Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
Katherine Horvath has already made a name for herself in the triathlon world after she completed a full Ironman triathlon while balancing the needs of her four children, ages 9, 12, 14 and 16.
The World Triathlon Corporation published her story (see here) of her 15 hour 45 minute triathlon.
With her children among the top competitive pool and ocean swimmers in California, it was only a matter of time before the Pacific Ocean called her to do more than a 2.4-mile swim leg on a triathlon.
The 41-year-old will make her attempt across the Catalina Channel on September 17th where she is anticipating a 12-15 hour crossing. “My teenage sons George and Teddy will be on my boat alternating cheering me on, kayaking next to me, and swimming alongside me. This will be an adventure.”
After she biked and ran herself to supreme health for the Ironman, she has been swimming in the Pacific Ocean daily in anticipation of the 20.2-mile Catalina crossing. “I have trained for over a year, miles and miles in all conditions, at sunrise and sunset and everything in between.”
With her lean physique developed in training and taking care of her offspring, she knows she is in for a challenge. “I will have to go a good speed the whole time in order to not get cold and have hypothermia set in.
I have trained and am physically and mentally prepared for this undertaking. Finishing an Ironman gave me seemingly limitless confidence in myself that with proper training and belief in ourselves we can accomplish anything. The only limits we have are those that we place on ourselves. We need to continue to reach and stretch ourselves and put goals on the calendar and take steps to achieve them and, most importantly, never ever give up.
Mothers of multiple children may see it as an unrealistic impossibility to achieve physical feats of our own while at the same time guiding our children to success in our own lives. Our children can be inspired by us as we set an example of going for our dreams as we support them in striving for excellence in their own lives. We can support each other as families in our quest to do great things in the time we are given.”
Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association