Origins: Hold Fast

Less than one week to go before Stage 6! Today was my last 5:45 AM pre-work swim! Francis hummed "Pomp and Circumstance" as I deleted that alarm from my phone. I am incredibly proud that I did not once give in to the temptation to take one of the many available cabs that gather outside my building so early in the morning! I am overjoyed that I can stay up past 9 tonight, even thought I know that I will probably not make it much past 10.

Today's post is an origin story of sorts. 

Every open water race, Francis writes the phrase "Hold Fast" on my fingers like so...

Hold Fast is a nautical term that was used to help sailors persevere in storms and battles. Sailors had to hold tight to the riggings to help their ships weather storms, so this was also a call to hold on. It comes from the Dutch "avast" (think Pirates of the Caribbean) meaning to stop. I first came across this phrase in high school when I saw and read Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

Old Joe Plaice (the one who has brain surgery on board, for those of you familiar with the movie) has hold fast tattooed on his fingers. He also says one of my favorite lines from any movie: "I tell ya. The Devil's at the wheel of that there phantom ship. You better hold fast." My friend John and I were obsessed with this movie! We both used to cantor and sing with a group that did music for the 9 AM mass on Sunday mornings (nerd alert!), John was getting nervous before doing his first solo psalm. Before mass, I grabbed a pen and wrote Hold Fast on my fingers. Before he went up to sing, I put my fists together so he could read the message, which made him laugh. He went on to deliver an exquisite performance of Isaiah 12: "Cry out with joy and gladness, for among you is the great and holy one of Israel.'

Hold Fast to me means persevering through struggle. It is my in-water reminder to focus on my swimming and not the pain, push harder, and make it to the finish. Hold Fast, along with the tried and true "Just Keep Swimming" from Finding Nemo, and the new "Let It Go" from Frozen are my three mantras that will hopefully keep me going to the finish at the George Washington Bridge, Sandy Hook, and whatever other open water challenges are on the horizon.

Hold Fast,
Laura