The END-WET 2025 Guest Swimmer is....

Hello everyone,

In 2025 we have the privilege of welcoming Katie Blair as our Guest Swimmer.

I grew up in Mannheim, Germany, where I started swimming competitively at the age of 11 - so a bit of a late start. Around the age of 15, I discovered triathlon and became obsessed with the idea of wanting to compete in the Ironman Hawaii. Many thousands of hours of training later, I was able to make that dream come true, finishing the Ironman Hawaii in 2001 and 2002. A perk along the way was making International Triathlon Union - Long Distance World Champion (18-24) in Frederica, Denmark in 2001.

Focusing on my son Ashton, born in 2004, and pursuing a college education, I considered myself retired from the demands of endurance sports. Little did I know that a bathroom flyer at Colorado State University would get me started on a whole second endurance sports career. Said flyer promoted the Horsetooth Reservoir 10K swim and had me curious if I still “had it”. A cool mountain 10K swim later, I was suddenly training with a small group of “crazies” that dreamt of the English Channel.

16 years later, I have an eclectic collection of adventurous swims under my belt – some successful and some not. I completed the triple crown of open water swimming with my 2012 English Channel swim. Succeeded in the Kaiwi Channel in 2013, while failing after 8h in the too-cold-for-Katie North Channel in Ireland. I swam a triple-width crossing of Lake Constance in 2014, Lake Memphremagog and Tampa Bay in 2015, Lake Erie in 2019, and from St. Lucia to Martinique in 2020. In 2022, I failed at the lofty goal of trying to circumnavigate St. Lucia.

Following the failure, I was considering myself retired again (even moved to Florida). However, I find myself drawn to complete the Swim Around Key West at least once a year and am living by the warm Atlantic waters of central Florida, where I train steadily. My son Ashton, now 20, is an aspiring mechanical engineer studying at Purdue. Meanwhile, I was able to complete my PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Performance Psychology in 2023 and am currently working for the United States Space Force. I am excited to finally make it to Endwet and am starting to think that retirement is probably not my thing.

Wilderman needs racers, END-WET closing soon, END-BACKYARD is new

Hi Folks,

Quick updates (aren't they all quick? do people have time to read long emails anymore? maybe one email a day for three days would be better?) about the next three races.

END-WET registration closes at the end of May. Don't forget to figure out your own paddler! https://endracing.com/end-wet.
We can always use volunteers for this race, especially those who like to a) drive around back roads in the morning and b) hang out by the river in the afternoon.

WILDERMAN is approaching a go/no-go decision point at the end of May (solidarity with project managers who just shuddered reading that phrase). We have 9 full, 5 half, and no teams signed up. Full text below, but we need at least SIX more racers or teams for Wilderman to happen. We have no teams yet, but if you like to ride a bike and/or run, let us know and we can help you put together a relay that uses a randomly assigned swimmer. How's that for some fun? https://endracing.com/wilderman. Volunteers also appreciated, especially those who like to a) drive around back roads (a theme is emerging) and b) stay up late to watch super tired people try to walk up hills.
> Minimum number of FULL racers: 10 by June 1st. We will hold the FULL distance race if we get at least 10 full racers (teams count as 1) by this date and meet the minimum 20 racers overall. If we meet the 20 racers overall but not 10 full racers, we will only hold the half. Folks registered for the full can choose to transfer to the half (and difference refunded), a full refund, or race credit.

END-BACKYARD is a NEW RACE (can I use MORE CAPITALS?) in 2024. https://endracing.com/end-backyard. Description below. Volunteers for this event are probably those who like to a) stare at race clocks and b) spend an inordinate amount of effort trying to predict who will win.
> The standard backyard ultra has a course 4 miles, 880 feet (6.7056 km) long. All runners start each lap ("yard") together, once an hour. If you aren't in the starting corral when the hour starts, you are eliminated (you can totally hang around and cheer for folks). The last person who can start, wins.

Cheers,
END-people

The END-WET 2024 Guest Swimmer is....

Hello everyone,

In 2024 we are welcoming back a multiple time END-WET winner as our guest swimmer.  Please join me in welcoming Sandra Frimerman-Bergquist.

Sandra has written a bio for us which I have included below:

I was born in Walnut Creek, CA. I grew up in Eden Prairie,Minnesota. I started swimming after Janet Evans Olympic performance in Seoul against the East Germans. After trying a local 5 mile lake swim I knew that I was much better suited for open water rather than the constraints of the pool. I went to and swam at Eden prairie high school. I swam at the University of Northern Iowa setting 4 school records and at St. Cloud State University. Studying environmental studies and water treatment. I decided to make it my goal to become a professional athlete after attending an open water safety conference in 2011 and learning about the FINA world marathon and ultramarathon series. Specifically the famed Traversee Internationale du Lac St. Jean 32KM Crossing. Along the way, I have completed over 42 swims of 10km or longer since 2012. My first swim of 10km or more came at the 27mile edition of END-WET in 2012, To completing the 36mile version of END-WET 4 consecutive times. 

I accomplished my dream of becoming a "professional" Swimmer in 2018 with 2 FINA Marathon Series 10km races in Canada. I reached my other goal of the completing the Traversee du lac St. Jean swim in 2019, along with another famed Ultramarathon, the 54th edition of The Maratono Del Golfo Capri Napoli, a 36KM swim from the Island of Capri to Naples, Italy.  

I have competed in Masters swimming since 2005, compiling 77 individual Top Ten times & 22 relay Top Ten times. I have been USMS Open Water National Champion 4 times. I swim to raise awareness of mental illness and breaking the stigma associated with mental illness. To show anyone who is struggling that things can be better. In 2021 I moved to Florida from Minnesota.

END-SURE and Double Feature price bumps March 1st

Hi all,

We're getting some good snow and wicked wind here in Grand Forks today, which means it's a great day to think about our 2024 shoulder-season races, END-SURE (March 23) and the END-TOMBED/END-TRAILS Double Feature (October 26-27)! Prices are going to bump up on Friday, March 1 for those races.

Here is a reminder list of events coming up this year, along with some Facebook event links.

- END-SURE, March 23, https://endracing.com/end-sure, https://www.facebook.com/events/1931614937259096/
- END-WET, June 15, https://endracing.com/end-wet, https://www.facebook.com/events/402177728878611/
- Wilderman, July 20-21, https://endracing.com/wilderman, https://www.facebook.com/events/1393919538163027/
- END-BACKYARD, August 3, https://endracing.com/end-backyard, https://www.facebook.com/events/299026489849061/
- END-PULSE, October 19, https://endracing.com/end-pulse, https://www.facebook.com/events/7083174538402967/
- END-TOMBED, October 26, https://endracing.com/end-tombed, https://www.facebook.com/events/875885427609351/
- END-TRAILS, October 27, https://endracing.com/end-trails, https://www.facebook.com/events/875885427609351/

Have a good one!

END crew

Registration bumps 2/2 and END-BACKYARD

Hey lovely racers,

Last-minute note that because Beek's real job keeps getting in the way, registration increases for the following races will be tomorrow (2/2) instead of today.

- END-SURE https://endracing.com/end-sure
- END-WET https://endracing.com/end-wet
- Wilderman https://endracing.com/wilderman
- END-PULSE https://endracing.com/end-pulse

We're also super excited to announce a new event in Jamestown on August 3rd: END-BACKYARD

It's a backyard ultra (https://backyardultra.com/) here in North Dakota! Racers will run loops that are 4 miles 880 ft long, starting one loop every hour. If you aren't there to start a loop at the top of the hour, you're eliminated. The last human running (after however many hours or "yards") wins. Sounds exhausting, and you should totally sign up.

Check it out at https://endracing.com/end-backyard

Cheers!

- END crew/gang/team/whatever we call ourselves in aggregate these days

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