At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece Peter Vanderkaay competed on the 4x200m freestyle relay that defeated the favored Australian team for the gold medal. Best known as a mid-distance to distance freestyle swimmer, Vanderkaay excels in every freestyle distance from 50m to the mile. This U of Michigan grad and Club Wolverine swimmer is the current NCAA record holder in the 500-yard freestyle and was kind enough to chat with us.
ST: Peter, can you tell us at what age you started swimming and if you did any other sports as a child?
Peter: I started swimming competitively at about age 7. I tried a few other sports but by the time I was 12 I was only swimming.
ST: The Olympics are coming towards us with giant steps. Can you describe your goals and build-up for Beijing?
Peter: In 2004 I was just trying to make the team in anything I could. This time around, I am looking to make the team in a few individual events as well as the 4x200 relay. I definitely think I am capable of achieving this goal and winning some individual medals in Beijing. Right now I am focused on my training leading up to trials this summer.
ST: Your free-style swim stroke is amazingly beautiful to watch. Do you still work on it or does it now come natural?
Peter: I definitely still work on it whenever I can. My stroke comes natural but there are always things I can do to improve it. I was recently at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs where they have some great stroke technique equipment. I learned that there are still some minor flaws that I can work on before Trials this summer.
Watch Vanderkaay's beautiful stroke in this clip showing him breaking a meet record
ST: What else is on your schedule in terms of racing for 2008?
Peter: USA Swimming has created a Grand Prix circuit of competitions leading up to Trials so I will be participating in those meets. The next competition on my calendar is in Columbia, Missouri. These meets are a great opportunity to get some good racing in.
ST: During the season, what workload do you have during a typical week?
Peter: In a typical week, I usually swim between 60,000-70,000 meters. All of this is done in 10 practices and covers all types of distances and levels of intensity. I also spent a few hours in the weight room lifting and doing core exercises.
ST: Would you also be so kind and describe a typical hard workout?
Peter: A typical hard workout might look something like this:
1200 warm-up, mixing up strokes
12x50 @ 1 min, 25 fast/25 easy
6x200 kick @3:45 descend (1-3) x2
3x300 pull @ 3:45 breathing 3,5,7 by 100
10x300s @ 4 min, descend 1-3 and hold
400 warm down
Total meters=7,300
ST: In a recent heated ST forum discussion the question came up if flip turns are important for triathletes who swim mostly open water races. Do you have any words of wisdom here?
Peter: I am definitely not an expert in the realm of triathlon but I would say that flip turns would help in the pool because it retains speed in and out of the wall. That is also the goal in open water swimming so maybe it carries over. I definitely don’t think it would hurt to do them.
ST: What race result do you cherish the most and why?
Peter: My favorite race is the 500yd free at NCAAs my senior year at Michigan. I swam a near perfect race and broke the American record. It had been a goal of mine for a long time and it was special to finally achieve it.
ST: Do you actually have a favorite pool/aquatic facility, or is it all the same to you?
Peter: I think my favorite pool to compete at is the Natatorium at IUIPUI in Indianapolis. It’s an extremely fast pool with a lot of history. I also love swimming at Canham Natatorium in Ann Arbor but that is a biased opinion since I swam for Michigan.
Vanderkaay wins a gold medal in the 200m in Monte Carlo
ST: Do you have much of an off-season at all, and if so, what do you do during that time?
Peter: In a typical year, I will take about 3 weeks off. During this time I like to relax and go on vacation with friends and family. Other than that, I am always training hard.
ST: What is going on for you in terms of sponsorship and endorsements?
Peter: I have had the privilege of securing some sponsors that include Speedo, Mutual of Omaha, Merck, and Powerbar. Speedo provides me with the opportunity to race and train with the best equipment on the market. Mutual of Omaha allows me to help with their Breakout Swim Clinics which focus on teaching kids the fundamentals of stroke technique. I have recently begun working with Merck on an asthma awareness campaign that will be coming out soon which preaches the fact that Asthma doesn’t have to keep you from achieving your goals in athletics. Powerbar is great because they make the best nutritional products for training and competing. I am very lucky to work with these companies and hopefully I will be able to add a few more in the future.
ST: Do you do any cross training such as cycling and running?
Peter: I do use running as a way to help supplement aerobic training but I haven’t used the bike yet. Maybe something I can get into in the future!
ST: Can you share with us some of your food likes and dislikes?
Peter: I try to eat as balanced as possible but sometimes it doesn’t always happen. Lately I have done a good job eating my fruits and vegetables but every once in a while I love to sit down to some pizza. One thing I don’t like is mushrooms though, never have…
ST: What about music? What do you listen to?
Peter: I’m not a huge music buff but I really like folk rock and alternative country and bluegrass. The whole pop music scene doesn’t appeal to me very much. I am also fond of classic rock.
ST: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Peter: In 5 years I don’t see myself swimming competitively. I think I will probably go back to graduate school to try and get another degree. I was a general biology major in undergrad but I don’t see myself using it too much. Who knows though, maybe I will still be in the pool.
ST: I there anything else we should know about you?
Peter: I really like the outdoors and would love to be able to travel and see some of the amazing things around the world. I also enjoy hunting and fishing. Hopefully I will have the chance to do some of that stuff down the road.
Men's 200 Freestyle-2005 Duel in the Pool
Some Peter Vanderkaay 2007 swim times
100 Free 49.34
4x100 FR 3:17.96
400 Free 3:45.55*
200 Free 1:45.45*
800 Free 7:53.93*
4x100 MR 3:38.32
* career best time
