PETER VANDERKAAY - Mutual of Omaha

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What sort of books do you look for?
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Accomplishments:
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Peter Vanderkaay has been steadily solidifying
his role on the national scene since his
breakout Olympics in Athens in 2004, where he
won gold with Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps
and Klete Keller in the 800 free relay that
famously upset the Australian team’s
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seven-year winning streak. In
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Beijing, he and his teammates
again earned gold on the 800
free relay, and Vanderkaay
added an individual medal to
his collection—a bronze for
the 200 meter freestyle. Now
with two American records
under his belt (for short course
meters and yards of the 500
freestyle), Vanderkaay has set his
sights on London in 2012.
You’ve grown up, gone to school in, and
continue to live in Michigan. Do you ever
dream of living somewhere warmer?
Not really. As you said, I’ve grown up here, so
I don’t mind the winters. I like living in a place
that has seasons. You just need a warm jacket
to live here.
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SPLASH • September/October 2010
PETER
VANDERKAAY
So you’ve been swimming since you were
about seven, almost 20 years. Are there
days you just don’t feel like going
to practice?
I used to have a lot more days like that, more
than I do now. Ever since I graduated, I’ve
developed a different perspective on the sport.
I really look forward to going to practice every
day and meeting new challenges. It’s more of
my passion. I can go push myself in the pool,
have fun, and call it a day.
There’s a big group of elite swimmers
training with you at Club Wolverine,
including your brother Alex. How do you
rely on them to help you reach your goals?
I think it helps all of us to swim in such a
competitive environment. Having highcaliber athletes to race against
gives you good workouts day in
and day out.
We’re about halfway
between Beijing and
London, and you’re one
of the veterans emerging
swimmers are gunning for.
How do you remain conscious
of new talent while still staying
focused on yourself?
I keep in mind that I can’t control what other
people are doing and that thinking about
them takes away the energy and time I need
to spend concentrating on myself. That said,
I do stay aware of up-and-coming people. I
enjoy the challenge of racing and using new
competition to push myself harder.
So you’re resting now for Nationals. How
are you feeling?
We just started bringing down the yardage.
The hardest part about tapering is waiting and
sitting still. You have all this extra energy, and
it’s tempting to do something harmful like go for
a long bike ride.
So instead of a long bike ride, what do you
do in between practices?
Nap, relax and try to prepare for the next
workout. I’m also always reading something.
As spokesperson for a few causes,
including Blue Planet Run’s efforts to
educate on water preservation, you are
really trying to use your celebrity to good
effect. Do you have any role models that
set the standard for you?
No one specific person comes to mind. But
I appreciate the opportunities I’ve had to
give back to the community. I try to do as
much as I have time for. I’m passionate about
conservation because I really like being
outdoors, and I want to protect the environment
for future generations.
What sort of outdoorsy activities
do you do?
Pretty much anything active
that fits into the training
schedule—hiking,
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fishing, biking
and going to the
beach. Last
year I went
camping in
Yellowstone.
One day I’d
like to do a
backpacking
and fishing trip
in Alaska.
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I’m more likely to read non-fiction. I pick up
just about anything that’s been recommended
to me. Right now, I’m into a biography on
Benjamin Franklin by H.W. Brands. (The First
American: The Life and Times of Benjamin
Franklin)
PHO T O B
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HARRY
BORN: February 12, 1984
HOMETOWN: Rochester, Michigan
RESIDES: Ann Arbor, Michigan
EDUCATION: University of Michigan ’06, Biology
HEIGHT: 6-4
CLUB TEAM: Club Wolverine
HOW PETER PREPARES TO COMPETE: “I visualize the perfect race. And if that’s not working, I’ll listen to
some music, anything from rock to rap.”
MUSIC INTERESTS: Peter has a White Stripes album
in his cd player right now.
FAVORITE FOOD: “Pizza. It’s not the healthiest option
out there, so I try to limit myself.”
With four swimmers
in the house at one time (Peter’s three
brothers, Christian, Alex, and Dane
also swim), what kind of grocery bills
was your mom stuck with while you all
still lived at home?
Probably bigger than she’d like to admit. I
remember her going to the grocery store at
least twice a week and spending a couple of
hundred dollars each time for food that was
gone in about three days.
You seem to have easily transitioned into
swimming after college. Do you have any
advice for swimmers trying to decide
whether to continue on as you have?
Make sure you’re doing it because you enjoy
it. I think a lot of people keep up with the sport
because they feel they haven’t reached their
full potential or because other people are
expecting them to, but the important part is
that you love swimming. You have to in order to
keep going.
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