Paula Yankaukas' Marathon Swim Story
06/23/20 • 32 min
In this episode of Marathon Swim Stories, we spoke to Paula Yankauskas, an endurance swimmer, veterinarian, and new grandmother. After completing the Catalina Channel in 2018, Paula became the third oldest individual to complete a Triple Crown - though she doesn't focus on her age, she's happy to motivate people to swim into their senior years! We talk about how swimming keeps you fit, meeting kindred swim spirits all over the world, and when someone "thinks you can" swim across the English Channel - so you do.
In her own words: Paula Yankauskas grew up in central Connecticut and always loved the water – the summer she turned 11, the City of New Britain opened its outdoor municipal pools – four 25 meter pools, and one 50 meter pool – spread out over different city neighborhoods. In the East End of New Britain, the home pool for those residents was Chesley Pool, and it was there that Paula spent nearly all daylight summer hours for the next five years. When she turned 16, she was eligible to work for New Britain Parks & Recreation; at Chesley, there was only an opening for locker attendant. Paula worked it for a short time; when the lifeguard Captain of Stanley Pool (the 50 meter facility) asked if she’d consider joining their Lifeguard roster; all loyalty to the “neighborhood” vanished, and she took the job at the rival pool Stanley, taking on coaching the swim team as well as teaching swimming (WSI - babies to adults) in addition to Lifeguard duties.
Paula is now a Vermont Swimmer – she first came to Vermont for college in 1972; attending UVM for undergraduate work (she was on the swim team for 7 semesters) and put in 1 year toward a Masters’ degree in Physics before getting into veterinary school. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia in 1981.
Central to Paula’s focus are 3 things: LVVS, family, and swimming, and not necessarily in that order (the attention devoted to each varies on a daily basis). LVVS and family took over for the 20 years between education and the 2001 opening of The Swimming Hole in Stowe; but once she had a pool to stretch out in, she was set to return to swimming and has not looked back. To top it all off, the Green River Reservoir State Park is in Paula’s home town of Hyde Park, Vermont - it is a “quiet” body of water (no power boats), so ideally suited for open water swimming.
She founded Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services (LVVS), in 1985 as a mixed animal practice and over the years it has evolved into a 5 doctor, full-service facility for small animals, mostly cats and dogs. Paula’s current focus is on behavioral and emotional health of dogs and cats.
An endurance athlete, Paula has at times held titles for age – she was formerly the oldest person on record to have swum the length of Lake Memphremagog - September 2014, 25 miles, at 60 years. And currently, for the third oldest (average age) for the Triple Crown of open water swimming, having completed the English Channel in 2016 at 62, the Manhattan Island Marathon in 2017 at 63, and the Catalina Channel in 2018 at 64. She does think the age thing gets a little “old” at times, but is happy to motivate people to swim into their senior years, or even get started then.
If you'd like to be a guest on Marathon Swim Stories, mailto:[email protected]
Stay in touch by joining our email list at http://intrepidwater.com
Music credit:
Epic Inspiration by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License:
In this episode of Marathon Swim Stories, we spoke to Paula Yankauskas, an endurance swimmer, veterinarian, and new grandmother. After completing the Catalina Channel in 2018, Paula became the third oldest individual to complete a Triple Crown - though she doesn't focus on her age, she's happy to motivate people to swim into their senior years! We talk about how swimming keeps you fit, meeting kindred swim spirits all over the world, and when someone "thinks you can" swim across the English Channel - so you do.
In her own words: Paula Yankauskas grew up in central Connecticut and always loved the water – the summer she turned 11, the City of New Britain opened its outdoor municipal pools – four 25 meter pools, and one 50 meter pool – spread out over different city neighborhoods. In the East End of New Britain, the home pool for those residents was Chesley Pool, and it was there that Paula spent nearly all daylight summer hours for the next five years. When she turned 16, she was eligible to work for New Britain Parks & Recreation; at Chesley, there was only an opening for locker attendant. Paula worked it for a short time; when the lifeguard Captain of Stanley Pool (the 50 meter facility) asked if she’d consider joining their Lifeguard roster; all loyalty to the “neighborhood” vanished, and she took the job at the rival pool Stanley, taking on coaching the swim team as well as teaching swimming (WSI - babies to adults) in addition to Lifeguard duties.
Paula is now a Vermont Swimmer – she first came to Vermont for college in 1972; attending UVM for undergraduate work (she was on the swim team for 7 semesters) and put in 1 year toward a Masters’ degree in Physics before getting into veterinary school. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia in 1981.
Central to Paula’s focus are 3 things: LVVS, family, and swimming, and not necessarily in that order (the attention devoted to each varies on a daily basis). LVVS and family took over for the 20 years between education and the 2001 opening of The Swimming Hole in Stowe; but once she had a pool to stretch out in, she was set to return to swimming and has not looked back. To top it all off, the Green River Reservoir State Park is in Paula’s home town of Hyde Park, Vermont - it is a “quiet” body of water (no power boats), so ideally suited for open water swimming.
She founded Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services (LVVS), in 1985 as a mixed animal practice and over the years it has evolved into a 5 doctor, full-service facility for small animals, mostly cats and dogs. Paula’s current focus is on behavioral and emotional health of dogs and cats.
An endurance athlete, Paula has at times held titles for age – she was formerly the oldest person on record to have swum the length of Lake Memphremagog - September 2014, 25 miles, at 60 years. And currently, for the third oldest (average age) for the Triple Crown of open water swimming, having completed the English Channel in 2016 at 62, the Manhattan Island Marathon in 2017 at 63, and the Catalina Channel in 2018 at 64. She does think the age thing gets a little “old” at times, but is happy to motivate people to swim into their senior years, or even get started then.
If you'd like to be a guest on Marathon Swim Stories, mailto:[email protected]
Stay in touch by joining our email list at http://intrepidwater.com
Music credit:
Epic Inspiration by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License:
Previous Episode
Evan Morrison's Marathon Swim Story
In this episode of Marathon Swim Stories, I chat with the cofounder of the Marathon Swimmers Federation and creator of LongSwims Database and track.rs, Evan Morrison. In February 2020, Evan became the first person to swim San Francisco's Round Trip Angle Island swim in winter, with temp in the low 50's, for nearly 9 hours. We talk about putting everything out of your mind, finding ways to give back to the sport, how you always remember the feeling of completing a marathon swim and so much more.
In his own words: I grew up swimming in Santa Barbara, California, and am currently based in San Francisco. I’ve done marathon swims around Manhattan, up the length of Tampa Bay, across the Catalina and Santa Barbara Channels, and was the first person to swim San Francisco’s Round-Trip Angel Island in the winter. My Santa Barbara Channel swim was featured in the documentary film DRIVEN (driven.vhx.tv). I co-founded the Marathon Swimmers Federation (marathonswimmers.org) and currently serve as president of the Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association (santabarbarachannelswim.org). My focus in recent years has been on developing the LongSwims Database (longswims.com), the track.rs GPS tracking service, and standards for documenting independent marathon swims.
If you'd like to be a guest on Marathon Swim Stories, mailto:[email protected]
Stay in touch by joining our email list at http://intrepidwater.com
Music credit:
Epic Inspiration by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.
Next Episode
Caroline Block's Marathon Swim Story
In this episode we were inspired by a remarkable woman who has attempted a double of the North Channel, not once, but twice! Caroline Block, started marathon swimming just five years ago and has honed an impressive resume, including 4 successful crossings of the North Channel. We talk about equal access, being a conservative swimmer, having a super human ability to sustain lions mane jelly fish stings, checking your assumptions, and so much more.
In her own words: I'm a Channel swimmer from New York. I started open water swimming a few years ago and I'm loving where the sport has taken me and the friendships I've made with swimmers around the globe.
If you'd like to be a guest on Marathon Swim Stories, mailto:[email protected]
Stay in touch by joining our email list at http://intrepidwater.com
Music credit:
Epic Inspiration by Rafael Krux
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5447-epic-inspiration-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Swimming sounds courtesy of swimmer Todd Lantry.
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