Thought it would be neat to share our stories about the best athlete we ever swam with. Note that it is not necessarily the fastest or best swimmer we have trained with.
The best athlete I ever trained with was a young man that showed up for my masters swim group. He was training to pass the test to be a Navy SEAL officer. Having graduated from a non-Naval Academy college, the standards for making the officers cut were tough. He was, however, a good prospect.
With no prior competitive swim background, he was able to get his 500 yard sidestroke down to a 7:30 in a matter of a few months. However, this was not the main thing that impressed me. It was the times/scores on his practice tests which I helped time him on.
Here is what he could do:
500 yard sidestroke swim: 7:30
8 minute rest
2 minutes of push-ups: # done was 112
2 minute rest
2 minutes of sit-ups: # done was 110
2 minute rest
max number of pull-ups (palms facing away from body): 25
8 minute rest
1.5 mile run done in combat boots and long pants: 9:05.
The guy was a machine. Speed, strength, endurance, and power. Doing 25 pull-ups shortly after a hard swim, pushups, and sit-ups was impressive! The young man decided not to pursue a career in the Navy but chose to stay near family. Last I heard he had started his own business and was doing well.
When I was a kid I trained with a girl named Beth Scott. I don't think I ever swam in the same lane as her, and I don't think I ever talked to her. She used to walk by me like she didn't even see me. Because she mostly didn't see me. She was legally blind. She won multiple golds and set multiple WR's in the Barcelona Paralympics (B3 classification). You can look it up.
As I've been reading through this thread I keep coming back to Beth Scott as the best athlete I have ever swum with.
I swam with Beth at both Good Counsel High School and at RMSC, she's a year older than me. She's an incredible swimmer and great person. I saw her a few times last summer, she doesn't still swim. I remember her being featured in one of the swimming magazines years ago when I was just getting into masters swimming. We were helping out GC swimming last year together and as we drove to and from their meets she told me swimming stories that were just insane! She probably worked harder than anyone at RMSC at the time and it showed in her performances.
When I was a kid I trained with a girl named Beth Scott. I don't think I ever swam in the same lane as her, and I don't think I ever talked to her. She used to walk by me like she didn't even see me. Because she mostly didn't see me. She was legally blind. She won multiple golds and set multiple WR's in the Barcelona Paralympics (B3 classification). You can look it up.
As I've been reading through this thread I keep coming back to Beth Scott as the best athlete I have ever swum with.
I swam with Beth at both Good Counsel High School and at RMSC, she's a year older than me. She's an incredible swimmer and great person. I saw her a few times last summer, she doesn't still swim. I remember her being featured in one of the swimming magazines years ago when I was just getting into masters swimming. We were helping out GC swimming last year together and as we drove to and from their meets she told me swimming stories that were just insane! She probably worked harder than anyone at RMSC at the time and it showed in her performances.
