Masters swimming – a great place for athletes, swim enthusiasts, competitors, and those who just want to have fun. It is an awesome opportunity to gather people of any level in the same pool and share in an experience loved by each person. I joined masters swimming after my collegiate swimming career ended with Western Kentucky University. Without swimming in my life, I feel as if I would lose my identity. Masters practice was a place for me to remain connected to something that had been such a large part of my life for as long as I can remember, but it didn’t start out competitive. I joined masters practices for the pleasure of being in the pool with other people who had the same passions for swimming as I did.

I initially had no desire to compete at the masters level. But, I was constantly asked to participate in meets. Thankfully, I finally agreed to compete because I fell in love with swimming on whole new level. I never imagined how fun swimming could be when I finally did it for myself. I was not competing for my parents, team, or coach and was not swimming to keep my college scholarship. I was swimming for fun, the simple thrill of competition, and my love for the sport.

The masters coach at the time was also an avid mountain biker. I joined him and his local biking group for a ride at Lock 4. It only took one journey through the fast single track in the forests at Old Hickory Lake to be hooked. During a ride one day, I noticed a sign for an Xterra triathlon at Lock 4. Combining my new love for mountain biking with swimming sounded like an excellent idea. However, my friends couldn’t believe I was interested. Butterfly, after all, isn’t the stroke of choice for any open water event. And, I didn’t exactly have the body of triathlete, I was a novice mountain biker, and I really was never a runner. But, I did have passion for competition. And after winning my age group, I had found a new way to fulfill my passion for competition – triathlons.

At this point, I needed help with every aspect of competing in triathlons. I was very blessed to be an active member of a master’s swim program in which I could reach my full potential. Open water swimming in a competition setting was new and challenging, but I never have back down when things got tough. I have come so far after only competing few a couple years on the Xterra circuit. On the anniversary of my first triathlon, I won the Lock 4 Xterra triathlon. What a thrill! Without my strength in the water, I wouldn’t have been able to do so well. I emerged out of the water first and never looked back. So far, I have finished first in the swim portion of every Xterra triathlon I have entered, except World Championships. There the first person out the water was a German Olympic distance swimmer, so I can’t feel too bad. But, he better be looking out for me this year. He’ll be eating my bubbles in Maui!!

Ron, thanks for giving me the chance to introduce myself to the team. I am looking forward to meeting everyone at the open water swim clinic on June 26. Swimmers of all levels will be able to take away tips for swimming in open water. Those swimmers who are considering competing in open water will be able to experience the feeling of an actual race, which will help calm those race day jitters. And, those swimmers who need pointers to reach the next level in open water swimming will receive some great advice. It should be an awesome day! See you in June!

Craig Evans