MORGAN FILLER is a strong, calm, reassuring presence as we prepare to enter the cold water of San Francisco bay. She talks me through a few last pieces of advice. “Your ankles will tell your body it’s too cold,” she says with a mischievous grin. “So we have to go in fast enough that your brain doesn’t get the message.” Her next piece of advice reminds me just how cold the 55 degree water really is, though the air temperature is an unseasonably balmy 75 degrees at 7 a.m. in San Francisco. “The cold may take your breath away, so make some noise,” she coaches me. “You can’t hold your breath when you’re making noise.” Makes good sense.

I’m training for my first triathlon at age 42 and Morgan is coaching me in open water swimming. A world class marathon swimmer, Morgan is transitioning to a full-time career in coaching and massage. She already has a fruitful massage clientele and is starting to train women for open water swims and races. She’s also creating a program to introduce kids and teenagers to open water swimming. “If kids are in the open water, they’ll learn first hand about environmental issues related to marine life and the water crisis in addition to building their swim skills,” Morgan explains. I couldn’t have a better guide for this experience.

The coaching began with a phone call to set up our swim at the historic South End Rowing Club where Morgan is a member. “It’s nice to come out of the water and warm up with a hot shower and a sauna,” she explains. I pepper her with dozens of questions about water temperature, wetsuits, fear of the unknown, sea life, and how to swim in a straight line with no line at the bottom of the pool to follow. She answers each inquiry with a relaxed and reassuring tone I come to realize is pure Morgan. A Maryland native who started her open water career swimming 4.4 miles across Chesapeake Bay with her twin brother and dad each year, Morgan now lives in Berkeley and radiates the grounded nature of the town itself.

BE AWARE, BE PREPARED

For every concern I raise, Morgan has a response that reflects years of doing a sport she loves. When I ask about sea life, Morgan says she volunteers at The Marine Mammal Center and invites me to join here there one day to get comfortable with seals and sea lions. “They won’t bite you,” she reassures me. “They just like to bump into you sometimes.” That actually sounds kind of fun, and I find myself looking forward to a possible encounter.

Before we enter the water, Morgan teaches me to look around and spot landmarks that are tall and will therefore be more visible from the water. The perspective, she explains, is quite different from the water and you want to know where you are at all times. We’re swimming in Aquatic Park, which looks deceptively like a big swimming pool with a few boats anchored here and there and a tall ship docked at Hyde Pier. Swimmers of all sizes, shapes and ages (some with wetsuits, most without) are heading to the water in a steady stream on this stellar morning. It’s a cliché, but I’m definitely feeling the safety in numbers.

We map out our general plan to swim around the perimeter of the park. It’s about a mile, less if we stay towards the center of the circle. I’ve been swimming less than that in a pool so it seems like a good goal for our first swim. I expected to be quite nervous, but Morgan’s calming energy is infectious and instead I’m completely ready to enter the water.

TAKE THE PLUNGE

The first thing I notice is the shock to my face. Thank goodness for the wetsuit because if my face hurts this much, imagine how the rest of my body would be feeling right now. I take a few strokes and am pleasantly surprised at how buoyant I feel. I look over at Morgan, who is swimming in a two piece suit (sans wetsuit). And she’s grinning from ear to ear. I can’t help but smile back, and we’re off.

After a few minutes the exposed parts of my body seem to be acclimating to the water, and we take a break to check in. I flip over onto my back, take in the blue sky and dramatic San Francisco skyline and let out a cheer. Who knew this would be so fun? Morgan encourages me to take it all in. She points out how close Alcatraz looks from here. “It’s so peaceful and open and relaxing when you look this way,” she says. Then turning back towards the city she says, “Or you can face this way and see so many different things going on…cable cars, people, and city life.”

Having Morgan as a guide and coach takes my first open water experience to a different level. On my own I’d be worried about everything and notice very little. With her guidance, I’m worried about nothing and seeing everything. It’s an amazing gift. We’ve swum to our next target, an anchored boat, and as we talk she encourages me to feel the tide. The tide that’s moving us away from the boat quite quickly. I mean really fast.

EXPAND YOUR COMFORT ZONE

“Let’s just swim this way a bit,” she says. As we do so, she points out how easily we move out of the current. “It’s good to feel the current, understand it, play with moving in and out of it,” Morgan explains. “Knowledge is good.”

Now it’s time to teach me to sight as I swim. Morgan notices that I stop swimming each time I check where I’m going, and that’s a recipe for a really slow swim on race day. She explains how to pull myself out of the water through my stroke so I can look ahead and still have time to turn and breathe. It’s like learning to rub your tummy and pat your head, and I feel rather uncoordinated for many strokes while I play with the idea.

Morgan is swimming ahead of me on her back now, watching my progress. I’m inspired by the way she effortlessly glides through the water, and is able to smile and communicate encouragement. I try harder, and towards the end of our swim I just about feel I’m getting it.

Then all too soon the swim is done and now I’m the one grinning from ear to ear. I can’t wait to do it again! Read Part 2 »

About the Coach: Morgan Filler is a world class marathon swimmer who spent four years on the international pro circuit swimming in oceans, lakes and rivers for up to 11 hours at a time, pushing her body to endure extreme temperatures, polluted water, and numerous challenges from Mother Nature (not to mention the other competitors)… {more}

About the Author: Kathleen Burke Jensen loves to write, ride her beautiful horse, and train for her first triathlon with her husband. She’s constantly looking for ways to do all three things; if not simultaneously, then at least back to back throughout the day. For more on her adventures, visit her blog Forging Ahead.

About the Photographer: Bert Valentin Jensen hopes that viewers of his photos feel something special for the familiar. Like sitting down with a good friend whose stories make life larger and curiously connected. And if his work resonates with them like a great big bell, well that’s good too. Maybe the bell tolls for thee at Flickr.com/bertvjensen.

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