Wagland has earned a reputation in her small town because of Masters Swimming Canada’s Million Metre Challenge.

What with living in a small town, it was only a matter of time before more people than just swimmers would know about Wendy Wagland’s efforts to swim 1 million metres.

Recently, she was recognized in a store, with a woman saying, “’Oh, you’re the woman who keeps going [in the pool].’ I guess that’s my reputation,” Wagland laughs.

Wagland, 59, of Perth, Ontario is one of the leaders in the MMC. She swims 25,000 metres per week “just because I’m getting closer to the end of this goal,” she says. Since New Years 2006 she has worked out five times a week for an average of 5 kilometres per workout. She has already swum over 880,000 metres. When the MMC began last summer Wagland thought it would be a “nice little goal.” Then by New Years the Challenge turned serious. She is driven to finish.

Wagland is relatively new to swimming. She swam briefly as an age grouper in Etobicoke. She graduated from college as a Youth and Childcare worker. She and her husband Peter lived in Burlington for 33 years where Wendy was a teacher’s aid in a special needs class. She was also a part time age group swim coach. “Working with kids has been my life,” she says.

Three years ago, Peter was offered a post as the Chief Administrative Officer of the County of Lanark in the Canadian Scottish perfection of Perth. Small towns being what they are, word soon got around that Wagland could coach and swim. “I had a job before I got here. And I was all set to retire!!”

The Million Metre Challenge appeals to Wagland because she likes having a goal. “As I get closer to the milestones it becomes motivating to get to the end.”

She swims often with 1992 Olympian Nancy Sweetnam. Often Sweetnam will look at a long tough set of, for example, 20x 100 metres. As they approach the end of the set, Sweetnam will say, “Okay, we’ve got four more chances to go fast.’ These types of incentives keep you going. It does work.”

Still, until recently, most of Wagland’s metres were put in by herself. “I’ve been fortunate this year. I’ve been allowed to swim with the (age group) kids in the morning, some of whom I’ve also coached.” When the kids leave and the adult pool time starts, “I just keep swimming.” Being with the kids “helped break up the monotony of training on my own.”

Often she gets to the pool before the kids. The lifeguards let her hop in early. If she does that, she will finish the warm up in time. If she can start the workout with the youngsters, she can usually keep up.

After swimming, Wagland goes for a run. She runs five times a week, putting in another 50 kilometres. She is preparing for the PEC Marathon October 1 in Picton, Ontario, where her daughter, Laura Bent will compete with her. In 1996 they also ran a marathon together.

Wagland runs at noon. She also reads, cleans the house, walks the dog twice a day, at least two kilometers per walk “whether he likes it or not,” she laughs. She coaches at the pool then goes to bed by 9 p.m. at the latest. Often she tells her swimmers that after only one workout “You’ve accomplished more right now than most people do in a whole day.” She accepts that some days will be tougher than others. “I go forward. I try not to dwell on it.”

Her energy comes from Ginseng tea. Her drive has always been there. Teammate Olenka McKee calls her the “Energizer bunny,” Wagland laughs. “Of course, my husband says I do fall, I do crash. By 9 at night, I’m done. Life is exiting. There are always things to do. Even if I’ve cleaned a room, maybe it needs painting. So I go off to choose paint.”

Quick Facts:
Family:	married 38 years to Peter, 3 grown children Leigh, Laura and Drew, all former competitive swimmers; 3 grandkids ages 3, 2 and 6 months.
Number of years in swimming:	11 - 6 with Burlington Masters, 2 with Perth Masters and now 3 years with Thousand Islands Y Swim Masters.
Favourite Events:	200 free, 100 fly
Least favourite/prefer to avoid:	any form whatsoever of breaststroke
3 reasons why Masters is awesome:	-being in great physical and mental shape; -meeting such fabulous people with the same interests and motivation; -sometimes that's the only time I get to spend with my busy husband, when we swim or go to meets.
Other favourite sports:	running, some cycling and water skiing
Favourite after-sport food or drink:	ginseng tea, humbugs and bagels with peanut butter
Current reading:	books on running (training for a marathon), swimming-coaching books and swimming Masters over the age of 50, Harry Potter. I would like to read The DaVinci Code sometime.
Tips on Motivation:	making a weekly schedule in my day planner. I aim to stick to it. I also know that some days are going to go well and others, I'll just have to get through. That's life!
Song or what I think about during workouts:	I don't sing, but I do work hard on counting my lengths. I wouldn't want to miss count and either do more than I record or do less and therefore cheat!! I also think about my stroke, such as, am I finishing my stroke? Am I kicking? I also look around when I swim. Perhaps I can learn from others.