There was another one of those fringe sports things that happened over the weekend.  You may not have even heard about it.  a British born Australian named Penny Palfrey tried to swim unassisted from Cuba to the Florida Keys.

She failed of course.  She said she was frustrated by the strong ocean currents and got out of the water about 26 miles from Key West. 

I take issue with this story.  Mainly because it is just plain stupid.  I have never been able to comprehend why people attempt these pointless sports endurance records.  Strong currents?  Gee, thats a shock!  Who would've ever guessed theree would be strong currents in an ocean?  You'd think she might have planned for that wouldn't you? 

Remember a couple years ago when that kid tried to be the youngest person to sail around the world solo?  She went missing for days.  No one knew where she was.  I don't even remember if they ever found her, but the point is, why would you put yourself in such possible peril for some stupid record?

Is becoming the first woman to swim from Cuba to the US something you would brag about?  Is that something you want to tell people you are just meeting in a bar or something?  If I was making small talk with some chick I just met, and she told me that, I gotta admit, my first thought would be "WHY???  Did you miss your boat or something?  Did you get pushed overboard?  Were you trying to retrieve a rubber ducky and get swept out to sea?  Were you a Cuban national trying to escape Communist oppression in Cuba to the socialist oppression of the US?"

It just seems utterly pointless to try to swim from Cuba to the US.  I mean, maybe thousands of years ago, I could see it, but ever since God created boats, there is just no reason for this.

If you are going to attempt something this stupid, and you are three quarters of the way there, why stop when you are 26 miles from your goal?  Suck it up buttercup!  26 miles?  That's nothing!  Thats like swimming Seneca lake in the finger lakes.  You've already made an ass of yourself, so why not make a bigger ass of yourself and at least complete the feat?

I am all about practicality.  People should be practical in their lives.  Why do something if there is no point to it?  I used to jog.  I was jogging one day, when it occured to me that I could save so much time if I took the car.  That was an epiphany for me.  This is kind of the same thing.  If you are going to swim from Cuba to the US, it better be because you don't have a boat and there is a big hippo or a croc chasing you. 

If you are the first woman to win a tournament on the PGA golf tour, then you got something!  If you are the first woman to hit a homerun in a major league baseball game, now I'm impressed.  Becoming the first woman to swim unassisted from Cuba to the US doesn't impress me.  Quite the contrary.  It makes me think you are a nutty nut.

If you are a dolphin or a whale, it makes sense.  If you are a human, it makes no sense whatsoever.  Maybe if there was something waiting for you on the other side, like a new car, or a million dollars or a naked supermodel who has promised you the night of your life I could see it.  Maybe even to win a bet with an annoying friend, or if you had way too much to drink would even make more sense.  Palfrey seems to have no reason other than self-satisfaction and owning a pointless record.

Well, I better get back to training.  I'm trying to become the first person to eat 500 Twinkies without stopping.  Wish me luck!