ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Diana Nyad - Journalist, swimmer
A record-setting long-distance swimmer, Diana Nyad writes and thinks deeply about motivation.

Why you should listen

For ten years (1969-1979), Diana Nyad was known as the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. In 1979, she stroked the then-longest swim in history, making the 102.5-mile journey from the island of Bimini (Bahamas) to Florida. She also broke numerous world records, including what had been a 50-year mark for circling Manhattan Island, setting the new time of 7 hrs 57 min. She is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

At age 60, having not swum a stroke in decades, she began planning for her white whale of distance swims: the 110-mile ocean crossing between Cuba and Florida. She'd tried it once, in her 20s, and severe jellyfish attacks had defeated her then. But now, with a strong team and a new commitment to her vision, she stepped back into the salt. She spoke about this second attempt at TEDMED 2011. And at TEDWomen 2013, in December, she talks about how it feels to have finally done it.

Nyad appears as part of a weekly five-minute radio piece on sports for KCRW called "The Score" (heard during KCRW's broadcast of NPR's All Things Considered), as well as for the Marketplace radio program.

More profile about the speaker
Diana Nyad | Speaker | TED.com
TEDWomen 2013

Diana Nyad: Never, ever give up

Diana Nyad: Waligaa, marnaba haquusan.

Filmed:
5,707,101 views

Habeenkii mugdiga daran aheyd, malaay waabaaygu duray, biyaha dhanaanka ay ku margatay, kaligeeda isku heeseesay,qarweeysay... Diana Nyad dabaasheeda ayee iska sii wadatay. Waana qaabkii ay ugu dambeentii ku gaartay hamigeedii nololeed ayadoo cayaariyahan ah.100-mile oo dabaal aan caadi aheen ay ka soo bilaawday Cuba ila ka gaarto Florida-- ayadoo 64 jir ah. Maqal qisadeeda.
- Journalist, swimmer
A record-setting long-distance swimmer, Diana Nyad writes and thinks deeply about motivation. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:16
It's the fifth time I stand on this shore,
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waa markii shanaad aan istaagayo xeebtaan,
00:21
the Cuban shore,
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xeebta Kuuba (Cuba),
00:23
looking out at that distant horizon,
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anigoo fiirinayo fogaantasi aadka u dheer,
00:28
believing, again,
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aaminayo, mar labaad,
00:31
that I'm going to make it
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inaan socon doono
00:33
all the way across that vast,
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ilaa aan ka jaro baaxadaas aadka u weyn
00:36
dangerous wilderness of an ocean.
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qatarta halista ah ee bada.
00:39
Not only have I tried four times,
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Ma ahin kaliya inaan afar mar oo hore isku dayay,
00:41
but the greatest swimmers in the world
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laakin dabaalyahanada ugu weynaa aduunka
00:42
have been trying since 1950,
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ayaa isku dayayay ilaa iyo sanadii 1950-kii,
00:45
and it's still never been done.
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ilaa hada weli meesan ku guuleysan.
00:49
The team is proud of our four attempts.
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Kooxdeenu wey ku qanacsan yihiin isku daygeeni afarta mar ahaa ee hore.
00:53
It's an expedition of some 30 people.
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waa socdaal ka kooban 30 qofood.
00:55
Bonnie is my best friend and head handler,
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Bonnie waa saaxibteyda qaliga ah iyo hor joogahena
01:00
who somehow summons will,
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kaaso aan iga raja dhigin,
01:02
that last drop of will within me, when I think it's gone,
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ilaa inta rajo ay igu jirto, markii aan quusto,
01:06
after many, many hours and days out there.
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kadib saacadoyin badan iyo maalmo aan kujirnay bada.
01:10
The shark experts are the best in the world --
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qabiir yahanada yaxas badeedka aya ah kuwa dunida ugu qatarsan--
01:12
large predators below.
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dhanka ugaarta waawen ee hoose.
01:16
The box jellyfish, the deadliest venom
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Malaay waabaydka, sunta halista ah
01:19
in all of the ocean, is in these waters,
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ee bada kujiro, ayey biyahana leeyihiin,
01:22
and I have come close to dying from them
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waana ku sigtay ineey idilaan
01:25
on a previous attempt.
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isku daygoodi hore
01:27
The conditions themselves,
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xaaladaha ay ku sugan yihiin naftooda,
01:30
besides the sheer distance of over 100 miles
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weliba dherarka toosan oo ka badan 100-ka mile
01:33
in the open ocean --
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ee bada furan--
01:35
the currents and whirling eddies
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dabeylaha iyo hirarka biyaha waregsanayo
01:38
and the Gulf Stream itself, the most unpredictable
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iyo badweynta naftirkeeda, waa sheeyaha aanla saadalin karin
01:41
of all of the planet Earth.
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ee dhulka.
01:45
And by the way, it's amusing to me that
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Sidaas ay tahay, aad baan ula yaabaa
01:49
journalists and people before these attempts
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suxufiyayaasha iyo dadka isku daya
01:52
often ask me,
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ineey i weediyaan,
01:54
"Well, are you going to go with any boats
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"Hagaag, dooman miyaa idin ka xeenayo
01:56
or any people or anything?"
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ama dad ama wax uun?"
01:59
And I'm thinking, what are they imagining?
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Anigana waxan ku fekeraya waxay is weedinayaan ?
02:01
That I'll just sort of do some celestial navigation,
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inaan bada si raaxo leh iasaga baashalayo,
02:05
and carry a bowie knife in my mouth,
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misna aan midihalis ah afka kuwato,
02:09
and I'll hunt fish and skin them alive and eat them,
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oo an malayga iska ugaarsandono misna aan maqaar siibanayo oo aan iska cunayo,
02:12
and maybe drag a desalinization plant
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ama aan biyaha bada iska fiiltareesanayo
02:15
behind me for fresh water.
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si aan u cabo biya macaan.
02:17
(Laughter)
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(Qosol)
02:22
Yes, I have a team. (Laughter)
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Haa, waxaan leeyahay koox. (Qosol)
02:25
And the team is expert, and the team is courageous,
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waana qabiiriin, sidoo kalena waa geesiyaal ,
02:30
and brimming with innovation
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kuna hoolan waxyaalo cusub
02:32
and scientific discovery,
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iyo cilmiga seeyniska soo saaridiisa,
02:34
as is true with any major expedition on the planet.
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taaso run ahaantii ah socdaal dheer oo lagu maro dunida.
02:39
And we've been on a journey.
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waxaana ku jirnay safarkaas.
02:42
And the debate has raged, hasn't it,
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Doodiina waxa ka dhashay caro, soomahin.
02:45
since the Greeks,
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tan iyo Giriigii,
02:46
of isn't it what it's all about?
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miyeesan ku saabsaneen?
02:49
Isn't life about the journey,
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Miyeesan noloshu safar aheen,
02:51
not really the destination?
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maahin dhamaadka?
02:54
And here we've been on this journey,
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Anaguna waxaan kuguda jirnay safarkaan,
02:55
and the truth is, it's been thrilling.
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xaqiiqduna waa, mid aad uxiiso badan.
02:58
We haven't reached that other shore,
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Weli ma aanan gaarin xeebta kale,
02:59
and still our sense of pride and commitment,
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welina isku daygeenii iyo balanteenii,
03:03
unwavering commitment.
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balanteenii aanan is badalin.
03:05
When I turned 60, the dream was still alive
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Ilaa aan goortii 60-jirsaday, riyadaydii weli way nooleyd
03:10
from having tried this in my 20s,
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isku daygii waagi aan 20-jirka ahaay,
03:12
and dreamed it and imagined it.
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iyo riyadeeydi iyo hamigeeygii.
03:15
The most famous body of water
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Cadadii biyo ee ugu caansanaa
03:18
on the Earth today, I imagine, Cuba to Florida.
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ee dunidan maanta, hadii aan qiyaso, waa inta u dhaxeysa Cuba ila Florida.
03:22
And it was deep. It was deep in my soul.
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Waxayna ahey mid aad mool u ah. mid nolosheyda aa ugu fog.
03:26
And when I turned 60,
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Markii aan 60-jirsadayna,
03:29
it wasn't so much about the athletic accomplishment,
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maysan aheyn mid aan guul ka gaaray,
03:31
it wasn't the ego of "I want to be the first."
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maysan aheen sida "waxaan rabaa inaa noqdo koowad"
03:35
That's always there and it's undeniable.
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Midaasna ma ahan mid la inkiri karo.
03:37
But it was deeper. It was, how much life is there left?
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laakin waxay aheyd mid qoto dheer. waxay aheyd, imisa ayaad noolan?
03:41
Let's face it, we're all on a one-way street, aren't we,
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Aan wajahno, anagoo dhan isku mooqif aan nahay, meeysan aheyn,
03:44
and what are we going to do?
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maxaan sameeynaa?
03:46
What are we going to do as we go forward
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maxan sameyna si aan horay ugu socono
03:48
to have no regrets looking back?
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si aanan u shalaaynin ?
03:51
And all this past year in training,
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Iyo sanadkaan dhan oo aan tababarka kujirnay,
03:54
I had that Teddy Roosevelt quote
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Waxan haayay Teddy Roosevelt (nin magaciisa) oraahdiisa
03:57
to paraphrase it, floating around in my brain,
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oo kooban, weli maskaxdayda ayee ka dhex guuxesa,
03:59
and it says, "You go ahead,
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waxay leedahay," Horay u soco,
04:01
you go ahead and sit back in your comfortable chair
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horay u soco misna ku fadhiiso kursigaaga raaxada ah
04:04
and you be the critic, you be the observer,
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noqona dhaliil-raadiye, fiirsade,
04:08
while the brave one gets in the ring and engages
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halka geesigana uugalayo xerada ganaaxa
04:12
and gets bloody and gets dirty and fails
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asigoo dhiigayo misna wasaq ka muuqato hadana guul dareesanayo
04:15
over and over and over again,
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marba marka ka dambeeso,
04:17
but yet isn't afraid and isn't timid
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laakin weli aanan cabsaneynin misna fulay aheen
04:19
and lives life in a bold way."
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kuna nool nolol heer saro ah."
04:22
And so of course I want to make it across.
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Sidoo kale dabcan waxan rabaa inaan is dhaafiyo.
04:25
It is the goal, and I should be so shallow to say
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waa hamigeyna, si aanan qoto dheeren wa in aan u dhahaa
04:29
that this year, the destination was even sweeter
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sanadkani, socdaalkeen wuxuu ahaa mid aad uga xiiso badan
04:32
than the journey.
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safarkeena.
04:34
(Laughter) (Applause)
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(Qosol) (Sacbis)
04:39
But the journey itself was worthwhile taking.
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laakin safarku wuxuu ahaa mid aadid mudan.
04:42
And at this point, by this summer,
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Hadadaan, xagaagan,
04:45
everybody -- scientists, sports scientists,
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qof walbo-- seynis yahanada, ciyaatooyda, seeynis yahanada,
04:48
endurance experts, neurologists,
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qabiiryahanada dagan, taqasusayasha cilmiga neerfaha,
04:53
my own team, Bonnie --
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kooxdeeyda, Bonnie--
04:57
said it's impossible.
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ayaa igu dhaheen suurto gal maahin.
04:59
It just simply can't be done, and Bonnie said to me,
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ma dhici karto, Bonnie-na waxay igu dhahday,
05:01
"But if you're going to take the journey,
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"Laakin hadaa safarkaasi aadaysid
05:03
I'm going to see you through to the end of it,
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waxaan arki doona adigaa ka dhexbaxay gabi ahaan,
05:05
so I'll be there."
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marka waan kula socon doona."
05:07
And now we're there.
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Hadana waan joogna bartii.
05:12
And as we're looking out, kind of a surreal moment
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Oo sidii aan banaanka u eegeynay, si dhab ahaan ah
05:14
before the first stroke,
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Intanan dabaalan kaho,
05:16
standing on the rocks at Marina Hemingway,
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waxaan ku wada istagsaneen dhagaxyada Marina Hemingway,
05:18
the Cuban flag is flying above,
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Calanka Cuba-na si sare kor ayuu luxanayay,
05:21
all my team's out in their boats,
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kooxdayda dhamantoodna doomankoda ayeey kasoo wada baxeen,
05:23
hands up in the air, "We're here, we're here for you,"
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Ayagoo gacmaha kor u tagayo,"Waan imaanay, waan idiin imaaay,"
05:30
Bonnie and I look at each other, and we say,
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Aniga iyo Bonnie waan is yara eegnay, anagoo dhaheeno,
05:32
this year, the mantra is --
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Sanadkani, waa kii aan ku duceysanay--
05:34
and I've been using it in training --
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waana kusoo duceesan jiray intan tababaranayay--
05:37
find a way.
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si aan wado u helo.
05:39
You have a dream
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Riya ayaad wada leedihiin
05:41
and you have obstacles in front of you, as we all do.
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carqalada ayaana idin hor taalo, sida anaga oo kale.
05:44
None of us ever get through this life
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Midkeenaba nolosha kama guulesto
05:48
without heartache,
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qalbi jab la aan,
05:51
without turmoil,
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Jaha-wareer la aan,
05:54
and if you believe and you have faith
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hadii aad aaminsantahay oo aadna iiman leedahay
05:56
and you can get knocked down
and get back up again
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waa guul dareesan kartaa hadana waa kasoo kaban kartaa
05:59
and you believe in perseverance
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oo aad aamin san tahay mintidnimo
06:02
as a great human quality,
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si qof karti leh,
06:05
you find your way, and
Bonnie grabbed my shoulders,
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waad guuleysan, Bonnie aya mar dhankeyga aheyd,
06:08
and she said, "Let's find our way to Florida."
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ayadoo i dhahaysay," Nakeen aan Florida aadno."
06:13
And we started, and for the next 53 hours,
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Safarkena ayan horey usii wadanay, 53-da saacadood ee soo socota
06:15
it was an intense, unforgettable life experience.
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waxay ahey mid aad u dhib badan, oo lama ilowan ah
06:21
The highs were high, the awe,
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Sareeye waa sare, xooga badan,
06:23
I'm not a religious person, but I'll tell you,
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ma ahi qof diini ah, laakin waan ku sheegayaa,
06:25
to be in the azure blue of the Gulf Stream
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joogida bada buluuga aadka u weyn
06:29
as if, as you're breathing,
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sidii adigo neefsanayo,
06:31
you're looking down miles and miles and miles,
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misna hoos u fiirinaya baaxad aadka u weyn
06:36
to feel the majesty of this blue planet we live on,
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adigoo is wedinaya awooda leh koonkani buluuga aah kunool nahay
06:40
it's awe-inspiring.
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waa sheey si xoogleh kuu dhiiri galinaya.
06:44
I have a playlist of about 85 songs,
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waxaan heesta heesa gaarayo ilaa iyo 85 heesod,
06:47
and especially in the middle of the night,
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saqdii dhexe habeenkii qaasatan,
06:48
and that night, because we use no lights --
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habeenkas, maxa yelay nal ma isticmaalno habeenki---
06:51
lights attract jellyfish, lights attract sharks,
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nalka waxay soo jiitaan malay waabaydka, yaxasyada,
06:53
lights attract baitfish that attract sharks,
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waxaykaloo ku kenan nooc malay ah oo yaxaska cuno,
06:56
so we go in the pitch black of the night.
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marka habeenimo mugdi ah ayaan socona.
06:58
You've never seen black this black.
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Walliga mugdi noocas ah oo kale maadan arag.
07:02
You can't see the front of your hand,
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Xitaa calaacashada ma arki kartid,
07:04
and the people on the boat,
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Misda dadka doonta saaran,
07:05
Bonnie and my team on the boat,
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Bonnie iyo kooxdeyda doonta saaran,
07:07
they just hear the slapping of the arms,
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waxay kaliya maqlayaan waa garaaca gacmaha,
07:09
and they know where I am,
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weyena ogyihiin meesha aan joogo,
07:10
because there's no visual at all.
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maxa yeelay wax arag ah maba jiro
07:12
And I'm out there kind of tripping out
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waxana kasoo baxay meesha sidii anigoo ku dheelayo
07:14
on my little playlist.
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Heesta ii daaran.
07:16
(Laughter)
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(Qosol)
07:19
I've got a tight rubber cap,
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waxa ii xiran koofida dabaasha,
07:21
so I don't hear a thing.
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marka waxba ma maqlo
07:22
I've got goggles and I'm turning
my head 50 times a minute,
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waxa ii xeran ookiyaalo misna madaxayga ayaan 50 mar daqiidii geesba gees u wareejiya,
07:25
and I'm singing,
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weli waan heesayaa,
07:27
♪ Imagine there's no heaven ♪
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♪Qiyaas jano la 'aan♪
07:31
♪ doo doo doo doo doo ♪
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♪ doo doo doo doo doo♪
07:33
♪ It's easy if you try ♪
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♪ way fududahay hadaad iskudaydo ♪
07:36
♪ doo doo doo doo doo ♪
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♪doo doo doo doo doo ♪
07:37
And I can sing that song a thousand times in a row.
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kun mar oo iska xigto waan qaadi karaa heestaas.
07:39
(Laughter)
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(Qosol)
07:42
Now there's a talent unto itself.
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Hadee waa xirfad ayada naftirkeeda..
07:44
(Laughter) (Applause)
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(Qosol) (Sacab)
07:49
And each time I get done with
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waqti walba aan heestaas qaado
07:51
♪ Ooh, you may say I'm a dreamer
but I'm not the only one ♪
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♪ Ooh, iska dheh waxan ahay qof iska riyoodo laakin Aniga Kaliyah kuma jiro ♪
07:58
222.
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Laba boqo labaatan iyo labo (222)
08:01
♪ Imagine there's no heaven ♪
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♪ Qiyaas jano la'aan ♪
08:05
And when I get through the end of a thousand
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markaan soo gaaro dhamaadka kun-ka mar
08:08
of John Lennon's "Imagine,"
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ee heesta John Lennon "Qiyaas,"
08:09
I have swum nine hours and 45 minutes,
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waxaan dabaashay sagaal saac iyo afartan iyo shan daqiiqad
08:12
exactly.
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Sida saxda ah .
08:16
And then there are the crises. Of course there are.
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Kadib waxaa jiro dhibatoyin. Dabcan wey jiraan.
08:20
And the vomiting starts,
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Matak Ayaa bilaabanaya,
08:22
the seawater, you're not well,
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biyaha bada , Adigane ma wanagsanid,
08:24
you're wearing a jellyfish mask
for the ultimate protection.
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waxaa xirantahay gashanka wejiga la gashto si malay waabayga uusan kuu waxyeeleenin.
08:27
It's difficult to swim in.
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aad beey u adagtahay inaad ku dhex dabaalatid.
08:29
It's causing abrasions on the inside of the mouth,
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Waxay sababesa in afkaga gudihisa uu diirka ka qaadmo,
08:31
but the tentacles can't get you.
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Laakin lug shabaha (xaywan leh luga badan oo bada dhexdeda ku nool) kuma wax yeeleen karo.
08:34
And the hypothermia sets in.
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Iyo qabowga bada.
08:37
The water's 85 degrees, and yet you're losing weight
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Heer kulka biyaha waa 85-degrees, welina miisankaga wuu naaqusayaa
08:40
and using calories, and as you come over
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adigoo isticmaalayo qalabka heer kulka lagu cabiro, markii aad imaado
08:43
toward the side of the boat, not allowed to touch it,
175
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dhanka doonta, laguma ogolo inaad taabato,
08:45
not allowed to get out,
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mana laguu ogolo inaad kadagato,
08:46
but Bonnie and her team hand me nutrition
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laakin Bonnie iyo kooxdeeda ayaa isiiyeen nafaqo
08:48
and asks me what I'm doing, am I all right,
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ina weeydiyeen sidaan ahay, miyaan ladanahay,
08:52
I am seeing the Taj Mahal over here.
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halkaan ayaa Taj Mahal (waa dhisma aad uqurux badan oo India kuyaalo) uga jeeda.
08:57
I'm in a very different state,
180
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5088
Xaalad kale ayaanba ku jiraa,
09:02
and I'm thinking, wow, I never thought
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waxana ku fekerayaa, woow, waligey maba is dhihin
09:06
I'd be running into the Taj Mahal out here.
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Halkaan ayaan Taj mahal ku booqan doona.
09:09
It's gorgeous.
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Aad beey u qurux badantahay
09:11
I mean, how long did it take them to build that?
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Calashaan, imisa ayeey ku qaadatay ineey dhisaan?
09:13
It's just -- So, uh, wooo. (Laughter)
185
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Kaliya--Uh, wuuuu. (Qosol)
09:22
And then we kind of have a cardinal rule
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Hadana waxaan leenahay sharci ah
09:24
that I'm never told, really, how far it is,
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In xaqiiqdi aanba liisheegin dhererka meeshan usocono,
09:26
because we don't know how far it is.
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Maxaa yeelay anagaba ma ognin dhererkeeda.
09:27
What's going to happen to you
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Maxaa kugu dhici doono
09:29
between this point and that point?
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inta u dhexeesa labadaan caaradood?
09:30
What's going to happen to the weather
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Maxaa ku dhici doona jawiga
09:32
and the currents and, God forbid, you're stung
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iyo korontadaba , Ilaahey amarkiis, meel aaba ku xanuuni
09:35
when you don't think you could
be stung in all this armor,
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adigooba is dhahaya xanuun maba dareemesid goor aa gaashankan dhan aa heesatid,
09:38
and Bonnie made a decision
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Bonnie ayaa go'aan gaartay
09:41
coming into that third morning
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subaxnimadii maalintii sedaxaa ee ku xigtay
09:44
that I was suffering
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1978
oo aan xanuunsanayay
09:46
and I was hanging on by a thread
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misna aan qatarta kujiray
09:50
and she said, "Come here,"
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waxayna igu dhahday, "Kaalay,"
09:51
and I came close to the boat, and she said,
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1332
waxaana ag imaaday doonta, waxayna igu dhaday
09:52
"Look, look out there,"
200
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"Fiiri, Halkaas fiiri,"
09:54
and I saw light, because the
day's easier than the night,
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waxana arkay iftiin, maxa yelay waay fududahay in wax la arko maalintii,
09:57
and I thought we were coming into day,
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1853
waxaana umaleyay maalin inay noqoneso,
09:59
and I saw a stream of white light
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waxaana arkay il iftiin cad ah
10:02
along the horizon,
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oo kaso jeedo meel yara fog,
10:03
and I said, "It's going to be morning soon."
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2027
waxan ku dhahay, "Maalin ayee noqonee mardhow,"
10:05
And she said, "No, those are the lights of Key West."
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Waxayna igu dhahday, "Maya, waa nalal muhiim u ah dhanka Galbeedka."
10:11
It was 15 more hours,
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1973
Waxaa noo dhimnaay 15 saacadood oo kale,
10:13
which for most swimmers would be a long time.
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taas oo waqti badan ku noqoneeso dabaalyahanada badankood.
10:15
(Laughter) (Applause)
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(Qosol) (Sacbis)
10:22
You have no idea how many
15-hour training swims I had done.
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Ma ogtid inta mar oo aan tababar dabaal oo 15 saac qaadaneso aan horay u sameeyay.
10:26
So here we go, and I somehow, without a decision,
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Markaa waa kanaa, go'aan la'aan
10:30
went into no counting of strokes
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baan horay usocday anoo jugta igu dhaceso tirineenin
10:32
and no singing and no quoting Stephen Hawking
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misna heeseenin, oraahda Stephen Hawking aana aqrineenin
10:36
and the parameters of the universe,
214
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ama xuduudaha dunida,
10:39
I just went into thinking about this dream,
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Riyadaan uun baa horay usii watay,
10:41
and why, and how.
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misna "Sabab" iyo "Sidee."
10:44
And as I said, when I turned 60,
217
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Saa horey dhahay, markii aan 60 jirsaday,
10:48
it wasn't about that concrete "Can you do it?"
218
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meysan aheen ku adkeesashada ah "Miyaa sameen kartaa"?
10:52
That's the everyday machinations.
219
640503
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Taasi waa sirteena maalmeedka ah.
10:55
That's the discipline, and it's the preparation,
220
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Waa anshaxa, iyo is diyaarinta,
10:57
and there's a pride in that.
221
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1877
Sharaf ayeena taa leedahay.
10:59
But I decided to think, as I went along, about,
222
647642
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Intan horay u socday ayan waxan go'an saday oo an ku fekeray
11:04
the phrase usually is reaching for the stars,
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In ay oraahdeenu ay xidigaha isku shareertay,
11:08
and in my case, it's reaching for the horizon.
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ani ahaan , waxayba gaaresa meel aad uga sii saresa xidigaha.
11:11
And when you reach for the horizon,
225
659118
2015
Markii aad gaartid meel sare,
11:13
as I've proven, you may not get there,
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sidii aan horay idinkugu cadeeyay, ma gaaresid xidigahas,
11:16
but what a tremendous build of character and spirit
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5985
laakin aqbaartada aadku u awooda badan iyo mooraalkaga
11:22
that you lay down.
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2181
aad dhistay ayaa gaaraya.
11:24
What a foundation you lay down in reaching
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672209
2443
Aas aaska aad horay u dhistay ayaa gaaraya
11:26
for those horizons.
230
674652
3037
heer sare.
11:29
And now the shore is coming,
231
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2543
Hadana xeebtii wey soo dhawaatay,
11:32
and there's just a little part of me that's sad.
232
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qeeb yar oo aniga iga mid ah ayaa murugeeysan,
11:35
The epic journey is going to be over.
233
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2383
Safarkeeni qotada dheeraa ayaa dhamaan rabo.
11:37
So many people come up to me now and say,
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1831
Dad aad utiro badan ayaa ii imanayo oo i dhahayo,
11:39
"What's next? We love that!
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5193
"Maxaa inoo xiga? Weeynu jecel nahay midaas!
11:44
That little tracker that was on the computer?
236
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2160
Raad-raacahas yara ee kumbuyuutara kor saarnaa?
11:46
When are you going to do the next one?
We just can't wait to follow the next one."
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3084
Goormee sameeyneeynesa midka xiga?
waxaan sugi la'nahay inaan raacno midka xiga."
11:49
Well, they were just there for 53 hours,
238
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2753
Koleey, waxay kaliya joogen 53 saacadood,
11:52
and I was there for years.
239
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anigana waxaan halkaa joogay sanadooyin.
11:55
And so there won't be another
epic journey in the ocean.
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3517
Marka safar dambe oo qota dheer oo bada loo aado majiri doonto.
11:58
But the point is, and the point was
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3598
Laakin macnahaygu waxay tahay, ama ahaan doontaa
12:02
that every day of our lives is epic,
242
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5072
Inay maalin walbo tahay maalin qoto dheer,
12:07
and I'll tell you, when I walked up onto that beach,
243
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2385
waxaana kuu sheegaya, markii aan xeebta ku kor socday
12:09
staggered up onto that beach,
244
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2108
xeebta ayaan aad ula dhacsanaa,
12:11
and I had so many times
245
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2619
waqti badan ayaan heestay
12:14
in a very puffed up ego way,
246
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3781
si farxad iyo heer sare ay ku dheehan tahay,
12:18
rehearsed what I would say on the beach.
247
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4467
waxaanba xeebta ku taba-baranayay wixii aan dhihi lahaay.
12:22
When Bonnie thought that
248
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1614
Mar ay Bonnie umaleysay inay
12:24
the back of my throat was swelling up,
249
732191
2008
qeebta hoose ee cunahayga ay barareeysay,
12:26
and she brought the medical team over to our boat
250
734199
1962
misna ay doonteena keentay kooxda caafimaadka
12:28
to say that she's really beginning
251
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3043
si ay u dhahdo xaqiiqdii waxay bilaabeysaa
12:31
to have trouble breathing.
252
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1417
inay neefta dhib ku noqoto.
12:32
Another 12, 24 hours in the saltwater,
253
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3094
12 ilaa 24 saac oo kale ee biyaha dhanaanka dhexdiisa,
12:35
the whole thing -- and I just thought
254
743715
1695
gabi ahaan--- anigana waxan ku fekeray
12:37
in my hallucinatory moment, that
I heard the word tracheotomy.
255
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4732
Inaan mar si dhab ahaaned u maqlay erayga "Qoor-goyn"
12:42
(Laughter)
256
750157
1512
(Qosol)
12:43
And Bonnie said to the doctor,
257
751669
2319
Bonnie ayaa waxay dhaqtarkii ku dhahday,
12:45
"I'm not worried about her not breathing.
258
753988
1778
" kama wal walsani neefsasho la'aanteeda.
12:47
If she can't talk when she gets to the shore,
259
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1759
hadayba hadli karin markeey xeebta gaarto,
12:49
she's gonna be pissed off."
260
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2089
aad beey u xanaaqeysa."
12:51
(Laughter)
261
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3691
(Qosol)
12:57
But the truth is, all those orations
262
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Laakin runta waxay tahay, qudbooyinkaan dhan
12:59
that I had practiced just to get myself through
263
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2463
aan horay ugu soo tabab -bartay si aan uga fakto
13:02
some training swims as motivation,
264
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2547
tababarka daabasha qaarkood si dhiira galin ah,
13:04
it wasn't like that.
265
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1492
meysan aheen sidaas.
13:06
It was a very real moment,
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2543
waxay aheyd waqti dhab ah,
13:08
with that crowd, with my team.
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2392
oo aan la soconay bulshadas, kooxdeeyda.
13:11
We did it. I didn't do it. We did it.
268
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weeynu ku guulesanay, kaligey ma guleysan, laakin dhamaantena.
13:13
And we'll never forget it. It'll always be part of us.
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mana hilmaami doono waligeyn, qeeb naga mid ah bey ahaan doontaa.
13:17
And the three things that I did sort of blurt out
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Seddaxda sheey oo afkayga ka faktayna
13:19
when we got there, was first, "Never, ever give up."
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4451
markii aan halkii aan rabnay gaarnay waxay ahayd, mida koowaad "waligaa, marna ha quusan."
13:24
I live it. What's the phrase
from today from Socrates?
272
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5284
Waan ku noolahay. Waa maxay macnaha maanta ee filoosafarkii Socrates?
13:29
To be is to do.
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1585
Ahaansho waa sameen.
13:31
So I don't stand up and say, don't ever give up.
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3107
Marka inaan istaago ma iska dhahayo, marnaba haquusan.
13:34
I didn't give up, and there
was action behind these words.
275
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3766
Maana quusanin, ficil ayaana ka dambeeyay erayadaan.
13:38
The second is, "You can chase your dreams
276
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3061
Mida labaad waa, "Riyadaada waad ku dooran kartaa
13:41
at any age; you're never too old."
277
809153
1957
da' walbo; kama duqoobeesid."
13:43
Sixty-four, that no one at any age, any gender,
278
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4122
Lixdan iyo afar, qofnaba da'walbo aha ahaatee, jinsi walbo,
13:47
could ever do, has done it,
279
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1683
aanan waligeed sameen, aa sameeyay,
13:48
and there's no doubt in my mind
280
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1764
wax shaki ahna niyadayda kuma jiraan
13:50
that I am at the prime of my life today.
281
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2969
inaan maanta ahay aas-aasaha ama hogaanka nolosheyda.
13:53
(Applause)
282
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2828
(Sacbis)
13:56
Yeah.
283
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2818
Haa.
14:02
Thank you.
284
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1823
Mahadsanidiin.
14:03
And the third thing I said on that beach was,
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2154
Mida seddaxaad oo aan xeebta ku dhahay waxay aheyd,
14:06
"It looks like the most solitary endeavor in the world,
286
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2689
"Waxay u muuqata inay tahay dadaalki ugu adkaa ee qof kaliya sameeyo ebed dunidaan aan jogno"
14:08
and in many ways, of course, it is,
287
836724
1992
hadii dhan loo fiiriyo, dabcan, weey tahay,
14:10
and in other ways, and the most important ways,
288
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3877
dhaka kalena, misna ah dhanka ugu muhiimsan,
14:14
it's a team, and if you think I'm a badass,
289
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2594
waa dadaal koox, hadaa umaleeso inaan ahay qof lala dhaco
14:17
you want to meet Bonnie."
290
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1464
Bonnie inaa la kulanto waaye."
14:18
(Laughter)
291
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1375
(Qosol)
14:20
Bonnie, where are you?
292
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2515
Bonnie, ku aaway?
14:22
Where are you?
293
850541
2623
Ku aaway?
14:25
There's Bonnie Stoll. (Applause)
294
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3790
Waa tanaa Bonnie Stoll. (Sacbis)
14:28
My buddy.
295
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2322
Saaxibteyda.
14:33
The Henry David Thoreau quote goes,
296
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2469
Oraahdii Henry David Thoreau (Nin qoraay ahaa magaciis) ayaa sidan aheyd,
14:35
when you achieve your dreams, it's
not so much what you get
297
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3034
Markii aad hesho riyadaada, ma ahin waxa aad u badan oo aad hesho
14:38
as who you have become in achieving them.
298
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2926
ee waa waxa aad noqotay markii aad heshay.
14:41
And yeah, I stand before you now.
299
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Haa, hortiina ayaan hada istaag sanahay.
14:43
In the three months since that swim ended,
300
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1857
Seddax bil gudaheeda markii ay dabaashi dhamaatay,
14:45
I've sat down with Oprah
301
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1954
waxaan la fadhiistay Oprah (naag Tv show leh oo America ku sugan)
14:47
and I've been in President Obama's Oval Office.
302
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3741
waxana kaloo kula kulmay madaxweyne Obama (Madaxweynaha Mareekanka) xafiiskiisa.
14:51
I've been invited to speak in front of
esteemed groups such as yourselves.
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3495
waxaa laigu marti qaaday inaan kahor hadlo kooxo aad u sharaf badan sidiina oo kale.
14:54
I've signed a wonderful major book contract.
304
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2710
waxaan kaloo saxiixay heshiis book aad u qurux badan oo weyn.
14:57
All of that's great, and I don't denigrate it.
305
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2637
Waxyaalahan oo dhan waa wax aad igugu weyn, mana xaiqiri karo.
15:00
I'm proud of it all, but the truth is,
306
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1827
aad baan ugu faraxsanahay, laakin runta waa,
15:01
I'm walking around tall because I am that bold,
307
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2948
mar walbo waan socdaa maxaa yeelay waxaan ahay qof geesi ah,
15:04
fearless person, and I will be, every day,
308
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4424
aan marnaba cabsaneynin, waana ahaan doonaa, marwalbo.
15:09
until it's time for these days to be done.
309
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4236
ilaa aan kahool gabo.
15:13
Thank you very much and enjoy the conference.
310
901468
2220
Aad baad umahadsan tihiin , shirkana kuwada damaashaada.
15:15
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause)
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4569
Mahadsanidiin. Mahadsanidiin, Mahadsanidiin. (Sacbis)
15:20
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
312
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2851
Mahadsanidiin. Mahadsanidiin, Mahadsanidiin.
15:23
Thank you.
313
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2368
Mahadsanidiin.
15:26
Find a way! (Applause)
314
914995
3702
Horay usoco! (Sacbis)
Translated by Jamal Omar
Reviewed by Mohamed Aanoy

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Diana Nyad - Journalist, swimmer
A record-setting long-distance swimmer, Diana Nyad writes and thinks deeply about motivation.

Why you should listen

For ten years (1969-1979), Diana Nyad was known as the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. In 1979, she stroked the then-longest swim in history, making the 102.5-mile journey from the island of Bimini (Bahamas) to Florida. She also broke numerous world records, including what had been a 50-year mark for circling Manhattan Island, setting the new time of 7 hrs 57 min. She is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

At age 60, having not swum a stroke in decades, she began planning for her white whale of distance swims: the 110-mile ocean crossing between Cuba and Florida. She'd tried it once, in her 20s, and severe jellyfish attacks had defeated her then. But now, with a strong team and a new commitment to her vision, she stepped back into the salt. She spoke about this second attempt at TEDMED 2011. And at TEDWomen 2013, in December, she talks about how it feels to have finally done it.

Nyad appears as part of a weekly five-minute radio piece on sports for KCRW called "The Score" (heard during KCRW's broadcast of NPR's All Things Considered), as well as for the Marketplace radio program.

More profile about the speaker
Diana Nyad | Speaker | TED.com