Man to Swims Handcuffed Across Hudson River
To fight against the epidemic of diabetes fitness trainer will swim handcuffed across the Hudson River
New York (PRWEB) September 23, 2005
Brian Friedman has challenged himself to swim handcuffed across the Hudson River to fight the epidemic of Diabetes.
Last year Friedman swam handcuffed from Alcatraz to San Francisco. He completed that swim in 54 minutes and 20 seconds. A world record!
This year he is attacking the Hudson and Potomac Rivers. All in handcuffs. He will swim from Weehawken Harbor NJ on Friday September 23, 2005 landing at 8am at Surfside3 Marina(www. surfside23.com) at Chelsea Piers(23rd Street and the Hudson River) www. chelseapiers. com.
The handcuffs symbolize how people with Diabetes feel shackled by the disease. "I want to show them that through a vigorous lifestyle of strenuous exercise and healthy diet anything is possible".
Friedman swims in memory of his grandfather who had Type 2 Diabetes and lost both his legs to the disease. Say Friedman, "I remember changing the shoes on my grandfather’s false legs and that memory motivates me as I swim handcuffed so that others may not suffer the same fate.” Friedman does not have the disease but has clients and relatives that suffer from Diabetes.
He chose the Hudson River for many reasons. In 1901 his grandfather arrived in New York at two years of age from Hungary. He left high school at age 15 to become a runner on Wall Street. In those days teenage boys had stock certificates chained to their bodies and ran from one brokerage firm to another. After that, exercise was not a part of his life, contributing to the diabetes he later contracted.
A little over a hundred years later Friedman returns to the Hudson to demonstrate that a healthy lifestyle is a choice, and that you can overcome any obstacle. Friedman remembers being the slowest swimmer in his class.
"I am not a world class athlete. I am a below average athlete. But through training and a positive attitude I can swim for miles handcuffed with no distress.”
Prevalence of total diabetes in the United States, all ages -- United States, 2002: 18.2 million people - 6.3% of the population - have diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults 20-74 years old
Research studies in the United States and abroad have found that lifestyle changes can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes among high-risk adults. In the Diabetes Prevention Program, a large prevention study of people at high risk for diabetes, the development of diabetes was reduced 58% over three (3) years.
Http://www. escapefromdiabetes. com (http://www. escapefromdiabetes. com)
Contact: Brian Friedman 510 593 5931
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