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A year ago I began training to swim the English Channel．I will be 58 years old．My friends thought I had lost my mind, and my wife was somewhat worried．The question I was asked over and over was this, “Why?”
When a student reporter at Indiana recently asked me this question, I said, “First, let me ask you a question．What are your plans for this summer?”
He replied that he was going to work in a supermarket．I didn’t have to say more．He understood my point．
A challenge and something of an adventure are welcome whether you are 20 or 58, and preparing to swim the Channel is far better than working in a supermarket, especially when you have a choice．
But why did I decide to swim the Channel at 58? Perhaps I myself can hardly give a satisfactory answer．
The Channel has always been the greatest challenge to swimmers, a test of ability, luck, and even bravery．It is this challenge that attracts about 100 swimmers a year, who are willing to spend time, effort, and money trying it．
One fact that adds to my interest is that, if I succeed, I will be the oldest person ever to swim the Channel．
I don’t think I am a superman．I do think I have at least two things in favor：
First, I am training hard－now swimming 7 and a half miles a day．Second, I am a resolute (有决心的) man．Once I set up a goal, I won’t give it up easily．And this swim has long been a goal．I have a feeling－I will be mentally ready．
On the other hand there was a young girl who was attempting(试图) to finish her swim when the ocean got rough．She was having a hard time with the rough and cold water, when her trainer shouted to her from the boat that he thought she should give up and get out of the water．She shouted back, “I’m doing the swimming, and I’ll decide when to get out．” She made it．
