August 2, 2024
Who’s in that Lane for July of 2024?! Bill Marshall and Kim Kitchen, that’s who!
First of all, just a reminder that these Who’s In That Lane! pieces celebrate our Conejo Valley Multisport Masters club and our teammates, and help us to get to better know our lane-mates and the people in those lanes over there! I know we all enjoy being a part of CVMM, and it’s even better when more of us really know each other! Secondly, what happened to June and July? Two months went by without a post, and I know that the anticipation is high for this August publication of Who’s In That Lane!?!?!
Let’s start with Bill Marshall. Bill has been a CVMM member for ten years, and he’s been back as a regular for the last three years. That’s the thing about CVMM – life happens, and if you have to take a break for any reason, CVMM will be waiting for you with open arms when you are ready. Bill loves Coach Nancy, and appreciates the way she helps him to get stronger and faster. Like all of us, he appreciates the camaraderie and the friendship that comes with being on our team. He also enjoys swimming regularly with his ex-wife Shelly, who swam with Nancy at UCLA. You see, even if marriages don’t work out, the friendships can stay strong through CVMM!
Bill swam competitively in high school and at the United States Air Force Academy. Let’s just think about that for a second. For those of you not familiar with the application process, just getting into the AFA is an amazing accomplishment, but to swim there as well? Very cool! He did a few masters meets in the 1980s, but it’s only been in the last two years that Bill started competing again. He enjoys competing in the 50 and 100 breaststroke and freestyle, as well as the IM.
Bill was an American Airlines pilot for 35 years after his military career. These days, as a retired colonel from the US Air Force, he is one of the USAF representatives who travels around the country supporting students and families who are applying for a coveted admissions slot in Colorado Springs. As a former high school principal, I can tell you that when the military representatives present that 4-year scholarship to students, currently valued at over $400,000, it is a giant moment for the student and the school. And without exception, it is the best of the best who earn those scholarships.
Outside of the pool these days, you’ll find Bill helping others by volunteering to help people fill out tax forms, and by substitute teaching.
As for our workouts, you find Bill usually swimming in the evenings and on Saturdays, and occasionally at noon. His favorite part of the workout is the rest between the swims, even if it’s just ten seconds. Hilarious! (And we all know what you mean!) He would rather not do the long swims, and if pushed, he can do 5 x 100 yards on the 1:30.
So thank you for your service to our nation, our schools, and to those in need, Bill Marshall, and thank you for being part of our CVMM family!
And now, Kim Kitchen is in that lane!
Kim is relatively new to our team. She’s been part of CVMM for one year, and already, she loves the team feel and camaraderie. She appreciates the coached workouts, and knows they make her better. Kim has never been part of a swim team before this, and has never swam competitively. That being said, she is doing some very cool things with her conditioning.
Like many on our team, Kim is a triathlete. She is a two-time ironman finisher. Kudos to Kim and all of our teammates who have heard, “You are an Ironman,” as they cross the finish line. I love the triathletes on our team. Some of them have always been strong swimmers, and some are really just trying to be stronger on the first leg of the triathlon. They are a family within a family, and Nancy knows how to help them to be their best.
Unlike many on our team, Kim is also a competitive prone paddleboarder. She says that swimming definitely helps with paddling and vice versa. Listening to Kim makes me want to paddleboard, she says, “I love the freeing feeling of paddling out in the water! I love that I can cover so many miles with just my hands! It’s so beautiful out there! It’s my happy place! It’s such a great feeling to be gliding along the water!” Kim recently qualified for the 32-mile race from Twin Harbors on Catalina to Manhattan Beach, and is excited to see what she can do in that famous and historic event. Wow! Keep us posted!
Kim is a mother of two teenages, an elementary school Special Education teacher, and a reading tutor. She has been teaching for 25 years! In other words, she’s a hero by day (I have a bias and I am a huge fan of anyone supporting student learning), and an incredible athlete on the side. I love it.
So thanks to our CVMM lanemates Kim and to Bill for letting us all learn more about them. Say hello to them no matter what lane you’re in!
To see previous Who’s In That Lane pieces, please click here.