{"id":250259,"date":"2017-04-05T15:00:36","date_gmt":"2017-04-05T22:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=250259"},"modified":"2017-04-05T14:56:14","modified_gmt":"2017-04-05T21:56:14","slug":"world-masters-swimmer-spotlight-mike-freshley-lynn-marshall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-masters-swimmer-spotlight-mike-freshley-lynn-marshall\/","title":{"rendered":"World Masters Swimmer Spotlight: Mike Freshley, Lynn Marshall"},"content":{"rendered":"

2016 Top 12 World Masters Swimmers of the Year<\/h2>\n

Sponsored by SwimSpray<\/a><\/h3>\n
Swimming World Magazine<\/em> has been recognizing the Top 12 World Masters Swimmers of the Year for the last 13 years. Running from April 4th through April 9th the staff at\u00a0Swimming World<\/em> will be shining a spotlight on the accomplishments of our Top 12 World Masters Swimmers of the Year, along with a special spotlight on the runners-up on the 10th.<\/p>\n
Mike Freshley, USA (75-79)<\/h3>\n
In 1995, 29 years after he finished swimming in college, Mike Freshley went to his first Masters meet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI met other Masters swimmers there, and they told me about another meet, so I started going to meets,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Soon, Freshley was hooked. Now, he attends a meet, on average, every other weekend. From his home in the San Diego area, he travels throughout California as well as to Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico for different competitions. \u201cWe\u2019re swimming for life, we\u2019re swimming for health, but we\u2019re racing for fun,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His training routine? He gets to the Rose Bowl pool at 5 a.m. every morning\u2014\u201cAnd I hate it!\u201d he said of the early mornings, particularly in the winter. In the evenings, Freshley completes 100 sit-ups, 100 lat pull-downs, 100 push-ups and 20 assisted pull-ups.<\/p>\n
This past season, that routine paid off with 16 world records in 11 events, primarily in breaststroke. Freshley never fashioned himself a breaststroker\u2014in college, when asked to train breaststroke, he responded, \u201cCoach, I\u2019m an IMer. I\u2019m not a breaststroker\u201d\u2014but after more than 20 years of Masters swimming, he thinks he has finally mastered the stroke.<\/p>\n
His records came in the men\u2019s 75-79 division: LC\u2014100-200 breast (1:27.74, 3:13.93), 200-400 IM (2:59.01, 6:34.91); SC\u201450 free (29.93), 50-100-200 breast (29.93, 1:25.38, 3:06.82); 100-200-400 IM (1:17.58, 2:55.45, 6:29.29).<\/p>\n
Freshley believes swimming helps his body stay younger than his chronological age\u2014he turned 76 in March\u2014so he has no plans to reduce his swimming schedule over the next few years. As for breaking more world records, he\u2019s not afraid to set some ambitious goals\u2014even if he fails.<\/p>\n
\u201cFailure is just a sign-post that tells you, \u2018Hey, I need to modify this, I need to change this and get better,\u2019\u201d Freshley said. \u201cBut it\u2019s not the end of the world. It\u2019s just part of the learning process.\u201d \u2014D.R.<\/p>\n