NAC Masters Profile: Maureen Sanderson

When did you join  NAC  Masters and how often do you swim?  I joined NAC Masters in March, 2008 and typically swim 3 days a week.

What is your background as a swimmer and/or athlete?  I’ve been a mediocre swimmer since childhood.  The only reason I didn’t lose my races was because I usually had a sister who was slightly worse than me.  Mediocre swimming has been my primary form of exercise throughout adulthood.  I’ve been a middle to front of the pack, and recently only one of the pack, triathlete for several years now.  I had wanted to start doing triathlons by age 30 and didn’t achieve that goal, nor did I achieve that goal by age 40, but as age 50 approached I said it’s now or never.

What motivates you to wake up and swim at 6am?

To get to wear fins and swim with the other mediocre swimmers over on our side of the pool.  And to continue my dominance of the 55-59 age group at triathlons.

Outside of the pool, who are you?

I’m a cancer epidemiologist on the faculty of Family and Community Medicine at Meharry Medical College.  I have a joint appointment at Vanderbilt and teach in their PhD program.

Some people might be surprised to know that...

I aspired to be the first female to dot the I in script Ohio performed by Ohio State’s marching band, but just as I was a mediocre swimmer I was a mediocre sousaphone player and flunked out of music school.

Favorite Coach Brian-ism:

When Brian asked me to provide this profile, he said “Just get up on Sunday, drink a cup of coffee, pour something else in the coffee cup and DO IT!”