Speaking, Competing, and a new puppy!
Hello again!
After spending pretty much the entire month of March and the beginning of April out of town, it feels great to be sleeping in my own bed!
Something I would like to share with you that I’ve been doing lately is taking 8,000 steps per day. From January 18th to April 8th, I accomplished this feat! I noticed at the Pan American Games and the World University Games last year that I was walking a lot in the athlete villages. Looking back at the data, I was taking a daily average of 8,000 and 11,000 steps at those competitions, respectively. This was a sharp increase from my usual and certainly could’ve affected my performance!
I started walking more to be better prepared at competitions and have found the mental benefits of getting outside are a great boost as well. Taking a quick 20 minute walk after meals helps me clear my mind and enjoy the weather. I took a short break leading up to the San Antonio Pro Swim Series, but I’m back to doing 8,000 again now.
Looking to directly support me? If you place an order at TallSlim Tees using my referral link, I will receive a commission. You can also get a 15% discount on your order by using my code: JACK15. Thank you!
What’s Happening?
After finishing up the National Team altitude camp at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, I flew to Clovis, CA for the Central California Swimming League All Star Camp. I loved sharing my story with the kiddos and working to improve their swimming. I also got the opportunity to be the keynote speaker at the Clovis Swim Club team banquet. It is so rewarding giving back to the next generation of swimmers.
On my flight from California to San Antonio, TX for the third and final Pro Swim Series stop, we flew right through the path of totality of the eclipse. The flight attendants handed out eclipse glasses and our pilot flew us in some circles during totality so both sides of the plane could see the phenomenon!
In San Antonio, I continued to build on the success of my previous competitions and placed as high as 4th in the 200 butterfly. My time of 1:57.06 marks the third fastest time of my career and is faster than I went to get bronze at the Pan American Games! My 200 freestyle was a season best by two hundredths in 1:48.82. On the final day of the meet, I swam the 50 freestyle in 23.09, placing one spot behind Mizzou legend and fellow TallSlim Tees ambassador Michael Chadwick. I time trialed the event again 30 minutes later and swam a 22.84… 5 hundredths away from the Olympic Trials cut. So close!
With the completion of that meet, I finally got to fly back to Missouri. One week later, I swam some off events at the Columbia Swim Club Spring Classic. I captured an Olympic Trials cut in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:01.57. This brings my total Olympic Trials cuts up to six and moves me up into a tie for fourth for the most cuts out of all of the US male swimmers. I swam the 200 IM as well and went a best time in 2:04.09, but was off the OT cut of 2:03.49.
After giving the fishing boat some upgrades this winter and putting the new registration numbers on it, I finally got the chance to take it out!
Looking Ahead
I will be competing at the Atlanta Classic May 15-18 which is my last tune up before Olympic Trials. I’ll be putting the final touches on my 200 butterfly and 200 freestyle. There will also be another opportunity to take one last crack at the 200 IM and 50 freestyle OT cuts.
In the final weeks of May, I will be participating in the Mizzou Swim Camps as a guest speaker.
Audrey and I are getting a puppy! She’s a golden retriever and we are going to name her Violet.
Available Opportunities
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