Swimming News is courtesy of Lo Swim, a SwimSwam partner.
Swimming has always been Madison Kennedy’s “great love in life”, but it wasn’t until her first visit to Cal that she realized that it was the real deal. She wasn’t a walk on, but pretty close. She remembers coach Teri saying “well, I’ve never heard your name”, even after having finaled at NCAAs the previous year at Rutgers. “Cal- the school and athletics- is on another level… that place set me free”.
Madison left for Charlotte to train with SwimMac Team Elite “with a distinct sense of self and capability, feelings that I would not have had without my years at Berkeley”. When asked about her experience training with the world’s best swimmers, she says, “I have had my life changed by every single one of my teammates… to experience happiness, pain, success and disappointment with people- those feelings bind you to them down to your core”.
Training for Rio, Madison swims six mornings and lifts three days a week. She is also a Barre instructor and take’s Pilates and Yoga, noting that each piece of her training has “added something extra to my overall health and relationship to my body”. Madison’s goal leading up to trials is to “stay consistent and confident”. She says that her training has evolved to fit her perfectly and she knows what to do to feel good and prepared. This confidence is “critical to have under pressure”. Moreover, she is “excited! It’s a special time in my life to have trained for something with such focus, it will be cool to see what happens in eek, 7 weeks!”
Madison’s training must haves are a cup of coffee at the end of her lane and Lululemon dryland apparel. For practice, Madison says, “I love my Lo Swim suits”, and for racing, “I am confident in the fit and performance of Speedo suits- one less thing to worry about while I am behind the blocks!”
Beyond the training and swag essentials, Madison lives by the motto “be yourself- it sounds cliché, but it works”. She is surrounded by people who remind her that believing in her convictions is her strength. After trails, (and hopefully Rio!), Madison will celebrate her wedding in Connecticut in the fall (of 2017).
All the love and luck to Madison at Trials! XOXO
*Portrait by David Eggebeen Photography
*Mango Training Suit by Lo Swim
Congrats to Madison on her engagement and her recent PBs. Her 24.5 yesterday in Charlotte showed that the wind-aided 24.4 in Mesa was no fluke. She’s obviously got a great shot at Trials in the 50, and maybe in the conversation for a 4×100 spot too if she can bring that down a little before trials, we’ll see how it goes tonight. I literally bumped smack into her walking to the pool at Irvine Nationals a few years ago the day of the 50 when I was yacking w/ friends and like an idiot not looking where I was going, I was so embarrassed but she just tossed me a sunny smile and her pink hair with a “no worries”,… Read more »