When most of us create a goal for the year, it often takes the whole year. Not for Ali Zare.
Ali was the very first person to crush the 2026 100-Mile Swim Club Challenge at the Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA, hitting the finish line on February 18th.
If you are doing the math, that means he wasn't just swimming; he was practically living in the water!
We caught up with Ali to find out how he pulled off this massive feat so quickly.
5 Hours a Day and a "Glass Half Full"
Ali is a familiar face around here. He has been swimming at the Kandi Y off and on since the doors first opened about 23 years ago. But this year, he had a mission.
To reach his goal at record speed, Ali was swimming up to five hours a day. Let that sink in!
Of course, swimming that much isn't always easy. "The first 15 miles were the hardest, and I almost gave up," Ali admits.
But grit kicked in. He didn't look at the massive 100-mile finish line. Instead, he broke it down. He told himself to just make it to 20 miles. Then 25. Then 30.
"Before I knew it, I was at 50 miles," Ali said. "I kept reminding myself that my glass is half full and that I’m a positive person. I never quit at anything, so I pushed through."
Next Stop: Willmar Municipal Airport?
So, why the rush to finish 100 miles by February? Because Ali has another massive bucket list item to tackle.
"Once I started, I wanted to finish as quickly as possible because my next goal is learning how to fly an airplane!" he told us.
We love seeing our members take the discipline and positive mindset they build in the pool and apply it to their wildest dreams. We have a feeling we'll be seeing Ali flying over Willmar very soon!
What is Your Goal?
You don't have to swim five hours a day like Ali to join the club. Whether you swim a mile a day or a mile a week, the water is waiting for you.
Channel your inner Ali, keep that glass half full, and start chipping away at your own goals today.