A Celebrated Swimmer in Person: A Night With Nyad

The record-breaking long-distance swimmer visits Pasadena.

What makes an iconic image? There are several factors, indeed, and probably a little bit of magic, too, but those who saw Diana Nyad's historic arrival at Key West over Labor Day Weekend understood, within seconds, that they were witnessing something that would be replayed for months and years to come.

The reason behind this iconic moment is a good one: The 64-year-old endurance swimmer swam from Cuba to Florida at the very end of August and beginning of September, becoming the first confirmed swimmer to do so. Miles: 103. Hours: Just shy of 53.

"Amazing" is an overused word these days, but let's go ahead and use one now, complete with italics, because this feat is more than deserving of it: amazing.

If you're motivated and inspired by this, as many people have been, you likely know that much of the swimmer's message, both in the water and out, is this: Never Give Up.

Ms. Nyad will bring that message, and a few stories from the open ocean, to Pasadena's Rose Bowl Aquatics Center on Saturday, Oct. 19. On view: "the equipment she used during her swim," which sounds pretty cool. You read about the jellyfish-thwarting masks and wetsuits, yes? A mega, two day-plus endurance swim has its own set of tough-spirited tools, tools that are way beyond our inflatable floaties and wave-ready boards.

The motivation speaker will also talk about what kept her going, and the positive views that keeps her drive and persistence up between swims.

Not that she leaves too much time between those: She just completed a 48-hour New York City swim-a-thon to raise funds for those impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

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A Night with Nyad backstrokes into the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19.

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