Time and time again masters swimmers are showing swimming fast isn’t just for ‘kids’. Steve West (41), former USA Swimming national teamer and the oldest man to have qualified for the USA Olympic trials, dropped three world records this past weekend at the Southern Pacific Masters short course meters championship in Commerce, California. West swam a 28.55 in his 50, 1:01.44 for his 100, 2:14.36 in his 200.
David Guthrie (53), who’s grabbed a whopping 14 world records this year was 29.84 in the 50, 1:04.54 in the 100, and 2:21.65 for his 200. Guthrie has been on fire all year long dominating in all three courses.
In this interview, Steve and David talk about this weekend’s races and how they balance the demands of family, work and swimming. For both them it’s a lot of focusing on the “little things” that make the difference. West has devoted a lot of time to flexibility, technique and race pace training. Guthrie’s been a following a precise dry land regimen, nutrition and training with team to help him maintain his edge.
Beyond the speed and the awards, both these guys find the fun and camaraderie in masters swimming to be a central component of their swimming.
If you want to find out more about masters swimming in the US visit US Masters for a list of programs and events.
David you are just amazing…
Swimmers are a separate breed. We suffer daily, we get no respect, we see little money from our effort and sport. We do it for the doing. And we tend to feel a strong, unbreakable bond with all swimmers, anywhere. So when someone calls us out for anything, we respond in force, forcefully. I’ve watched Steve and David swim. They are marvels to behold. David can go miles on one kick. Steve just flies above the water. As breaststrokers – my stroke – they dazzle me.
Technique and technology win every time. Science over strength, every time. David killed Goliath with a stone from his sling. An expert slinger, he had serious advantage over the giant. Their technologies and… Read more »
I was a competitor in 2008 World Masters in Perth. Sadly there is one high profile Masters World Record holder who openly takes a series of pills prior to each event. I don’t know what’s in all of them but I do know it involves PEDs such as ephedrine. (They were offered to others who then asked what was in them and there was no concern by this swimmer to admit to, essentially, taking speed.) The theory this swimmer went by is, if FINA does not test in Masters, that means that you are able to do whatever you want as you are not breaking any rules. I prefer to abide by the “moral” code, however.
Hi all!
I just found this thread more than one month too late after the conversation has died out, but felt the urge to write some comments about the accusations…especially since I understand the rationale of the accusations are “they are so fast…therefore they need to be on drugs”. I dont know Steve or David. I wish I did, but i dont.
This is my story: I am also a masters swimmer. I live and train in Stockholm, Sweden. I stopped my career when I was 17 (never qualified for the national team or anything – “mediocre” you could say at that time) and picked it up again 2005 at the age of 34. For the first couple… Read more »
He is a stand up man, a gentleman, and an all-around laid
back beach lover from Huntington Beach, Surf City. I know he’s got
to be pretty competitive, but denouncing his a
I grew up in the area in Fountain Valley next to Huntington Beach and I was not laid back and never surf. You guys are repeating a stereotype that doesn’t fit everyone. In fact my old high school Los Amgios which gets a lot of kids from Santa Ana has them more kids into Low Riders than Surf boards since about 80 percent of the current population of Los Amigos is Hispanic and when I went there it was only 20 percent. Its now only 4… Read more »
First of all, congratulations Steve and Dave on some
fantastic swimming. Here’s some perspective: I’m a year behind
Steve (40) and never achieved the same heights in my youth,
dropping out at 18. At 34 I started swimming again. I’ve never
consistently swum more than three hours a week (3 sessions), during
that time, but I do try to do as much out of the water as in –
mostly weights, but some running and some yoga. Like Steve, I try
to work at race pace, and on technique. Although I stopped at 18
(so that bar could have been higher), I still managed a lifetime
best this year in my… Read more »
Let me state clearly, I have never in my life taken PEDs and I never will. The idea of it is not attractive; it is repugnant.
Let me be perfectly clear, I have no evidence that either of these two athletes have ever or would ever use PED’s and no accusations are being made on my part.
Having said that since it was brought up in the comment section of this article I replied and stand by my statement that PED use does take place in masters swimming. Whether or not its important that anything be done about it is a topic that I guarantee will come up at the next USMS convention…especially after Ron Butcher tweeted about it after this thread went on fire. So lets talk perspective, since track and field has been down this path here’s a look at their situation: … Read more »