Photo by Scott Smeltzer of the Daily Pilot.

Back in 2016, Kenneth Mullinix had a stroke and multiple complications resulted.

Part of his recovery eventually lead the 67-year-old to swim a total of 1,000 miles in the Pacific Ocean on September 22nd 2024. It took him over four summers to complete this distance, swimming in Newport Beach, California.

Journey of Recovery and Resilience

In early January of 2016, my life took an unexpected turn when I suffered 5 Rain Shower strokes on one side of my brain. I remember the moment vividly. I felt a horrible sensation in my stomach that I had never felt before and knew something was terribly wrong.

A horrible headache began and I started to become delusional. I clung to the bed, believing that if I could just hold on and be in control, everything would be okay.

I fixated on a pair of shoes (of all things) set upon a distant horizon, thinking that if I could just concentrate on them, I would be fine. Then, I lost control of my ocular nerve, and the entire room flipped upside down as I blacked out from the pain. I drifted in and out of consciousness for what felt like days on end. Finally, someone I know did a welfare check on me and found me unconscious in my bedroom. I was then admitted to the stroke center in Mission Viejo to be diagnosed and treated.

When I was released from the hospital after three days in intensive care. I exited the front door in a wheelchair, and now facing a daunting reality. I thought, “What have I done to myself? How bad is the damage?”

The future was uncertain, and I was scared to death.

A later CAT scan revealed the damage, two inches of my brain had died. When the neurologist showed me the CAT scan, I was stunned. I thought I would be an invalid for the rest of my life, a ward of the government, and never leading a normal life again. Seeing my reaction, the doctor gave me words of encouragement, urging me to start recuperation with diet, exercise, sleep and therapy, and to fight back, and never give up. It is a part of the healing process.

I took those words of wisdom to heart and maybe, just maybe, I went a bit overboard.

Reflections on this have left me with a few thoughts; being wheeled out of the stroke center/hospital in a wheelchair, I thought to myself, “Yes, I am scared. This cannot be happening to me,” among a million other scenarios. One predominant thought was, “This is not me. No way am I living for the rest of my life as an invalid with speech impediments, slurring words, a lack of forming cognitive thoughts, drool running down the corner of my mouth, and not being able to walk as I used.” I said to myself, “I will fight this no matter how I do it, or how long it takes, and I will figure this out.”

My journey began with small, tentative swim strokes in the ocean as part of my rehabilitation after I could safely enter the water months after the stroke. The ocean became my sanctuary, offering solace and a sense of freedom that was essential to my recovery. What started as therapeutic exercise soon evolved into an ambitious quest to break an ocean swim record.  

I researched any records related to distant ocean swimming and found that no American has swam 1,000 regular miles (nautical miles 900) in the ocean.

As I started my swimming, I could tell that the therapeutics of exercise, sleep and diet were a slow and steady path to recovery. When you have a stroke, you wake up with your brain rested but as the day progresses and you start to get tired, you begin to “sundown”, meaning slurring your words or stumbling in your thoughts and actions. You also have a 50% chance of having another stroke per experts. So, I would exercise in the morning, eat healthy each and every day, and more than anything else, sleep. I could tell that my brain was healing, bit by bit, which gave me encouragement. Little did I know that this adversity would spark a profound and transformative journey, leading me to swimming 1,000 miles in the ocean over the course of five swim seasons (summers).

Swimming in the ocean is not for the faint of heart.

It demands an unwavering dedication and resilience, knowledge of the ocean from experience gained. Less than 1% of the people of earth can swim a single mile. Each mile swum was a starting testament to my commitment and determination to heal myself and push beyond my unknown limits. To put it in perspective, 1,000 miles is equivalent to swimming from Newport Beach, California to Catalina Island and back about 20 times or swimming approximately a 100 miles to the Mexican border from Newport Beach and back five times. These distances not only measure physical endurance, but also symbolize the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.

My diet included, was and still is extremely strict. My main goal was do not eat anything that once had a face, especially no beef. Nothing white, no white flour, white rice, white bread, white sugar, white pasta etc. Most days are the same with some variations. Nothing canned or processed, no sodas, no chips, no donuts, limit breads, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurts, and nuts, with limited starches. I eat mostly anything freshly grown and not processed. Just eat smart and healthy, small amounts, we all know the routine, but stick with it and don’t cheat very often.

The path to achieving this milestone was not without its challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic of the past brought unprecedented disruptions, shutting down coastlines and limiting swimming opportunities. An oil spill and further pandemic-related restrictions added to the hurdles, making it difficult to maintain my daily routine of bike riding, a weight lifting routine and swimming.

The ocean is a living organism, dynamic and ever-changing. Small craft advisories, foggy conditions, rain, tropical storms, large waves, strong currents, cold water, and windy waves/conditions are all factors that can determine whether it is safe to enter the ocean. These conditions make each swim unique and require constant vigilance and respect for the ocean’s power. The ocean’s vastness, unpredictability, and power can be both humbling and inspiring. Each swim became a meditation, a dance with the waves, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Documenting ocean swims became my passion.

Over the past five summers, I swam notable distances mostly during the summertime: 85.5 miles the first year when just starting out, then 114.8 miles one summer, then 133 miles the next summer, then 186 miles, 248 miles last summer, and 252 miles this summer. These milestones not only represent physical endurance, but also the sheer dedication required to achieve what I needed to accomplish.

Beginning my swim seasons, I usually bulked up to 195 lbs. in the off-season by lifting weights only to trim down during the swim season to 176 lbs. Additionally, I swam over 1,760,000 swim strokes and covered over 1,800,000 yards, according to calculations from Chat GPT Open AI. My stroke efficiency got me down to about 28-minute miles, of course with swim fins on.

1 mile = 1,760 yards 1,000 miles = 1,000 × 1,760 = 1,760,000 yards, swim stroke total estimated at 1,760,000 at 1.15 yards per stroke with swim fins on.

The journey was not without physical tolls.

I suffered a multitude of injuries and tried my best to keep my body maintained properly. I worked out with weights five days a week, incorporating a stretching routine, cardio workouts, weight training and the help of trainers at my gym. There were: pulled muscles, painful blisters, sunburns, rotator cuff stiffness, eye infections (pink eye mostly) from sand and saltwater, sprains, pulled muscles, core muscle tightness and calf cramps. I had trouble staying hydrated, have gotten saltwater swim sores repeatedly, and carpal tunnel syndrome in my feet due to the constant pressure from swim fins.

As a redhead with blue eyes, I was particularly susceptible to sunburns, which was one of my biggest challenges. Throughout this ordeal, I learned how to deal with these challenges, understanding the importance of proper maintenance and adequate recovery times for my body. I learned to use only high-end equipment; properly fitting triathlon wetsuits (18 different ones), swim googles, thermal swim caps, booties and insulated swim gloves. And most of all realizing my swim limits as I got better delving into my new sport. Estimated time in the ocean 550 hours of swim time, 2 miles on average per swim.

One of the scariest experiences I had while swimming one day was hitting something with my backstroke about 500 yards off the coast outside of the Newport Beach Pier. My backstroke caught a deadened solid object with a loud slap and the feeling like I had hit a body. I immediately looked underwater with my goggles on and could not see anything. Let’s just say it got my attention. After a few more minutes of swimming, it occurred to me that something might have hit me not me hitting it, so I panicked a bit and swam directly to shore. Upon reaching the sand, I saw a few dead dolphins had washed up. Animal Control was on site. It had been a red tide for about a week, so I put two and two together and realized that I had swum into a dead dolphin.

Another experience involved getting caught in the storm currents of Tropical Storm Hilary, which came up the Southern California coast in 2023. I went out swimming even with the tropical storm warnings and did not realize the severity of the storm currents that were brought up the coast. Deep into my swim, I did not realize that I was pulled off the coast, it sucked me out into the ocean about 3/4 mile or more. Upon realizing what was happening again, a mild panic set in, so I set about a straight beeline swim to shore. In my mind I only had one chance to get safely to shore, if I stopped swimming or did not make it back then I would be swept out to sea. Not how I wanted the day to go. It took me about an hour to swim to the sand, fighting the currents the whole way. I crawled up on shore exhausted and safe. I was so spent I fell asleep instantaneously. I learned right then to calm things down a bit, that I cannot do this all in one day. I was better for the experience but worried about my own stupidity.

One day I was doing a Newport Pier to the Balboa Pier swim when I was just starting to enter the sport, the water was about 56°F and I did not wear a wetsuit. By the time I was ending my swim, I was so cold that my body was uncontrollably shaking with hypothermia. I swam ashore and actual buried myself in the dry sand is hopes of stopping the pain from the cold. The lifeguards drove by and just looked at me as if I was nuts. Well, he helped me out by giving me a thermal blanket, fluids and then drove me back to my starting point. We had a good long mutual laugh at my ignorance at starting my Long Distance Swimming (LDS) career/foray with ineptitude and inexperience.

My achievements would not have been possible without the support of the Newport Beach community as a whole. If you have been to Newport Beach in the last few years, you have most likely seen me out there swimming off of the coast. To the people over the years that I met a long journey who listened to my story of stroke and recovery, and to those who saw me swimming far out in the ocean and then met me on my walk back to my starting point—thank you! Your willingness to listen to my story inspired me along the way, and I hope my journey inspired you in return. Again special thanks to the city of Newport Beach and especially the lifeguards who supported and encouraged me. They knew what I was trying to accomplish and listened as my weekly/monthly mileage slowly ticked off as the days proceeded by.

Ben Lecomte in December of 2018 became the first person to attempt to swim from Tokyo, Japan to San Francisco, California to raise awareness about the oceans health. Ben successfully swam 1,500 nautical miles. Unfortunately, after 165 days at sea, Ben and his team were forced to call off The Swim due to 7 irreparable damage to the mainsail. I contacted Ben to inform him that there are now two people on the planet that have swam 1,000 miles in the ocean. His congratulation of my accomplishment was greatly appreciated, his statement, “Thank you for sharing your story. It is amazing, Ben.” Also thanks to my neighbors, friends, and of course, the support of my family were also very helpful in accomplishing this goal.

City of Newport Beach Captain of the Newport Beach Lifeguards by Gavin Wright

As a Captain of Newport Beach Lifeguards, I have seen many people endure the power of the Pacific Ocean. Every day as I patrolled West Newport, I saw a yellow float skimming across the horizon. I often thought to myself, “Who is the person swimming across the division?” This swimmer was no other than Ken, our local long distance swimmer. Ken’s accomplishment is not just a testament to physical endurance; it is a tribute to human resilience, preparation, and the indomitable will to achieve what seems impossible.

Ken’s swim is a lesson in what it means to commit to something larger than oneself. It’s not just about the physical feat of swimming 1,000 miles, though that alone is astounding. It’s about having the mental strength to keep going, mile after mile, day after day, through every challenge the ocean presented.

Thanks for the testaments from two persons that I admire. My story is not just one of personal triumph, but also a call to action for others to embrace a healthy and active lifestyle, to respect and protect our natural environments, and to never give up on their dreams, no matter how distant they may seem. Write down your goals, the mileage you might have walked that day, or the distance you swam, or even just the days you went to the gym. When you see that you missed a day, it hits home more when you look at it in writing. I kept track of steps, stroke or distances of swimming, walking etc. As I did I went to websites that show you distances between points, see that distance and try to reach it every day. I knew the distances I had to swim and would try to reach that on a daily routine. It worked for me.

This accomplishment goes out to all the Weekend Warriors. I knew I would never play NCAA Division I college sports, perform in the Olympics, or play at any professional sports level. I never had the opportunities, skills or the means to really have a chance at being at that level of athletic performance, so I accomplished what I could with what I had. Having time is of utmost importance, not having a wife or children gave me the time I needed to peruse this endeavor. I partially did this for all the other medical challenged survivors out there, and for anyone who has suffered any type of stroke especially like I did, or anyone who has ever suffered a major physical/mental setback or injury. Goals are achievable if you set your mind to it and persevere. Never give up on your aspiration or objectives. Additional during these past years, I also worked out at the gym 820 times, walked over 2,000 miles, and rode my road bike over 3,600 miles.

Now that I think about that person in a wheelchair at the exit doors of the hospital back in 2016 to today, I am not the same person. I’ve learned that if you put your mind to something that you want and need to overcome, you can do it, but it will come at a cost to you personally or maybe professionally. It will be worth it in the long run. Just have fortitude, and forethought about a path forward, and if you are wrong in your solutions, then try something else. No matter what, do not let anyone talk you out of your mission or goals. I had more than a few people look at me like I was crazy with what my goals were and eventually were realized, it became the ocean swimming of 1,000 miles. Needless to say, those people are not my priority anymore. The ones who gave me encouragement or had kind words to say to me, those are the people that this goal that I attained, it is not just for me but for them as well. They were a big part of this journey, even if they knew it or not.

Today the only symptoms that I still have from that horrible day are tendinitis (ringing) in my ears. No facial paralysis, shuffling of the feet with balance or concentration issues, or trouble forming sentences, and I have limited doubts or fearing of another stroke, or sundowning again.

As for the future?

Depending on severity and cause of the initial stroke you have a 50/50 chance on the average of having another stroke, these are facts that I researched, I now know this. I will do maintenance on a daily basis to help waylay any future medical problems that may arise and try to swim at least 100 miles per summer among other goals that I have come to a conclusion about yet. I am going to be taking some time off to let me body heal and gain a little muscle. Overall this has taught me a great deal about myself that I never knew before. I am just very thankful for all the support I received along this mindful, all eye-opening journey of Recovery and Resilience. I now understand that “Selfless acts of helpfulness towards others supersedes all selfish motivations and less noble purposes”.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. May it serve as a reminder that no matter how turbulent the waters of life may be; we all have the strength to keep swimming.

© 2024 Kenneth J. Mullinix