Tony Johnston, co-manager and support paddler (and possibly the only person to paddle around Manhattan Island on a rescue board) has written a great account of the events of the day. Enjoy!
Murph's thoughts to be posted soon....
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On 6 June 2009, at about 7.10am, Murph dove into the chilly waters (15C) of the Hudson River at South Cove, on the South Western side of Manhattan Island with 24 other individual swimmers and 9 relay teams ready for the commencement of the 45.7km Manhattan Island Marathon Swim race.
At 7.14.50am the Starter commenced the count-down to start the race. Swimmers jostled for position between the starting buoys and at 7.15am, before a crowd of a couple of hundred onlookers, the swimmers scrambled from South Cove on their anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Manhattan Island. For the majority of swimmers, it is not just a marathon swim, it’s a race, so it was on from the start.
Initially, the swimmers were head-on into a 6 knot incoming tide as they fought for 2 kilometres to round the famous “Battery”, being the Southern most tip of the island. Swimmers were required to stop and give way to a ferry departing for Staten Island. However, after about 20 minutes, Murph had rounded the “Battery”, into the East River in 5th place.
The swimmers moved into the East River with the incoming tide, at times moving faster than those few healthy New Yorker’s out for a Saturday run along the Manhattan Island foreshore.
Swimmers then navigate their way up the 16 kilometres of the East River passing under the famous Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges, through the West channel, passing Roosevelt Island and under the Queensboro and Triborough Bridges.
It was just after the Williamsburg Bridge, about the 6 kilometre mark, that Murph passed the 4th placed swimmer a Mexican woman (no jokes about her breathing).
Murph worked himself into a nice rhythm of 70 strokes per minute and held 4th place comfortably for the next few kilometers.
At about the 12 kilometre mark, Murph caught and started a swimming dual with the 3rd placed 25 year old UK swimmer, Lennard Lee.
Murph and Lennard were side by side for about 4 kilometres before Murph stopped for his 2 hour 20 minute feed. Lennard took advantage and swam off. About 10 minutes later, it was Lennard’s feed stop and Murph caught up again. By this time, Murph was back in his rhythm and stormed past Lennard. However, Lennard soon caught up and the dual began again.
The two swimmers played cat and mouse for about 3 kilometers before Lennard put in a massive effort, clearly displaying his competitive nature, to pass Murph. However, Murph, with the benefit of experience and age, wasn’t phased and Lennard moved away, but not too far.
Swimmers head up into Hell’s Gate which is the junction to the Harlem River. They veer left into the Harlem River which runs for another 11 kilomeres, under 10 more bridges, past the Bronx to the East and Harlem to the West.
It was at Hell’s Gate that Murph made his move on Lennard. Lennard’s team followed the lead swimmers’ line and stayed close to shore leading up to Hell’s Gate. Murph was feeling well and had increased his stroke rate. Based on the combination of our boat skipper Bill’s numerous years as a boat captain in the race together with Murph’s stroke rate and condition, we decided to take a gamble and try a different line through Hell’s Gate.
Murph passed Lennard and moved into 3rd position and actually got to within 100 metres of the lead two swimmers, the 2007 and 2008 winners respectively, John van Wisse and Penny Palfrey.
The water was beautiful for swimming well in the Harlem River, if only a little murky. Murph swam like he was doing one of the famous 6km sprint sessions he had become accustomed to in his preparation with Chad Schneider at Sea’s the Limit at Botany Pool. Murph pulled well clear of Lennard during the Harlem River leg of the race.
At Spuyten Duyvil (meaning “in spite of the devil”), at the top of the island, the Harlem River joins the Hudson River. The Hudson River is the home straight. Only problem for the swimmers is that it’s 18 kilometres long.
At the entrance to the Hudson River, the water temperature rose by about 3 degrees which made it a bit more comfortable for the swimmers. The water was rushing out of the Harlem with the tide and it was moving at a speed in excess of 7 knots. However the wind was blowing from the South, which made for a choppy swim all the way down the 18 kilometre stretch.
Passing under the George Washington Bridge was quite amazing (at least for the support crew).
The tide was moving at about 3.5 knots by that stage and was carrying us along with it, although we still battled a reasonable chop caused by the head-wind and water traffic.
At about 7 hours 20 minutes, Murph passed North Cove Yacht Harbour at Battery Park City. We spotted the two fluorescent orange buoys floating about 1 kilometre away at South Cove. We angled in to the sea wall that runs along the Hudson River shoreline between North Cove and South Cove. Much to our surprise, hundreds of people had turned up to cheer in the swimmers and Murph got a well deserved applause, as well as a small boost of confidence, to help lift his stroke rate again for the final kilometre. Pumped by the thought of finishing the swim and the noise from the crowd, he almost swam straight past South Cove, where the race finishes.
When we eventually got Murph to round the corner into South Cove, he received a massive cheer. He swam to the finish pontoon to learn officially that he had completed the race in third place in a time of 7:29:04. Only one relay team had beaten him, in second place, and that was the 6 person male relay team.
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As we advised previously, each competitor chosen to compete in the swim was required to nominate a charity for which funds are to be raised. Murph nominated the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.
Now that Murph has done the hard work of finishing third in the swimming race, it’s now time to call on support for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.
Murph and the rest of the team would be really grateful if you would make a small (or large) donation to the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. Donations go directly to Victor Chang and can be made by following the instructions below:
Go to website link at:
https://secure.donman.net.au/client/victorchang/victorchang.asp- Enter personal details
- Scroll down to donation details
- Select campaign - general events
- Event name - Michael Renford Manhattan Island Swim
- Complete credit card details
- Click on make a donation
If you would like to know more about the swim results you can follow the link below:
http://www.nycswim.org/Event/Event.aspx?event_id=1902&from=swimmersMurph and Team Renford thank you for support in both the race and in donating to Murph’s nominated charity Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.
Best regards
Tony Johnston
On the Thursday before the swim Team Renford went on the Circle Line tour around Manhattan Island. It was great to see exactly what he would be swimming and for the boys to learn a little more about the currents and landmarks for the swim. 
Lily with Tomas (Roger Federer lookalike)
SoHo
Greenwich Village
Times Square
Lily gathering all of the toys at wonderful FAO Schwartz 
We met Isabel for breakfast in SoHo
Central Park
Atop the Empire State Building
of course the view does not compare to popcorn....
Lily and Diego at the Manhattan Childrens Museum
The Guggenheim 
What a view - thank you Betsy for taking us onto the terrace for the magnificent view! 
Lily and Betsy
