October 10, 2024

Who’s in that Lane for October of 2024?!

Ali English and Clark Trainor, that’s who!!

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 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!  

The picture above was taken just before the Wednesday evening workout. As you can see, Clark and Ali are joyful and happy to be in the pool, even though they’re about to swim everything Coach Nancy plans to throw at them. I love it!

Let’s start with Ali English!

Ali has been a CVMM team member since April, 2022. She joined to get back into swimming after graduate school. In her words, she loves the, “camaraderie with others as we tackle challenging workouts together.” I love that. Sometimes, the lanemates do have a ‘we can get through this together’ attitude during a tough workout. I think we have all shared a fistbump with a lanemate once a particularly difficult workout or set is completed. 

Unless her work as an urgent care physician assistant gets in the way, which, obviously, just by the nature of the job, it does sometimes, you’ll find Ali at the M/W/F evening workouts, and the Saturday morning workout. As for why she shows up to our workouts? “I find swimming as an outlet for my day-to-day stress, but I enjoy goofing around with my teammates between sets. I show up at the pool to get stronger and faster, but I also come for the social aspect of swimming. I love that post-swim rejuvenated feeling that comes after doing a hard workout.” I wish I could speak or write that well about anything. Nicely said, Ali.

Ali swam competitively at Ventura High School (Go Cougars!) and at UC Santa Cruz (Go Banana Slugs! BEST MASCOT EVER!). And as a competitive bonus, Ali is the first person I’ve ever met who competed in Modern Pentathlon. The “only” skills you need for that are freestyle swimming*, fencing, equestrian show jumping, laser pistol shooting, and cross country running. Wow. She’s been riding horses since she was 7 years old, and usually rides at least one of her three horses (Mac, Ben, or Ivor – he’s pictured below) before the evening workout. So cool.

* In case you’re wondering, the swim in the modern pentathlon is 200 meters. You get 250 points for a time of 2:30, and you get an additional 2 points for each second faster than 2:30. Also, Ali pointed out that CVMM’s Rachel Coleman also is a modern pentathlon-er athlete. Wow!

You’ll find Ali in Lane 1. If she has to, she can swim 5 x 100 yards at a blistering 1:10 pace. But what she really loves are distance sets. I respect that, but I don’t understand it. Her boyfriend, John Potenza (pictured above, he’s the one without the long face), is also a CVMM member and is working hard to earn his way to swim in the same lane as Ali. Keep your eye on the prize, John, and good luck to you!

And now, Clark Trainor is in that lane!

Like Ali, Clark joined CVMM in April of 2022. Unlike Ali, it had been 34 years since Clark last swam competitively. That’s a long time! He spent those 34 years in a happy marriage, raising three big and talented boys, and maintaining a wicked sense of humor. If you’re in Clark’s lane, get ready for some humor. It’s coming whether you want it or not. For me, lane humor is always appreciated. We need something to get us through together!

Clark started CVMM workouts for the fitness, but has come to love the camaraderie. He also believes his marriage will thrive if he manages to get out of the house every once in a while. I get that, Clark – I just don’t say it out loud.

Clark’s favorite set is the last one of practice. That is funny. But given a choice, show him the sprinting! 9 x 50 with varying speeds, and he loves competing against whoever is next to him. Well said, Clark. Sprinting is the preferences of the wisest of us. I don’t know what people like Ali are thinking with their love of distance.

Clark avoids any practice that combines cold and dark. So though he might do evenings in the summer and early fall, he will transition to afternoon workouts when the days are shorter and cooler. 

Clark swam for an Olympic coach at one point in his storied career. Of course, he was only seven years old when he swam for Jack Nelson in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. But he did swim for a short time at Drexel College in Philadelphia (Go Dragons!). Now, Clark says he can do 5 x 100 on a 1:20 pace. (Watching him swim with Ali in Lane 1, I’m pretty sure he could do 5 at 1:10 – he’s fast!). Whatever the time, he has kept that 7-year old raw talent even with that long 34-hiatus.

Clark brings so much to CVMM – his appreciation of family, his swimming history, his ever-present self-deprecating humor, and a joyful spirit. Look for him and say hello!

So thanks to our CVMM lanemates Ali and Clark 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.