Flying Wolverine Davis Tarwater
Davis Tarwater is the 2005 and 2007 US Champion in the 200m Butterfly and he also won that event at the 2007 Duel in the Pool. He is currently preparing for the US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska and shared a few of his thoughts with Slowtwitch.
ST: Davis, can you tell us at what age you started swimming and if you did any other sports as a child?
Davis: I began swimming at the age of 9 on my summer swim team. However, I did not get serious about the sport until I was about 13 or 14. I also played baseball, basketball and ran track as a kid. Of those three, track was probably my best.
ST: The Olympics are so close now. Can you describe your goals and build-up for Beijing?
Davis: Well right now the most important step towards Beijing is the Olympic Trials in Omaha. If I am fortunate enough to represent the US at the Olympics, which would be a dream come true, I hope to be a medal contender there. So right now my mindset and training are focused on the Olympic trials.
ST: You are a great fly swimmer. Do you actually prefer fly over freestyle or does it depend on the day?
Davis: Yeah it really does depend on the day. In practice I don’t do huge quantities of fly. We do a lot of freestyle training for fitness then do smaller amounts of fly so as not to breakdown the stroke. So in practice I probably prefer to do freestyle, but in a race its all about butterfly.
ST: What else is on your schedule in terms of racing for 2008?
Davis: I have a few meets between now and Omaha. The Ohio State Grand prix is next month. Then we go to the Santa Clara Grand Prix in May, and the Mutual of Omaha Swimvitational in Omaha as a tune up for trials.
ST: During the season, what workload do you have during a typical week?
Davis: We train about 14,000 meters/yards per day. Then we usually have an hour of cardio or weights everyday.
ST: Would you also be so kind and describe a typical hard workout?
Davis: Usually on Monday we do some kind of distance threshold set. For example, 10 times 300 free on 3:30 short course or 4 minutes long course, descend 1-3 and hold it. Then Tuesdays are more speed oriented, while Wednesday is usually when we go off the blocks or do something where we work on lactate tolerance like 6 times 100 all out on 7 minutes.
ST: What event do you care for the most and why?
Davis: I would have to say the 200 butterfly. That’s my best event, and I feel like my ability to swim that race specifically has opened so many great doors for me throughout my career. I have been able to travel all over the world and meet great people just because I could swim fast in that event. With that in mind, I grew up as a distance freestyler specializing in the 1500 meters. That is such a tough race and you find out a lot about yourself when the pain sets in about 1100 meters into it. So there will always be a fondness about the mile for me. However, I’m also pretty relieved not to have to swim it any more.
ST: Do you actually have a favorite pool/aquatic facility, or is it all the same to you?
Davis: I really like our pool in Ann Arbor, lots of great memories there. But yeah everything else is pretty much the same.
ST: Do you have much of an off-season at all, and if so, what do you do during that time?
Davis: I maybe take a week or sometimes two off at the end of August. Usually I return home to Knoxville, TN, and hang out on the lake with friends and family. I am so tired by the end of the season that I usually just end up sleeping and eating a ton to be honest.
ST: Do you do any cross training such as cycling and running?
Davis: I usually prefer to run versus riding the bike. However if my knees or shins hurt I opt for the bike. I do run about 3 times per week. However, the majority of my out of the water training focuses more on gaining strength rather than general aerobic work. We get a lot of work done in the pool towards that end.
ST: What is going on for you in terms of sponsorship and endorsements?
Davis: I have some great sponsors that are helping me towards my Olympic dream. I have a deal with Speedo that provides me with the best swimwear in the Market. I also have a deal with Mutual of Omaha, which is a big sponsor of USA Swimming and is responsible for bringing the Trials to Omaha. They are great people. I also have a deal with Powerbar that has been really great as well.
ST: Have you followed the adventures of Wolverine swimmer Andy Potts in triathlon?
Davis: What Andy has done has been very inspirational to me. I am stunned at his sheer athleticism. However, the most important lesson his journey has taught me is that you need to take the opportunity to chase your dreams while you are young. Andy had a good job, but he realized that he wouldn’t be complete unless he further chased his Olympic dream. To me that is one of the most noble goals a person can chase after. There is no better representative of the Michigan program and more specifically the Michigan ethic of toughness and pride, than Andy Potts.
ST: Can you share with us some of your food likes and dislikes?
Davis: Sure. I am pretty much a bottomless pit. I will eat almost anything and a great deal of it. The one thing I despise more than anything is cooked carrots. I know that may seem odd, but I just can’t do it. I hate them so much. Some of my favorite things include steak, sushi, and hot wings.
ST: What about music? What do you listen to?
Davis: I listen to a pretty wide variety of music. However my southern roots lead me to gravitate towards more folk type bands and artists. I like Ryan Adams, Wilco, Steve Earle and other folk artists.
ST: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Davis: I don’t know, but I should probably get that question answered in my head if I want to get a job soon. I am thinking about going back to school sometime after this year. I will need to evaluate how much longer I plan to swim after this summer.
ST: I there anything else we should know about you?
Davis: I think that pretty much covers it.
