The Road to Nationals-Eileen Breeden
The Road to Nationals-Eileen Breeden
In her fourth year at Stanford University, national teamer and Olympian
Elaine Breeden is entering her favorite part of the collegiate season and enjoying every minute of it. As the training focus shifts after the frenzied peak of the holiday workouts, Breeden is working on her speed and looking forward to the exciting meets ahead.
National Team Member: Elaine Breeden
Location: Palo Alto, California
Distance from the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships: 396 miles
Location: Palo Alto, California
Distance from the 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships: 396 miles
Did your performances from Trials and Beijing last summer impact you in any way going in to the collegiate season? How about looking ahead to Nationals this August?
Elaine: Making the Olympic Team definitely gave me more confidence heading into the college season of 2008, but it also gave me an added a sense of responsibility. People’s expectations change when they hear you are an Olympian and it was important for me to not focus on that but on my own expectations instead. I think enough time has passed that I shouldn’t be too affected by the pressure heading into Nationals this summer.
Elaine: Making the Olympic Team definitely gave me more confidence heading into the college season of 2008, but it also gave me an added a sense of responsibility. People’s expectations change when they hear you are an Olympian and it was important for me to not focus on that but on my own expectations instead. I think enough time has passed that I shouldn’t be too affected by the pressure heading into Nationals this summer.
With Pac-10s and NCAAs on the horizon, what types of training are you focusing on right now?
Elaine: We are just beginning to slow down from Christmas training, the most intense training period of the season. We are substituting yoga for the cardio circuits we have been doing and I will be doing more speed-related drills to improve my butterfly strength. This is my favorite time of the season because I love working on the details like starts, turns, and underwaters.
Elaine: We are just beginning to slow down from Christmas training, the most intense training period of the season. We are substituting yoga for the cardio circuits we have been doing and I will be doing more speed-related drills to improve my butterfly strength. This is my favorite time of the season because I love working on the details like starts, turns, and underwaters.
With a handful of collegiate meets left in the season, how are you staying mentally focused for both your college taper meet(s) and the summer ahead?
Elaine: I always focus on one competition at a time and try not to look too far ahead. I am concentrating on PAC 10s and NCAAs for now and I won’t worry about Nationals until after my college season is over.
Elaine: I always focus on one competition at a time and try not to look too far ahead. I am concentrating on PAC 10s and NCAAs for now and I won’t worry about Nationals until after my college season is over.
As this is your senior season for Stanford, is there anything you are looking forward to at Pac 10s or NCAAs?
Elaine: One of my goals for the end of this season is to enjoy every day that I have left as a Stanford swimmer. The past four years went by faster than I could have imagined and I can’t believe this is the last time I’m going to race for this team! I am excited to see what we can do at the end of the season.
Elaine: One of my goals for the end of this season is to enjoy every day that I have left as a Stanford swimmer. The past four years went by faster than I could have imagined and I can’t believe this is the last time I’m going to race for this team! I am excited to see what we can do at the end of the season.
How will your training change for the long course season?
Elaine: My training is pretty consistent throughout the year so I’m not expecting too many changes. I actually like training long course better than short course so I’m looking forward to spring training. We will be picking things back up after tapering for NCAAs and taking time off during Spring break. I will have my work cut out for me but I enjoy it.
Elaine: My training is pretty consistent throughout the year so I’m not expecting too many changes. I actually like training long course better than short course so I’m looking forward to spring training. We will be picking things back up after tapering for NCAAs and taking time off during Spring break. I will have my work cut out for me but I enjoy it.
What are your plans after graduation?
Elaine: I will have one more quarter of school to complete next year so I will be living in Palo Alto for a while longer. I am also going to continue swimming and training at Stanford. Beyond that, I don’t know yet what I will be doing.
Elaine: I will have one more quarter of school to complete next year so I will be living in Palo Alto for a while longer. I am also going to continue swimming and training at Stanford. Beyond that, I don’t know yet what I will be doing.
Where and who will you be training with this summer?
Elaine: I am planning on training at Stanford through the summer. There is no team or coaching staff I would rather work with and I will train with them as long as I continue to swim. I don’t think I could find a group of people I would rather practice with and I feel really lucky.
Elaine: I am planning on training at Stanford through the summer. There is no team or coaching staff I would rather work with and I will train with them as long as I continue to swim. I don’t think I could find a group of people I would rather practice with and I feel really lucky.
Do you have a favorite butterfly/IM set? Or, is there one particularly hard set that you remember?
Elaine: I love training butterfly with resistance- swimming against chords and pulling buckets. Aside from that, one of my favorite long course butterfly sets is when we do three rounds of the following:
Elaine: I love training butterfly with resistance- swimming against chords and pulling buckets. Aside from that, one of my favorite long course butterfly sets is when we do three rounds of the following:
2x50 butterfly holding 200 pace or faster
100 free on 1:25
1x100 butterfly as fast as possible
100 free on 1:25
1x100 butterfly as fast as possible
I love this set because it forces me to find a way to hold it together at the end of a fast 100 when my heart rate is already high.
What events will you focus on at Nationals?
Elaine: I will most likely limit my swims to the two butterflies, seeing as those events are my best chance of placing high and making a team. I really love the 200 IM but it often overlaps with one of the butterfly events at these meets.
Elaine: I will most likely limit my swims to the two butterflies, seeing as those events are my best chance of placing high and making a team. I really love the 200 IM but it often overlaps with one of the butterfly events at these meets.
Any particular goals for the meet in Irvine?
Elaine: Best times are always my goal for the end of the season. I want to make a team but I can’t be disappointed with my swims if I go lifetime bests. I also want to have fun racing and not put too much pressure on myself to come in a certain place because that is something I have no control over.
Elaine: Best times are always my goal for the end of the season. I want to make a team but I can’t be disappointed with my swims if I go lifetime bests. I also want to have fun racing and not put too much pressure on myself to come in a certain place because that is something I have no control over.
In what other ways will you prepare yourself for Nationals this summer?
Elaine: My plan for this summer is to continue training in the pool as I have been because I think that works for me, but to change some things outside of the pool and see if that helps. I am going to focus more on nutrition and I am going to try and run more for fitness. Anyone who knows me knows that is a huge step because I would almost rather swim a mile butterfly than run one! I think it will be good for me to try some new things, though, and see what happens.
Elaine: My plan for this summer is to continue training in the pool as I have been because I think that works for me, but to change some things outside of the pool and see if that helps. I am going to focus more on nutrition and I am going to try and run more for fitness. Anyone who knows me knows that is a huge step because I would almost rather swim a mile butterfly than run one! I think it will be good for me to try some new things, though, and see what happens.
How do you stay energized to compete each season?
Elaine: I stay motivated by going into each season focusing on a new set of things I want to work on, usually things that I learned from the previous season. Sometimes I concentrate on improving stroke technique, sometimes I focus on my mentality and attitude, and sometimes I think about making changes in the choices I make outside of the pool like nutrition and fitness. There are so many different components to swimming fast that you can always mix it up and find new ways to improve. It’s a fun challenge that hasn’t gotten old!
Elaine: I stay motivated by going into each season focusing on a new set of things I want to work on, usually things that I learned from the previous season. Sometimes I concentrate on improving stroke technique, sometimes I focus on my mentality and attitude, and sometimes I think about making changes in the choices I make outside of the pool like nutrition and fitness. There are so many different components to swimming fast that you can always mix it up and find new ways to improve. It’s a fun challenge that hasn’t gotten old!
With quite the travel history – traveling to over 25 countries and all 50 states - what was your favorite road trip memory?
Elaine: Two summers in a row, when I was seven and eight, my grandparents took my two sisters and me on month-long road trips from our home in Kentucky all across the nation. We visited almost all of the states west of the Mississippi River and saw every national park possible. They were amazing and I will never forget the museums I toured and the national parks I saw. I am sure those trips have something to do with my continued interest in history. We even visited Stanford, though I probably wouldn’t have believed it at the time if someone told me I would be living on the beautiful campus ten years later!
Elaine: Two summers in a row, when I was seven and eight, my grandparents took my two sisters and me on month-long road trips from our home in Kentucky all across the nation. We visited almost all of the states west of the Mississippi River and saw every national park possible. They were amazing and I will never forget the museums I toured and the national parks I saw. I am sure those trips have something to do with my continued interest in history. We even visited Stanford, though I probably wouldn’t have believed it at the time if someone told me I would be living on the beautiful campus ten years later!
If you could take a road trip with someone famous, who would it be and where would you go?
Elaine: If I could spend time talking with anyone I would have to say author C.S. Lewis. If I had a chance to talk with him, I wouldn’t care where we were driving!
Elaine: If I could spend time talking with anyone I would have to say author C.S. Lewis. If I had a chance to talk with him, I wouldn’t care where we were driving!
Any favorite road trip games?
Elaine: One of my favorite games for the car is the alphabet game where you have to find words beginning with the letters A-Z on signs and billboards outside the car.
Elaine: One of my favorite games for the car is the alphabet game where you have to find words beginning with the letters A-Z on signs and billboards outside the car.
