Lochte holds the distinction of being the second-most decorated Olympic swimmer in American history, along with Natalie Coughlin, Dara Torres, and Jenny Thompson.
This past August, Lochte was the winner of the men’s 200 meter individual medley (IM) at the 2019 Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships in California. “That was all right. It was a good starting point considering that I haven’t really raced since Rio,” he said. ”
That was my first major competition since the Olympic Games in Rio,” he said. “The time was decent. I was 22 pounds overweight. My daughter was born a month and a half before nationals. My eating habits went out the window. I was eating in fast food restaurants since it was quick and easy. Overall, it was a good starting point.”
Lochte shared that he is looking forward to trying out for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. “I am really excited,” he said. “I am already down on my weight. I’ve already lost 20 pounds. I am trainging a lot better both in and out of the water. I am eating healthier, so everything is going good. I am taking things day by day. When the time comes, hopefully, I am ready.”
Each day, Lochte is motivated simply by waking up in the morning and seeing his wife, Kayla Rae Reid, and their two children: son, Caiden Zane, and daughter, Liv Rae. “They motivate me to go to the swimming pool and give it my all,” he said.
On balancing family with a professional swimming career, he said, “I am still trying to balance that. It is probably one of the hardest things I ever have to do. I give it my all in my swimming pool, and right when I leave the pool, I have to rush home. Then, after I recover, I need to get some energy out of me to play with my son, since he loves his daddy. Being a father is a full-time job and I never get to sit down and recover. That’s the hardest thing, but when I look at their eyes, it makes everything become perfect.”
For young and aspiring swimmers, Lochte said, “First, listen to your coaches. They are there to help you, they are not there to hurt you. They have been coaching probably before the young swimmers were even born, so they are there to help. Second, make sure you set both short-term and long-term goals. I still do that to this day. Make sure you have a purpose each time that you go to the swimming pool. With the long-term goals, you have something to strive for. Third and most importantly, have fun because that’s what swimming and life are all about. Enjoy the journey.”
Speaking of coaches, he had nothing but the greatest remarks about his own coach, Gregg Troy. “Gregg is seriously hands down, in my eyes, the best coach in the world,” Lochte said.
When asked about what the best advice he was ever given, Lochte said, “If you’re going to do something, either go big or go home. Give it 110 percent.”
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, Lochte said with a laugh, “Daddy Mode.”
Digital age of aquatics
On being a swimmer in this digital age, he said, “It’s the way of the world. Every sport is evolving. Technology is good for the sport. I’m a little old school. I am all for anything that makes the sport bigger.”
For recovery purposes, Lochte personally uses the Hypervolt, and lately, a big thing for him is sleep. “Having an infant that doesn’t sleep that well, so my sleep is very important to me. I have been looking online for new technologies that are out there and I found one that is called Eight Sleep. I got it a few days ago and I am so excited. It deals with little sensors that are in the mattress and it’s supposed to read your body and body heat. It’s supposed to adjust the temperature of the mattress to help you fall into REM sleep quicker. This technology is going to be huge for athletes since one of the major things for us is sleep.”
Lochte spoke highly about the USA Swimming Foundation and their work to build champions and save lives. “I’ve been around USA Swimming forever, and what they are doing in regard to saving lives is just the best thing in the world,” he said. “Being a father and having two kids makes me better understand what the USA Swimming Foundation is trying to do and I am all aboard to help them. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death for children. Drowning is preventable and all you have to do is teach kids water safety. The USA Swimming Foundation is very important and I just love what they are doing. It is doing a great job.”
For his fans, he expressed his gratitude, “Thank you for supporting me. I love you guys. You have been there for me through thick and thin. The journey is not over. Hopefully, I can end with a good note whenever that will be.”
A 35-year-old swimming sensation, Lochte defined the word success as “accomplishing your goals.”
To learn more about 12-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte, check out his official website and Facebook page.
