May 15, 2024

Who’s in that Lane for May of 2024?! Krishanne (Krish) Nishi, that’s who!

First of all, just a reminder that these Who’s In That Lane!  pieces celebrate our club and our teammates, and help us to get to better know our lanemates 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! And thanks, Coach Nancy, for sharing the most recent Southern Pacific Masters Swimming (SPMS) magazine, which reprinted the March article about how we all contributed to our awesome Matt Biondi swim meet. In case you didn’t know, our SPMS area is huge, combining most of southern California with southern Nevada – we have over 5,000 members. 

So let’s get back to business and get to know Krish. Krish has been with CVMM for less than a year, but she already knows it’s a new home for her. She has quickly established many friendships on the team. Depending on her travel schedule, you’ll find her at the Monday and Wednesday noon workouts, the Friday evening workout, and the Saturday morning workout. 

Krish was a serious swimmer all through college. She grew up in Nebraska and remains a big Cornhuskers fan (Go Big Red!) She eventually swam for the University of Wyoming (Go Cowboys!), and is thrilled to be back in the pool with teammates after almost 40 years. In talking with Krish, she recalled a big sign that greeted their opponents when they entered the Laramie, Wyoming swimming complex: “7,250 Feet: HOW’S YOUR OXYGEN DEBT?” Pretty intimidating! In case you’re wondering, our CLU and Simi Valley pools are a little lower, at an oxygen-rich 800 feet. 

One question we ask all of our featured swimmers is, if they are pushed, what is the interval they can make for 5 x 100-yard freestyle. Krish is crushing it, and is able to make a 1:25 pace for those 5 100s. Maybe, just maybe, she could make them at 1:20. Nice work, Krish!

One of my favorite lines from Krish was about our awesome CVMM coaches. She said, “The coaching crew (Nancy and John) is so supportive and knowledgeable – I have learned more in a few months here then years of swimming when I was younger.” I am in complete agreement, and I have heard it from so many of our teammates. Our coaches are always pushing us to be more efficient in our swimming. In my case, I’m sure they get tired of telling me the same thing over and over, but I promise I’m working on it!

In terms of her swimming preferences, Krish said, “I like the long, pounding freestyle interval sets.” Ouch. I can’t even comprehend that sentence, but it’s my obligation to report what I hear, folks. No matter how wacky it is. Her dislikes include breaststroke and kicking – that makes more sense to me. But no matter what, she loves being a part of this crazy group. She adds, “The ‘team feel’ gives you a sense of accountability to show up – and I find I sleep much better on the days I swim.” Krish has already swam in a few of our meets, and looks forward to doing more of that in the future.

After retiring two years ago from long careers with UCSB then Amgen, (I wonder how many of our CVMM teammates have Amgen ties – a lot I think!) Krish now divides her time between California and Colorado. Outside of swimming, she loves hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing. She is a docent at the very awesome Ronald Reagan Museum. (I will be going to see the new exhibit soon – it’s called Defending America and the Galaxy – Star Wars and SDI.) She also spends time supporting the Jewel Levine Foundation, a local foundation supporting those fighting serious medical challenges. Our club is no stranger to that, so thanks to Krish and all of those working to make a difference. Krish’s two children are grown, and she and her husband are empty nesters except for their rescue Rottweiler. “Except for their Rottweiler” is kind of a funny phrase. A 100-pound Rottweiler is no small presence in a home. 

We are happy to have Krish as part of CVMM. She said that even Steve, her not-yet-a-CVMM-teammate-even-though-he’s-done-his-share-of-triathlons husband, recognizes that her new swim crew seems to be more like a family. I know there are many of us who think that is exactly right. And Steve, there’s always room for one more!  We are happy to have you on our team and in our family, Krish! Keep it up, and thanks for letting us feature you in our latest Who’s In That Lane!

To see previous Who’s In That Lane pieces, please click here.