Last week – when I flooded everyone’s inbox with news that Swim Smooth was back (sorry, not sorry – as the kids say!), a gentleman from Oregon in the USA reached out to who informed me he’d just turned 89 years old the week before and that swimming was what was keeping him going in later life. He described his life in three parts:
1. His youth was the first third, he said, when he was very successful in both the pool and open water. This time included the dream of most all athletes, to be a member of the US Olympic team. He swam the 1500 in the Melbourne Games in 1956.
2. The second third would be his Masters Swimming in both the pool and open water. During this third he was honoured with an introduction into the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame.
3. The final third is now, Dave said – dealing with the likely diagnosis of a rare neurological condition called ALS. Wikipedia states that, ALS or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a rare neurological disease that affects motor neurons—those nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. Voluntary muscles are those we choose to move to produce movements like chewing, walking, and talking.
Despite these challenges, Dave says that when he swims he tries to be Smooth and steady. He says, he’s not fast but he feels smooth and comfortable and that it is still a great feeling to just get in and try to glide through the water. Swimming has enabled Dave to keep a certain level of fitness. Mentally it is keeping him active with a positive attitude about life. So Smooth Swimming is a must for me, Dave says.
Dave Radcliff from Oregon in the USA, a 1956 Olympian and someone who has held every master’s swimming world record from 50m to 1500m freestyle for the 75-79 and 80-84 age groups, when he returned to swimming in 1995 at the age of 61. Dave’s 1500m freestyle World Record time at age 80 was 22:16.90, only 3 minutes slower than his time in the 1956 Olympics.
He’s here today to talk to you about the importance of using it, or losing it! Enjoy!
Episode 32 - Andy Donaldson - Cook Strait Swim World Record Holder
Episode 30 - Rob Hutchings, The Downriver Nomad
Episode 29 - Ross Davenport - 3-time Olympian and FINIS business manager
Episode 28 - what does fighting on the front-line of COVID-19, shoulder injury and learning a 2-beat kick have in common? Dr Jess Potter, that's what!
Episode 27 - Rebecca Adlington, double-Olympic GOLD medallist!
Episode 26 - Inspiring: Coach Paolo swims 300km in 30 days!
Episode 25 - Big Rick's Chicks Break English Channel World Record!
Episode 24 - Craig ("Crowie") Alexander, 5-time Ironman World Champion
Episode 23 - Swim Smooth's Dry-land Cord Training & Injury Prevention Routine with Coach Jana Oosthuizen
Episode 22 - preparing your COVID-19 financial forecast is a little like a swim training program & entirely necessary!
Episode 21 - Bec Johnson - Type 1 Diabetes Ultramarathon Swimmer and all-round "powerhouse"
Episode 20 - Tom Gregory - youngest ever English Channel Swimmer (11yrs old!)
Episode 19 - Anna-Karin Lundin, Swim Smooth Coach and the world's smoothest Swinger!
Episode 18 - The Mallorca Mashup at the BESTFest of Open Water Swimming
Episode 17 - insights into dealing with injury and illness in swimming and triathlon
Episode 16 - Stephanie Dixon, 19-time Paralympic swimming champion and world record holder!
Episode 15 - David Davies, Britain's only duel Olympic medallist in the pool and open water
Episode 14 - Sam Bradley (Warriner), former world #1 triathlete and Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist
Episode 13 - the lengths we go to in training the world's most passionate Swim Smooth Coaches
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