Joe Cole wears his Lap League 100 club shirt proudly by the Campo Y pool.
Joe Cole wears his blue “Eat. Sleep. Swim.” shirt with pride. He is now part of the exclusive Lap League 100 club after swimming more than 100 miles at the Campo Family YMCA as part of the new lap swim competition started back in the winter.
“It’s pretty recognizable,” he says. “It’s kind of like a badge of courage or honor. It puts you into a community. I’m always motivated by my peers more than myself. And having a score card and having peer accountability helped me – I’ve lived my whole life that way. It’s normal for me to be that way."
Joe reached his goal in June but says he would’ve gotten to the milestone sooner had it not been for the COVID-19 temporary closure. “Because of the virus I had to stop swimming when I was at 68 miles,” he says, “Uninterrupted, I would’ve gotten there by May 1.”
Joe used to swim six laps at the Y after doing body weight exercises to help with stretching. Because of the competition, he’s now up to 36 laps after his workouts. “(The Y) is more of a community,” he explains. “I’ve become friends with all of the lifeguards. They know me because I’m here on a regular basis.”
Originally from Boston, this challenge was perfect for Joe now that he lives in Florida where, “it’s summertime here all year round.”
“It gave me something to challenge myself on,” he says. “I’ll easily do 200 miles this year. Maybe close to 300 miles.”
All Tampa Y members can register for the free lap swim competition. Everyone who completes 100 miles will receive a Lap League 100 t-shirt. It doesn't matter how long it takes to reach 100 miles, it's about reaching the total distance goal. Contact your local Y to sign up. Do you have what it takes, like Joe, to join the exclusive Lap League 100 club?