Sarah Thomas: Marathon Swimmer

Marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas recounts childhood memories of playing in the water near her grandparents’ small cabin on a large lake in Oklahoma.

Growing up, my family had a small cabin on a large lake in Oklahoma. When my mom was very young, her grandpa built the foundation from cinderblocks into the side of a hill. It was basic: two large rooms and one bathroom. Eventually, my grandpa built a second story on top of the basement, adding on a living room, a more advanced kitchen, another bathroom and two proper bedrooms. It always smelled musty and mouldy and we had to take care to avoid spiders and ants.

However, I never cared much about the house. My focus was on the water, located a short walk around the back of the house, down the old yellow, wrought iron steps, across the rickety wooden bridge, and down to the dock. From the time I could walk, my choice was to spend as much time as possible in the water.

Before I was ever enrolled in swim lessons, I knew how to jump off the dock, chasing sticks, dogs, siblings and cousins. When I was too young to ski or tube at full speed behind the boat, like my older cousins, my grandpa had me on a mini sled-like toy, which was attached to the boat via a ski rope. I’d either stand, using a rope for balance, or lay on my tummy, dragging my toes behind me. I’d happily let them tow me, only occasionally worrying about a possible water moccasin attack. When I got tired, I’d tip myself over and float in place while they circled back, picked me up, hauled me into the boat and gave someone else a turn.

As I got older, we’d bring friends along, to share our lake. We’d sprawl out on mattresses thrown on the floor, laughing and giggling all night long, playing board games and cards, talking about boys, and eating the junk food and sodas Grandpa always made sure to keep in stock. 

Grandpa passed in 2004 and as the years passed, Grandma knew that at some point she would be forced to sell the cabin. As much as we wanted to hang on to our memories, it just made sense to sell.

However, in August 2017, just before the cabin sold, I fulfilled a childhood dream and swam the entire length of the lake, traveling from Sailboat Bridge, where the river becomes a lake, all the way to Pensacola Dam. It was just a touch under 19 miles, with water pushing 30C and with air temps… well, hotter. In some ways, the swim was miserable; I’ve never been so hot. But, my family made up the entire crew: my mom, stepdad, husband and two of my sisters cheered me along through the humid night as we watched heat lightning streak across the sky. After 11.5 hours in the lake, I felt like I’d given her the farewell she deserved, a “thank you” for all the love she had poured into my childhood soul. A piece of my heart will always live in that murky Oklahoma water.