Allow me to Introduce myself

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For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to the water.

What began as a childhood pull became a lifelong pursuit—one that led me to swim for UC Berkeley and the U.S. National Team. Pool swimming shaped my discipline, my identity, and my relationship with effort. When I eventually stepped away from competition, I didn’t leave the water behind. With the guidance of innovative swimming and life coach Teri McKeever, I carried forward a deep love for the sport and a curiosity about what swimming could become beyond the confines of a pool.

In 2016, I found my next chapter at the Dolphin Club in San Francisco. cold water, long distances, sweeping coastal views, and a fiercely supportive community became my new arena. Surrounded by the legends of the Dolphin Club and South End Rowing Club, I was inspired not only by their accomplishments, but by their stories. Their example encouraged me to define my own version of big, audacious goals.

That transition—from black lines and lane ropes to open water and uncertainty—sparked Beyond the Blackline. What started as a simple swim blog became a philosophy: stepping beyond comfort, beyond structure, and into the unknown. Over the past seven years, this journey has taken me across the world and through local waters alike, chasing long swims, pushing the limits of endurance, and discovering what is possible when fear and curiosity coexist.

At my core, I am driven by connection—to the water, to community, and to purpose. I believe swimming and access to the ocean should not be exclusive. The water has always been a refuge for me, and I am passionate about making it accessible regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status. I also believe deeply in protecting the ocean and the life within it. It is their home; we are merely visitors.

Today, I step forward under my own name.

Catherine Breed is an endurance and adventure athlete, ocean advocate, and storyteller. My work lives at the intersection of sport, exploration, and conservation—using human-powered challenge to inspire others to see what they are capable of and to care more deeply for the world they move through.

Going beyond the black line was never just about swimming. It was about choosing my own path—and continuing to do so, one stroke at a time.

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