Chasing Water. Anthony Ervin

      Acknowledgments

      First and foremost I want to acknowledge and thank Constantine Markides, a.k.a., Conz or the Conman, without whom this book would have never happened. I can’t imagine anybody else was up to the task of managing the sudden sea changes of my creative, writing, and remembering processes. There were many verbal and written battles—battles of persuasive diplomacy and open hostility. And yet, I cannot deny that we are a great team.

      Next, I must thank Emily White, who works tirelessly for my benefit in all areas, but with a certainty drove forward the publishing and writing of this book. Without you, Emily, I do not doubt that this book would still be something Conz and I would be talking about one day doing. Instead, the book is done!

      I want to acknowledge Lisa Gallagher, my lit agent, and Johnny Temple of Akashic Books, who took a chance on us.

      I want to thank all of our friends—Conz and mine—who gave us places to stay, food, and drink while we did research and interviews.

      A special thanks to Rebecca, whose work on our family genealogy led to some of the coolest parts of this book.

      And, of course, I have to thank my family for everything ever. Love you.

       —Anthony Ervin

      In August 2012, Rolling Stone published “The Rebel Olympian,” the embryo of this book; thanks to RS and editor Sean Woods for helping pave the way. Once on our way, it was far easier because of the generosity of so many, all of whom can’t be listed here: Coleman Barks, Casey Barrett, Mike Bottom, Melpo Charalambides, Natalie Coughlin, Amir Dibaei, Dave Durden, Nick Folker, Rowdy Gaines, Gary Hall Jr., Mamade Kadreebux, Lono and co., Della Lorenzetti, David Marsh, Teri McKeever, Lars Merseburg, Steve Neale, Milt Nelms, Derek Van Rheenen, Alex Schliefer, Margot Schupf, Gareth Williams, and Joe Jacobs, to whom a promise is hereby fulfilled.

      We are indebted to our talented visual artists: the photographer Mike Lewis; Armando Garma-Fernandez for the tattoo illustrations; Frank Zio for the graphic art. A nor’easter shout-out to Alison Hill for offering her home and art studio as our offshore brainstorming retreat; to Mary and Matt Weber for the fortifying keg of Monhegan Brewing beer and bucket of sea bugs; to Star and Moon and Charley the one-legged seagull for their company.

      A special thank you to our literary agent, Lisa Gallagher, for skillfully assisting through any vines and tangles, and for believing in me and standing by me for so many years; to Anthony’s manager, Emily White, for her unflagging energy and creative outside-the-water thinking; to Dave Zirin, who honors us by launching the Edge of Sports imprint with this book; to the excellent team at Akashic Books—Johanna, Aaron, Susannah, Ibrahim, Katie—and to Akashic’s publisher and our attentive editor, Johnny Temple, for his belief in and commitment to this unorthodox hybrid, Hydra heads and all.

      I am especially grateful to Anthony’s parents, Sherry and Jack, for their hospitality and generosity during the research, and to his brothers Jackie and Derek. My love to my parents, Emily and Kyriacos, and to my sister, Vasia, swimmers all of them: they support me more than they can ever know.

      Adequate gratitude cannot be expressed here to Claire Barwise, who devoted incalculable hours at every stage and whose editorial acumen and exceptional feel for language left no sentence unturned. This is a far better book because of her. Last but foremost, my enduring appreciation to Anthony for having the belief and mettle to bring me onboard and put his life at my fingertips. I don’t know anyone else who would have dared so mercurial a passage with me.

       —Constantine Markides

       But Hermes did not find great-hearted Odysseus indoors,