OHIO — An Ohio woman will look to make history by rowing across the ocean later this year.
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Back in 2010, Katie Spotz rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. She plans to row across the Pacific Ocean in December, according to CNN Newsource affiliate News 5 in Cleveland.
When she does it, she is going to be helping those in need of clean water.
“This journey is part of something much bigger. There is a lot of mental reframing that happens when you convince yourself to do things that are uncomfortable,” said Spotz.
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She is no stranger to being uncomfortable, News 5 reports.
“One of my biggest challenges was rowing solo across the Atlantic, 70 days at sea, running 11 ultras in 11 days across Ohio. Most recently, I did a 200-mile nonstop run and swam the length of the Allegheny River,” said Spotz.
As an endurance athlete, the U.S. Coast Guard Veteran is on a mission.
“To date, over 50,000 people have gained access to clean water all around the world through these endurance challenges,” Spotz told News 5.
Her fundraising efforts, while putting her body to the test, have been incredibly impactful, but this is her biggest test yet.
“This upcoming challenge is to help 100,000 people in Fiji gain access to clean water. When we reach that target, it will mean that everyone has clean water, so it is a humanitarian first,” said Spotz.
What does her epic feat entail?
“In December, I will be setting off from Lima, Peru, to Papua New Guinea to row across the Pacific Ocean. So, it’s a10,000-mile row, no follow boat, completely unassisted, unsupported, nonstop,” said Spotz.
She knows it will be a challenge.
“I will be rowing about 10 to 12 hours a day, all that time alone on this 23-foot boat,” Spotz told News 5. “I probably will have 40-foot waves. There will be times when I’m just buckets of water on my head all the time.”
For Spotz, it’s not just about making history, it’s about making life better for others.
“Yes, it’s hard, but there’s a lot of joy. There’s a lot of purpose and gratitude to just be able to do it at all.”
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