Aledo, IL – Swimming 500 miles in a year is no small feat, but for Jeanne Moran, it was a challenge she was determined to conquer. Inspired by legendary endurance swimmer Diana Nyad, Moran set a goal to complete 500 miles in the pool in 2023—and she didn’t stop there.
“I can’t swim from Cuba to the Florida Keys, but I’m going to set my own goal,” Moran said. “I just felt like I wanted to do that.”
A longtime swimmer and member of the Mercer County YMCA since 1992, Moran has always found motivation in the water. Even during major life events—like the day before giving birth—she made time to swim. So when she set her sights on 500 miles, she tackled it with the same determination.
The journey, however, wasn’t easy. By December, she still had 75 miles to go. With time running out, she ramped up her routine, sometimes swimming twice a day.
“My sister told me at Thanksgiving, ‘You won’t make it.’ So that was the gauntlet thrown at me,” Moran said. “I swam six miles in a day sometimes just to get it done.”
Her fellow swimmer and lifeguard, Dave McNamara, witnessed her dedication firsthand.
“She didn’t stop at 500. I think she swam even more,” McNamara said. “That’s more than a mile a day if you swim every day, and you can’t swim every day. So she came in here one time and swam six miles. She’s phenomenal.”
Moran’s training routine varied, but she averaged about three miles per swim. When the Aledo pool schedule didn’t align, she traveled to the Moline YMCA to stay on track.
Now retired from the United School District, Moran has spent years encouraging others to reach their goals. Her advice to young athletes is simple:
“Just keep at it. Surround yourself with people who encourage you. And think of it this way—when I compare, I lose,” she said. “Don’t compare yourself to someone else. Just compare yourself to the person you were the day before.”
Looking ahead, Moran doesn’t plan to repeat the 500-mile challenge, but she’s considering another impressive goal—swimming 10 miles without stopping.
With a new outdoor pool set to open in Aledo next summer, Moran hopes her story will encourage others to dive in and challenge themselves.
“You don’t have to be a swimmer,” she said. “Just get in the water and move. It’s great exercise, and you never know what you might accomplish.”