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Kristen Groome breaks through the water at the USA Swimming Spring Championships.

03/09/10

From Houston to Carbondale, Illinois – open water standout Kirsten Groome is now swimming for the University of Southern Illinois (SIU) and will represent the Salukis at NCAAs. She talks about adapting to her first year of college, what homesickness is all about, and just what the heck a Saluski is.

1) First of all, how are things going – swimming?
Kirsten: It’s going really well. We just finished up conference and are training for NCAAs.

2) Did conference go well?
Kirsten: Conference went really well. I won all my events and I made NCAA for the 500 free and the mile, so I will be swimming both of those at NCAAs.

3) How is swimming exclusively in a pool gong?
Kirsten: It’s going really well. I’ve just been focused on college swimming right now. I’m really happy with how I am doing with it. After I’m done with NC’s I will be focused on open water. I’m excited for that as well.

4) Is it different swimming in the pool only and how do you like it?
Kirsten: I am enjoying it. It’s different. I have trained in the pool and everything, but I focused on open water. Now it’s pool swimming – times you have to shoot for. Swimming with a team has been a lot of fun. There is a lot more bonding with a lot of swimmers.

5) What’s the SIU campus and surrounding area like?
Kirsten: It’s a really small town. There’s not a whole lot to do, but there is enough to do – it’s a college town. It’s a great place to have a university. It’s really nice.

6) What are you majoring in?
Kirsten: I’m a chemistry major so I’m doing all chemistry classes. But I like that so I am enjoying that. I have been busy a lot lately – but I like being fun, so it’s cool.

7) What’s it like academically for this year, in terms of a chance from last year before you started college?
Kirsten: It’s a huge change academically. It’s terribly hard, but chemistry is one of those subjects where you have to read the book over and over again, do problems- it’s kind of like everything in one. I do feel like I have matured more, but I felt coming in like I was already mature.

8) How is school different on a day-to-day basis?
Kirsten: There are different responsibilities. You have five assignments due on a given day, so you have to buckle down and do it. Here academics come first, before swimming, so if you don’t get it done, you don’t swim. So I make sure I get it done on time.

9) Since you are studying chemistry, does some of the open water you’ve swum in gross you out?
Kirsten: I don’t mind dirty water! I can swim in it. But you do learn a lot of different things in chemistry. I have been working with different chemicals – made poisonous gases a few times, which isn’t (laughs) good. But I like open water swimming, and I like racing.

10) Open water has grown – is that something you like, or do you miss it when there were only really a handful of swimmers including yourself contending for the top podium spots?
Kirsten: I love the competition. I would not find it fun if there was no one to race – I would move along to something harder. I wouldn’t want to be number 1 without having to work for it. That’s the whole reason I love the sport – to race people. If you do badly, it gives you motivation to work harder. If you do well, it makes you feel good about yourself. Open water is growing, we have more swimmers with experience, and younger swimmers – all that is good.

11) What’s the social aspect of college been like for you?
Kirsten: It’s been good. I hang out mostly with the swim team, that’s who I am with 24/7 basically. I have a roommate here I live with, and we get along really well – she’s a swimmer too. It’s nice because back home I was alone all the time, swimming, or being by myself a lot. The only other person I hung out with was my little brother. So here is good. I get along with everyone, and it’s fun.

12) Is not “having” to go to class – having a dean or someone on you – harder or easier in college?
Kirsten: A lot of my classes this year require attendance. They take points off if you don’t show up. I think it’s a huge deal for me to go to class, because next week at NC’s (NCAA Championships) I’ll miss a lot of class. I’m not happy about that, but it’s something I have to do. But usually, I have to be in all my classes, and I don’t like missing chemistry. Other classes, you have to take a lot of notes, too. The exams in college are a big deal, and you have to do well on all of those. These classes are harder this semester than last semester.

13) Is school harder this term?
Kirsten: Last fall, I took a lot of necessary course I had to take for chemistry and the other requirements. But I’m doing a higher level this semester of chemistry, and math, so I had to step up – my labs are higher level. It’s the same as last semester, just a little harder.

14) Do you get homesick?
Kirsten: I was homesick at some point last semester – I was overwhelmed with so much work to do. Swimming was hard. I had to talk to (SIU coach) Rick (Walker) – “I’m homesick, I want to go home.” He told me to hold out to Thanksgiving, and I did. That was really good. I don’t really get homesick anymore – just when things get overwhelming. And that’s understandable. It’s our spring break right now, and everyone else has left – but I’m here training, and I love it. I consider this my home now, even though I miss my family. I feel like I’m getting somewhere with swimming and my education.

15) What in the world is a Saluki?
Kirsten: Picture a greyhound with longer hair – an Egyptian hunting dog. Everyone asks me that. It’s really pretty though.

16) Will you major in chemistry – what do you plan to do for your career?
Kirsten: I’m not sure right now. I know I want to stick with chemistry as my major – if I can keep doing it. I had an interest in forensic chemistry, but now I’m not sure. Or maybe going to medical school, or perhaps into pharmacy. I don’t know yet. But I do enjoy chemistry.

17) Do you feel like the college swimming program has made you stronger?
Kirsten: I feel the same in terms of strength. I do a strength program here, but it’s pretty light for our distance group. I do different things. I do a lot more pulling and kicking, so I feel stronger in those areas. I do feel faster, definitely. It’s just different work in the pool I’m doing, not so much outside the pool. It’s a different kind of training. At the start of the year, we focused on really fast speed. Now we’re working on bringing speed into longer swimming.

18) How do you feel heading into NCAAs?
Kirsten: I am really excited about it. It’s low pressure right now, because I’ve always considered myself an open water swimmer. The pool swimming I have fun with, and it comes naturally to me. This will be my first NC’s, and I’ve seen it on TV, so it will be exciting, I’m ready to go.

19) What did swimming on the National and International stage do in terms of preparing you for conference, and maybe even NCAAs?
Kirsten: That definitely helped a lot. I think about open water Worlds, the atmosphere and everything, and at those meets I am just so nervous that my whole body is shaking! I feel like going through that, and Olympic Trials, will help me at NC’s because I won’t be as nervous as I was at worlds. It’ll still get me nervous, but it will be good. It’s a great meet with great swimmers and I am honored and excited that I will be there.

20) Are you ready for open water season?
Kirsten: The end of the swimming season here in college came soon for me – in terms of conference already being done and everything now. I have been thinking about open water and talking to my coach about it. He said, “Let’s just get through conference and NCAAs, and you’ll be set.” I’ve picked out some competitions to go to. I’m excited to do more open water races. I’ve definitely missed it a lot. But this is good too. Being part of a team but still having open water – I like it all. And school, too.