Amy Gubser  Amy Gubser, is an extraordinary 56-year-old grandmother who this year became the first person ever to complete an unassisted swim from the Golden Gate Bridge in SF to the Farallon Islands - a 30-mile stretch of cold, shark-infested waters off the California coast. Moreover, what makes this achievement even more remarkable is that Amy only started her marathon swimming journey aged 46. Throughout a fascinating conversation, Amy describes her path from early morning swims in San Francisco Bay through increasingly arduous challenges, including consequently crossing the treacherous North Channel between Ireland and Scotland. Furthermore, Amy shares her insights into the physical and mental preparation required for ultra-marathon swimming, from nutrition strategies to managing the understandable fear of great white sharks and jellyfish swarms. In addition to her swimming achievements, Amy discusses how her work as a nurse has informed her mental toughness, the importance of breaking age-related stereotypes, and as a result, her mission to inspire others - especially women - to pursue ambitious goals at any age. With upcoming swims planned for Scotland's deep and mysterious Loch Ness, therefore Amy is proof that human potential knows no bounds when matched with determination, careful preparation, and above all her simple mantra: 'I can do hard things.' Amy's story is an inspiring reminder that it's never too late to pursue extraordinary achievements. Note to self! Now over to Amy.  Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 03:10 Who is Amy as a Human? 05:35 Childhood and Family Background 10:48 Early Swimming and Lifeguarding 14:26 Nursing Career and Mental Toughness 26:12 Rediscovering Swimming 33:24 First Marathon Swim: Gibraltar Straits 35:59 Conquering Lake Tahoe 37:20 The North Channel Challenge 39:24 Molokai to Oahu Swim 39:56 Local Swims and Challenges 40:47 The Alcatraz Swim 42:15 Manhattan Island Swim 45:23 Nutrition and Hydration Strategies 53:18 Facing the Farallon Islands 55:34 Shark and Jellyfish Encounters 01:01:32 Mental and Physical Endurance 01:06:24 Inspiration and Future Goals 01:11:11 Advice for Aspiring Swimmers 01:18:04 Final Thoughts and Inspirations    Social posts  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amygubser92?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==   Links in show  Books: "The Devil's Teeth" (Book about the Farallon Islands mentioned as inspiration) - "Tough Broads" by Caroline Paul (Recent book Amy highly recommends) - Young Woman in the Sea (About Trudy Ederle, first woman to swim the English Channel)   Films/Media:  Documentary about Mercedes Gleitze    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.