My mom took me to my first swim lesson at the local high school pool when I was three years old. By age five, I was on an age group team and competing in long and short course meets as an “8 & under,” and setting regional records as I “aged up.”
After juggling school, age group and scholastic seasons (one year as JV co-captain in eighth grade; four years Varsity, the last two as co-captain) with part time swim jobs (assistant coach, swim instructor, life guard), I wanted to try life sans water for college.
My “dry spell” didn’t last long. By my junior year abroad in England, I was swimming with the college “club” team. Once back in the US, I continued to swim on my own for fun.
It wasn’t until a few years later though, when I was working in the fitness industry (personal trainer, group exercise coordinator, corporate wellness coordinator) that I joined a team again. When you’re a fitness facility employee, it’s really hard to workout during your off-time — staff and members keep interrupting you! So, I figured early a.m.s in the pool was the only time/place that people wouldn’t chase me down with a phone.
Of course, my competitive fire came back instantly, so I joined a masters team and began training and racing year-round again. For the past 10 years or so years as a masters, I’ve branched out to new events, including open water. Some of my results include All American status, the 2006 National 10K Open Water champion title (for my age group at the time), a 200 LCM National Champion Title and yearly national top ten rankings in multiple long course events (note to self: embrace short course more!)
As for my “land life,” I do a mix of freelance research and writing when not swimming, or thinking about swimming..