Photo: ByKanvas

I am Beatriz Higuerey, Businesswoman, Mother, Athlete, Certified Open Water Coach, Licensed Physical Fitness Trainer in Puerto Rico and Ultra Swimmer.

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela, but I consider myself Boricua at heart. I have been living and working on this Island  for more than 7 years and where my children have had the opportunity to grow up and live in peace.

Having the Sea in front of my house has allowed me to focus and specialize in long distance swims in the Ocean;  I spend so many hours in the water either training or carrying out different events.

Getting ready to swim for long periods of time requires comprehensive emotional, physical, and mental preparation.

• Emotional preparation: it is essential since swimming for long periods of time can be mentally exhausting. Some strategies that are practiced:

• Visualization: Visualizing the success of the swim can help prepare you emotionally for the task.

• Set clear and achievable goals: Setting realistic and achievable goals can help keep you motivated during preparation and competition.

• Have a positive attitude: Maintaining a positive, success-focused attitude can help you overcome any emotional challenge.

• Physical preparation: Physical preparation is essential to ensure good physical condition and resistance.

• Training in the water: It is important to train in the water and gradually increase the distance and duration of your training sessions.

• Training out of the water: It is also important to incorporate training out of the water, such as strength and flexibility training to help avoid injury.

• Rest and Recovery: Make sure you have enough rest and recovery time after workouts to allow your body to recover properly.

• Mental preparation: Mental preparation is key for ultra swimmers since they must be able to maintain concentration and motivation for long periods of time. Some strategies include:

• Breathing and relaxation techniques: Breathing and relaxation techniques can help control anxiety and reduce muscle tension.

• Meditation: Meditation can help improve concentration and mental clarity.

• Positive Visualization: Visualizing a positive experience can help maintain motivation and confidence.

I am the first woman to do a 20 km marathon swim in the Condado Lagoon in 2021, and I have participated in different Open Water events and competitions of the Puerto Rico Swimming Federation, since I also belong to the Escambron Master Swimming Team.

I got a National Record, swimming 12 hours in a row at the  "Strokes for Inclusion-Special Olympics of Puerto Rico" Event,  becoming the first woman in Puerto Rico swimming for so long.

I am preparing now to cross Culebra Island to Fajardo at the beginning of June.  The distance is about 38 Kms, swimming for around 15-18 hours.