Lake Michigan. https://www.jimthesharkdreyer.com/
Why the down votes? I don’t know who Jim Dryer is. What is the context for this to be negative?
Not sure but I’ve seen at least a dozen news stories on his last two failed attempts. Similarly, I don’t know why we see stories of unaccomplished goals. My opinion, talk to Jim or Catherine after it’s done. As an aside, I’d like to cure cancer. Real big goal of mine. Swim swam I’m available for an interview 😂