Joanne Barker

NAME: Joanne Barker

HOMETOWN: Somerville, Massachusetts

BLS EXPERIENCE: 1x Relay finisher; Solo Rookie

WHY BLS? The Boston swim community has inspired me to push myself to do hard things, and the Boston Light Swim is the latest on that list. I’ll be swimming in honor of the race directors who spend all year working so that a few of us can do this crazy thing in August. You are heroes to us all.

MY CREW: Jerry Murphy (pilot), Chris Stepanian (hubby), Mary Farrell (adventurous friend)

FUN FACT: On my first open water swim, I swallowed about half of the ocean and felt nauseous and defeated for the rest of the day. Thankfully, my buddy Maura Twomey coaxed me back into the open water and has been an open water champion for me and many other swimmers.