What drives an athlete to switch from the rigorous discipline of Hungarian swimming to the diverse challenges of American competitions? Boston-based swimmer Ildi Szekely shares her captivating journey marked by resilience and adaptability with us on Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast From her early days in Budapest to becoming a dual Masters World Champion in Doha, Ildi reveals the intense pressures, pivotal transitions, and fortunate events that defined her path. Listen as she unveils the motivation behind her inspiring Swimplify Instagram page, aimed at encouraging fellow swimmers with her remarkable story and insights.
This episode dives deep into her training regimen for the World Masters Championships, contrasting it with her earlier experiences in Hungary. Now in her mid-40s, Ildi balances a full-time job with a smarter, more balanced training routine that includes pool sessions and alternative workouts like barre. Her story is a testament to the resilience and adaptability required to pursue athletic goals across different stages of life.
We discuss World Championships in Doha, with Ildi sharing her insights into event selection, recovery routines, and valuable swimming tips. This episode is packed with inspiration, practical advice, and a celebration of the swimming community. Don't miss out on Ildi's "deep dive five' swim favourites, including butterfly drills, pre-race snack preferences, and the importance of focusing on positive feedback amidst the noise of social media.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Danielle Spurling (00:06):
Hello swimmers and welcome to another
episode of Torpedo Swim Talkpodcast.
I'm your host, DanielleSpurling, and each week we chat
to a master swimmer from aroundthe world about their swimming
journey.
Boston-based Ildi Szekely joinsus on the podcast today to chat
about her swimming journey fromHungary to the USA, as well as
(00:31):
her recent success in becoming adual Masters World Champion in
Doha and why she started herSwimplify Instagram page and how
she hopes to inspire otherswimmers with her content.
Let's hear from Ildi now.
Hi, ildi, welcome to thepodcast.
Ildi Szekely (00:55):
Hi, nice to meet you.
Danielle Spurling (00:56):
Yeah, really nice to meet you too.
Now, where are you based inAmerica?
Ildi Szekely (01:01):
I am in Boston.
Well, I say Boston, but I livelike an hour north of Boston.
And where do you do all yourswimming?
In Boston, or well, I sayBoston, but I live like an hour
north of Boston.
Danielle Spurling (01:06):
And where do you do all your swimming?
In Boston.
Ildi Szekely (01:10):
Okay, well, that's , that's a long answer.
I used to be doing the BUMasters, boston University
Masters, for a while when I wasworking at Boston College.
I commuted into that and then,after I left my job, post-covid,
I'm like all over the place.
So in the summer if I want tohave meters, then I track to
(01:33):
Beverly, which is a 45 minutedrive, and then local YMCAs and
again it depends on who I canrecruit because I don't like to
swim by myself.
So like we have a group that'sgoing and it's it's, you know,
play by ears.
Like where are we gonna end upin the morning?
Danielle Spurling (01:48):
if you do, do you write your own programs or
do you have a coach thatoversees?
Ildi Szekely (01:51):
that.
So I do have a coach.
I am very lucky.
I feel like I have one of thebest coaches I've been working
with the last 10 years.
Um, and he I collected likeseven years worth of his workout
.
So even if he's busy with hishis uh club team I have like
seven years worth of his workout.
So even if he's busy with hisclub team, I have like seven
years worth of goodies to gothrough.
Danielle Spurling (02:11):
Oh, that's really good.
So do you ever get to see himin person?
Ildi Szekely (02:15):
No, I do get to see him.
So I met him like 12 years agothrough the Beverly Y when he
was coaching there, and then he,for a short stint he was
coaching BU Masters and webecame very close.
He's one of my closest friendsso whenever I can I drop in and
swim with that club, andactually went to Florida this
(02:36):
past weekend because they have atraining camp there, so I just
crashed their party and swamwith him.
So I do get to see him inperson.
Danielle Spurling (02:43):
So what club is he in charge of coaching?
Ildi Szekely (02:47):
he's coaching the Gators right now.
Danielle Spurling (02:49):
It's a local club and what master's swimming
club are you a member of?
Ildi Szekely (02:57):
by name.
Well, new England masters and Irepresent the penguins by name
because of the Rowdy Penguins,because I usually score for them
and they're a really fun team.
But I don't technically trainwith them, so I'm not sure if
that's considered cheating ornot.
So I'm New England Masters, ifI go internationally that's my
(03:19):
club, but if local club it'scalled the Rowdy Penguins.
Danielle Spurling (03:25):
That's a cute name and they're trust me
called the rowdy penguins.
That's a cute name and theytrust me.
They are rowdy.
Well, I think that's part ofthe fun of master swimming, it's
.
You don't want to go along andbe quiet, do you want to go
along and have a bit of fun?
Ildi Szekely (03:35):
yeah, I agree, they know I have fun, that's for
sure.
That's they are fun that's good.
Danielle Spurling (03:40):
So you grew up in Budapest in Hungary and
you had your early years there.
Tell us a little bit about theenvironment and the culture and
your early experiences inswimming.
Ildi Szekely (03:50):
All right, sorry, I'm giggling because it's going
to be.
I'm trying to be as short aspossible.
So, yes, I grew up in Hungarylike that was still behind the
Iron Curtain, and I like torefer it that way Right, because
we were still part of theSoviet Union and I think the
mentality was still kind of thatI don't know if I should use
(04:10):
the words backwards, but it wasmore the discipline, hardcore
discipline, mentality and thenwinning at the week early on.
So I started swimming when Iwas three years old and by six I
was a registered club memberand competing, and by nine, you
know, I was doing doubles, andby 10, I quit, initially because
(04:32):
I could not handle the fear,the abuse and the pressure and I
begged my father to let me quit.
And I was 10 years old andlooking back right now I'm like
wow, wow, that's really young,um.
But I returned to swimmingbecause we had a family friend
who really encouraged that I wastalented, I shouldn't quit.
And I did a short stint ofrowing because my cousin um, who
(04:55):
I love, like my sister um, andshe was the Hungarian national
rower and so she inspired me alot.
So I started rowing and then Iwent back to swimming and then I
swam till like 15, 16 years oldwhen I knew this is, I have to
get out of this place.
Like one way or another I haveto leave Hungary.
(05:17):
And it's kind of crazy to thinkback that I knew it back then
that this is not the place forme.
And then I ended up.
I got very lucky, like it's afortune of events, a sequence of
very fortunate events thatallowed me to, at that young age
, to be able to come to the US.
Danielle Spurling (05:36):
So what happened to sort of facilitate
that, because I know you sort ofheaded over to the US for
school.
How did that all come about?
Ildi Szekely (05:46):
headed over to the US for school.
How did that all come about?
Well, my cousin at that timemet her first husband in Hungary
, because back then they'reallowed we were still
transitioning from, you know,from the communist regime to
like democracy at that time, sothey had a lot of international
companies.
So she met her then Americanhusband, who helped me find a
summer program.
I was 15 years old, so heactually sponsored me for a
(06:10):
summer program at Hill School,which is a private school, a
very prestigious private school,and I came back and I said help
me, like anywhere you can, justplease help me.
And then, a year later becausethat was a little too late for
applications A year later heactually helped me apply and he
sponsored my two years of highschool in the US.
(06:32):
Wow, so was that a scholarshipthat you were on so somewhat?
So he actually paid for?
Like I am forever gratefulbecause he actually made my life
possible.
Um, it's really hard toconceptualize how, how much that
means to me right now, but heactually, yeah, he sponsored me
(06:54):
for the first year, um, and thenthe second year he was
sponsoring me too, but I got apartial scholarship and from
then on I was able to get acollege scholarship to continue
here assuming scholarship that'samazing.
Danielle Spurling (07:08):
So did you miss your family being over here
at such a young age?
Ildi Szekely (07:13):
so I was such an emo kid so I am sorry to say
that, but I was going through areally rough time.
Um, because I haven't reallyinternalized.
You know, when you're a youngkid you experience abuse
differently, right, likephysical, emotional abuse.
You don't really realize howmuch it influenced you, you just
(07:34):
want a way out.
So, like I think, for you know,like at that time of my life, I
just wanted an escape and Ididn't look back, so I did not
get homesick until like much,much later in life.
Danielle Spurling (07:49):
Do you go back to Hungary much now.
Ildi Szekely (07:53):
So, interestingly, I found somewhat like I was
ready to quit Hungary, likecompletely.
That was a period of 10 years.
I didn't go home and I justrecently found meaning again
Like my passport expired in 2012.
And my interestingly, like myfather passed away last year and
(08:16):
then going back and kind ofrevisiting, kind of like almost
I don't say I grew in love again, but now I don't feel like.
I feel like, okay, I couldpossibly find my roots again
there.
Danielle Spurling (08:34):
Wow, I mean what a life change at such a
young age.
And obviously you've embracedliving in America because after
school you went on to study atMichigan State and then UC
Berkeley.
Tell us a little bit about thatexperience and college swimming
.
Ildi Szekely (08:50):
Yeah.
So again, I needed a lot ofrebuilding mentally and
emotionally.
So I always wonder what wouldhave been like if I wasn't in a
basket case, like if I had moreconfidence.
So when they tell youconstantly all your life that
you never amount to anything ina sport you love so much, you
(09:12):
kind of internalize that andthen even though, when you're
good enough to get a scholarship, you still don't believe it
Right.
So like, going to Michigan Statefor me was such a learning
curve because I was first of allI had an option to go to
Michigan State or Canyon College, and I'll never forget I again
I feel so lucky because now I'min the field of, like I'm an
(09:34):
educational consultant, so I'mhelping students find a college
path for themselves.
And like I did not realize backthen, like what it means to
have a full scholarship offer totwo colleges, one division
three and one division one.
And and having that dilemma andI chose um, I chose Michigan
State.
And and it's interestingbecause I remember to this day,
(09:58):
I was in at Mercesburg, I was inthe office soaking wet, um,
because I was just training, andthe canyon coach was in the
office soaking wet, because Iwas just training and the canyon
coach was on the call with mefor 45 minutes telling me that
I'm making the biggest mistakeof my life Because I should be a
big fish in a big pond and I'mgoing to be a small fish in a
big pond and in my head I'm like, no, I'm going to be a big fish
(10:25):
in a big pond.
So like I was I so definitely.
Michigan State has altered mylife in a sense that I learned
to love swimming again, but ittook me four years because I was
a workhorse, like I brokeschool records during a dual
meet, but when it came to bigmeets I lost faith in myself and
I never performed well.
So I wish again, I wish I hadmore of the access to mental
(10:51):
support and mental health tolearn, you know, to love myself
enough Like, yeah, I'm capable.
Danielle Spurling (10:57):
That's amazing resilience that you've
shown, because obviously you hada not nice experience in your
swimming in Hungary and to beable to come to America at a
young age and then turn thataround to become more resilient
and then be successful incollege is such a testament to
your strength.
Ildi Szekely (11:17):
Well, thank you, I don't look at it that way, but
because I'm like you know, thetypical athlete mentality is
never enough, right?
I think that's such a like Ialways, when you like, achieve
something, I want to, then let'sgo further, let's go further.
Why can I reach more and more?
So like, I'm never content.
And I think that could be anegative thing too, because when
(11:39):
, when can I say enough isenough?
Danielle Spurling (11:42):
Yeah, but but in in saying that that's one of
the drivers that you know makesuccessful people and also gives
you motivation.
Ildi Szekely (11:51):
Yeah, swimming definitely has changed my life,
but it was not always pleasant.
I did take a seven-year hiatus.
Danielle Spurling (11:58):
So after college, while you were doing
your master's degree, or did youswim through when you were at
UC Berkeley as well?
Ildi Szekely (12:05):
I did swim through when you were at UC Berkeley as
well.
I did swim through UC Berkeley.
So I, my senior year I made itmade an Olympic trial cut and I
was so, so, like, incrediblylike excited about it and on
that 200 butterfly and I wish Icould have gone and at that time
my my then my boyfriend wasalso qualified so for the
(12:26):
ultimate trials.
And I remember being in atraining pool and like, oh, I
just wish I could swim, but atthe time I was not a us citizen
so I was not able to participate.
So I swam two more years umafterwards and and I just burned
out.
I felt like swimming has beenjust my identity and I couldn't.
(12:46):
No one who knew me oh, you'rethe swimmer.
And I just like startedresenting people like knowing me
, that I'm just a swimmer, andI'm like there is more to me and
I also I lived in an area inCalifornia where there was
really no access to the pooleither.
Danielle Spurling (13:03):
Oh, really Okay, Because that's unusual.
There's a lot of pools inCalifornia.
Ildi Szekely (13:08):
Yes, but when I finished Berkeley I followed my
ex-husband to up north, into,because he was really wanting to
live in the woods, and I toldhim, like the only way I go up
there if I land a job.
And I landed a job, so I was anEnglish teacher and then I was
(13:30):
in there and there was nothing.
It's just the redwoods,beautiful middle of nowhere,
with one tiny access to pool.
But at that time I did not wantto do anything with swimming.
Danielle Spurling (13:51):
No, that's understandable when you've had
that life like that and you'vebeen flogged as a young sort of
swimmer.
Ildi Szekely (13:54):
You need that mental and physical break from
it.
What drew you back to startmaster swimming?
Midlife crisis same with me.
Yeah, I had to reinvent myself.
Um, after I California, Ipacked my car and I drove across
the country because I justwanted to reinvent my life.
I needed to find myself againand I was really lucky.
(14:15):
One of my closest friends I metat Michigan State.
He was at that time a professorin Adrian College and he used
to take his kids in the summerto, you know, all over the
country and the world to justfor, like, a summer class and
slash outdoor activity.
And I remember calling him upand like can you, what are you
(14:36):
doing?
Can I join?
I'm like, and I was in middleof jobs and I just left
California, you know as, andarrived in the Boston area,
because my cousin lives here andshe has three, at that time
three very young kids, and Iwanted to be a part of their
lives.
I wanted to be the aunt, acousin, a secondary cousin.
(14:58):
They called me their aunt.
So I love that.
And I couldn't find a jobbecause I was in the middle of
that teaching year.
So I love that and I couldn'tfind a job, because I was middle
of the middle of that teachingyear so I needed something.
I couldn't just sit there andthen be a burden on my sister.
So I called him and he said,yeah, well, I'm going to Guam
for a month.
He's a, join us.
I'm taking eight kids and thenfour of them are girls, so we
(15:19):
could use a woman chaperone.
And I was like, wow, I'm like,look at the map, like I know
it's a US territory, but whereis Guam?
So, a very long flight later Iended up there and it was, um,
life altering and that's where,um, I was in Guam and and I was
like, all right, swimming thatsounds really, really, really
(15:40):
amazing.
Maybe I should try again.
And then my friend, one of mybest friends, who was my
roommate at Merseysburg uh,she's actually Malaysian and she
went to UCLA and ended up goingback and and starting a very
powerful swim club and she flewme from Guam to Malaysia at that
time and I spent a week withher and I started swimming with
(16:03):
her and she and I was like Ithink I want to go and race at
the world masters, which isgonna be in 2014 in Montreal,
and I can just drive there.
And I had this like tunnelvision of I'm gonna break the
world records.
So I started training um reallyhard and, uh, I missed the
world record by two seconds andI had not realized at that time
(16:25):
how insanely fast the worldrecord was in that 35 age group.
But I shot really high and butit was.
It was an incredible journeyand since then I've been
swimming.
Danielle Spurling (16:38):
You've been hooked, so how much training,
how much training did you giveyourself before you went to the
World Masters in 2014?
Ildi Szekely (16:46):
So about a year and a half I was doing yeah.
So it's amazing how quicklythings come back.
That's when I met my coach,chris Morgan, who just
revolutionized the training,because you know, I grew up, as
I said, in Hungary.
It was now what we refer to asgarbage yardage.
Like I was that generation thatdone a lot of a lot of yardage.
(17:11):
Right, I actually have myworkout book and I'm looking at
it and I'm like wow, like insane, like mind blowing.
So it's like four, four hundredbutterfly pool, four, four
hundred butterfly kick four,four butterflies meters.
Right, I'm like wow, that was amorning workout when I was 12.
Danielle Spurling (17:29):
And you probably trained doubles all
through that time.
Did you do much strength workback then, or was it just all in
the pool?
Ildi Szekely (17:37):
No, it was a lot of strength work and flexibility
training.
So, yeah, we were in the weightroom and flexibility training.
So yeah, we were in the weightroom.
And that wasn't strength workin the sense that you're like
lifting a lot of heavy weightsbut a lot of like ropes, you
know like stretch cords.
That was a big one and we didsome weights, but I wouldn't
(18:00):
call it, like you know, barkingup heavy.
Danielle Spurling (18:07):
Yes, yeah, of course.
And flexibility trainingtraining was that sort of just
on the pool deck, or was thatsomething you did in a special
sort of class with the rest ofyour teammates?
Ildi Szekely (18:14):
that was all our coach.
We, we marched around the pooland we did all kinds of
flexibility and drag andtraining that I don't want to
remember.
I'm still scarred, you know.
You're still scarred.
Oh yeah, I'm like because itwasn't like I don't like.
If you like the flexibilitytraining, if you didn't do it,
(18:37):
the coach sat on you until youwere able to, like, get into
that position, right, putweights on you or one of the
hardest one, like we had to putyour hands behind your head and
then you push your elbowstogether, right.
So our coach used to go behindour back and push your elbows
together and it forced it rightUntil it went.
(18:59):
So that was a lot of crying, alot of pain, but that was almost
every Wednesday.
We had flexibility training wow, wow.
Danielle Spurling (19:08):
And compare that to now and what you're
doing.
How, how many, how manysessions would you typically
swim a week right now?
Ildi Szekely (19:17):
um, well, that depends, right, like so now I'm
swimming smarter and also I'm afull you know, I have a
full-time job and I'm also, likeyou know, in my mid-40s.
So, like I, I need to besmarter of how I recover.
But it depends, like I, I tryto get in four to five days a
week in the, in the pool, um, ifI, if I'm like for for for
montreal, I did a lot more, Iwas, I was in the pool at least
(19:40):
six times a day, um, or sixtimes a week, sorry, and but now
I'm also doing alternative,like I do bar um, like I don't
know, that's where Australiait's, it's.
It's like it's a core workout,but it goes through your arms,
legs, core, um, and lighterweights, but a lot of reps.
Danielle Spurling (19:58):
So, and I do that twice or three times a week
in combination is that the onlytype of dry land strength work
you do, or do you do heavyweights as well?
Ildi Szekely (20:08):
I don't do heavy weight.
I ever since college.
Danielle Spurling (20:11):
It's just not for me, yeah yeah, sorry, I was
gonna say well bar bar um.
Ildi Szekely (20:17):
Classes are fantastic for swimming yeah, and
, and it's, you know, like Imean, it's a fad, right, like
even to yoga, to pilates, likeyou know it's, it's a fad of the
of the generation.
But what I like about it, itdoes go through your entire body
yeah, we've got reformerpilates are very, very big in
(20:38):
australia right now.
Danielle Spurling (20:40):
Everywhere it's got reformer pilates and um
, yeah, and I think you knowbefore that we do have bar
classes, but I don't think ittook off quite as much here as
it did in the states they callit bar, like every studio is
called now bar, but it's reallya combination of pilates right,
and then yoga and like alternate, like kickboxing, and it's.
(21:00):
I think it's a combination ofall those and you recently went
to doha for the World Masters inQatar.
Can you share with us yourexperience?
Because congratulations you wonthe 100 and 200 butterfly in
your age group.
What were those races like?
What was the experience like?
Ildi Szekely (21:16):
Yeah, yeah, you know, I love the world, I love
traveling too, because you justnever know who you're going to
meet and what kind of you knowcamaraderie, and I just love
people.
Always interesting like peoplelike even when I went to Qatar
is who are you with?
I'm like I came by myself andif for some people it's really
(21:37):
hard, like, oh, you travel thatfar alone, I'm like like I'm not
, like I'm meeting people, right.
So like when I went to montreal, I think that was the last
world masters that wereseparated from the real worlds,
right, and after that, now itcoincides with the world
championships and so you get toembrace swimming in world-class
facilities.
(21:58):
So like when I went to budapest, hungary, in 2017, and in Qatar
, Doha, qatar you actually racein the same pool as that, you
know, and so you like feelspecial.
It was phenomenal.
It's like I think they've donea really nice job, even though
it was less attended because ofthe time like timeline it was
(22:18):
end of March, I mean end ofFebruary, so it was, I think, a
lot, a lot of people can reallycome because they're working,
they.
It was incredibly wellorganized, fantastic.
It was just a phenomenalexperience because I got to, I
had.
I met so many Hungarians therein Qatar.
Yeah, I actually ran intofriends I grew up swimming with
(22:39):
I.
I shared, we shared some horrorstories with one of the friends
who, like, oh you, you rememberthem?
Like, yeah, I do remember.
So we reunited that way.
And then you see women like intheir 60s, breaking world record
, like there was a 60 year oldAmerican who who went faster
than anybody any age group in a200 backstroke and, like you
(23:01):
know, it's very inspiring.
Or you see, like a 90 year oldwoman get on the block and do
the 200 butterfly.
I mean for me that's, it'sincredibly.
Like if I have to die, I meanthat I want to go that way, like
getting on the blocks and doingthe 200 fly.
Like I'm sorry for the audienceand people who have to pull me
out of the pool, but like Ican't see any better way to go
(23:25):
yeah, absolutely doing somethingyou love.
Danielle Spurling (23:28):
I think that's.
Ildi Szekely (23:29):
That's what's so inspiring about seeing all those
older master swimmers it sureis, and it was the first time I
ever done an open water in inthe world scene, so that was a
very unique experience for metoo yeah, how did?
Danielle Spurling (23:41):
how did you feel with that the the open
water swim.
Ildi Szekely (23:43):
I loved it.
I mean, I felt a littleunprepared because everyone was
wearing the, the, you know the,the open water suit.
She's a little longer.
I was like you know, like Idon't know, I didn't know that's
, that's, that's the thing.
So like I felt a little bitlike a novice, but it was was.
It was really fun.
Danielle Spurling (24:01):
it's a it's a different kind of group yeah,
absolutely, and that was beforethe swimming started, the pool
swimming started.
Did you find that that affectedsort of like what was your
recovery like from that thatswim?
Ildi Szekely (24:13):
yeah, yeah.
So by by the end of the trip Ifelt like I was catarred out,
what I called it um, becauseyeah, it was just like the four
day gap in between was.
I mean, I recovered, well, butit was just a little bit too
long for being there for twoweeks of the competition and the
200 fly is always almost on thelast day, so like you have to
(24:36):
wait and wait and wait around torace the 200 fly, what's,
what's your race plan for the200 fly?
talk us through um well, Ialways think of it as 450s.
Right, it's not a 200 fly, it's450s and it's it's.
I'm a back, always a backhandflyer and I can't sprint for the
(24:57):
life of me.
So if I go a 50 fly all out,that's gonna be probably very
close to my first 50 on that 200fly.
So like I know the adrenalinetakes me out.
So yeah, first 50 is alladrenaline and so like.
For me the focus is the second50, because that's when I start,
you know um lagging.
So like I have all right.
The second 50 is you have tokeep it smooth but you have to
(25:20):
keep it strong, because by third50 I know I can bring it home
and I usually have my almostsecond fastest 50 is the last 50
.
That's unusual, yeah okay, I'm,I'm, I'm very unusual.
So when I went, when I swam theOlympic trial cut I almost even
split my my 200, wow, 107,because I was at, um, santa
(25:48):
Clara.
It was no, it was Jenny, notJenny Thompson.
Is it Jenny Thompson?
Invitational at in, uh, you atUSC?
I always forget it was.
It was year 2002, um, and I wasamong olympians.
Really a phenomenal experience.
I had maggie boy, um, is itmaggie bowen bowman?
I forgot her.
(26:09):
Oh god, I'm so bad with see, Iwas so bad with names.
But I remember having twoolympians next to me, um, and I
was the last at the hundredbecause I was one at the order
in 103s, 104s and I was likealmost 108, 107 high and I came
back with another 107.
So yeah, I was always a badkind of flyer wow, that's,
(26:32):
that's amazing.
Danielle Spurling (26:33):
What so?
Your time back then was what?
A 214?
No, I was a.16.1.
And what do you swim now?
Ildi Szekely (26:43):
So I was 2.22 in my 35-40 age group and my world
record was 2.20.
So now I slowed down, like Iwish I could go back, because I
was like, all right, then I getthe world record, the next age
group, which now was 2.24.
I missed it by, you know, 0.5.
Oh, so close?
Oh yeah, I was so close, and itwas the year before COVID, uh,
(27:04):
just aged up to the 40, and, um,I was actually swimming with
mono.
I had no idea I had mono.
Who gets mono in their 40s?
Right, and I and I also hadlike anemia at that.
So I was like, okay, that'sbecause my sister was like
something's wrong with you, youneed to go to a doctor or you
need to get to go to a therapist.
And I'm like, why?
Like you're miserable.
(27:26):
So I went to the doctor.
I said, yeah, you're an anemicand you have mono.
So, and then COVID hit right ayear after, and then I couldn't
train, like so I was training bymyself, so I could never really
get back to.
You know that, because it'svery hard to train by yourself.
No one to push you.
Danielle Spurling (27:46):
Definitely and particularly butterfly.
I think too.
Ildi Szekely (27:49):
Yeah, and once you reach 40, like I feel like once
I reached 40 and 42, now I'm at45, it gets so much harder.
Danielle Spurling (27:58):
It does.
What's the record in the 200fly now for 45?
.
Ildi Szekely (28:04):
Still to this day.
It's insane, Colin Pipes.
I mean she was 222 and 224 and40 to 45 and then 45 to 50.
It's faster than the last agegroup.
I'm like girl, can you slowdown?
Give a chance to some of us ofus.
(28:25):
Yeah, she was incredible.
So yeah, it's still 24 wow,that is fast.
Danielle Spurling (28:30):
You'll get there, don't worry.
This November we're coming upto our fourth birthday
celebrations and we wanted tomark the occasion by giving you
some more reasons to continueenjoying the podcast and show
your support.
So you can now subscribe to theshow, and the subscription will
(28:50):
give you lots of extra contentthat I know you're going to
enjoy.
As part of the subscription,you get advanced notifications
that a new episode is dropped.
You'll get four swim trainingworkouts per month, and I know
that they're very popular witheveryone that listens in.
You'll become a member of ourprivate WhatsApp group and
(29:11):
you'll get a shout out on theshow.
By becoming a supporter of theshow, it helps us to continue
putting out our weekly content,which is free for all.
You can become a subscriber byfollowing the link in our
Instagram bio at Torpedo SwimTalk podcast or via the button
on our Torpedo Swim Talk website.
Hope to see you all in our SwimTalkers group soon.
(29:34):
What other races did you do inthe pool in Doha, you did the
100 and 200 fly.
What else did you do?
Ildi Szekely (29:43):
That's it.
I did the 100 and 200 fly andthen the open water, the 5K.
Danielle Spurling (29:47):
Oh, okay, so you decided not to fill out the
five events that you are allowedto do.
Ildi Szekely (29:54):
I never do.
I only do the 50, 100, 200 flyOccasionally if it's a big meet.
Occasionally I like to do likein smaller meets I sign up like
I sign up for random events.
I do the 400 im, I do you knowthe mile or the 1500 or the 800.
But when it comes to like a, acompetition, like a big one,
(30:16):
because I don't, I want to focuson the two fly.
If the two fly was on the firstday or the second day, I would
fill it up.
Danielle Spurling (30:24):
Yes, understood, I know it's the
scheduling of the program and Ithink the world masters they
don't ever.
Well, they did change it thisyear.
They put the 400 a bit closerto the 800.
But then in doing that, becauseI'm a backstroker, I think they
move the backstroke to the lastday.
(30:46):
So if they fix it for oneperson it doesn't always work
for another person very true.
Ildi Szekely (30:52):
I just wish the plane fly was sooner, that's all
and what do you find works foryou in recovery?
That's a great question and um,without throwing, I don't know,
I don't want to do anadvertisement Like I don't know
how to say that without doing anad.
Danielle Spurling (31:08):
No, that's fine Mention, what you do,
people are interested.
Ildi Szekely (31:12):
My coach introduced me Chris Moore
introduced me to Katsu about 10years ago and it's a blood flow
restriction.
It goes around your arms andyour legs and it acts almost
like a blood pressure cuff.
It restricts and releases theflow.
So I've been using that for 12years and I swear by it.
I use it for warm up, I warmdown, I use it like at home,
(31:33):
when I'm sitting around and whenI'm driving I always have the
Katsu band on my arms and ithelped me tremendously to
recover.
And I also incorporate easyswimming.
Now I used to not believe ineasy swimming.
When I go to the pool and Ijust float around, right, I'm in
, but I'm just because it helpswith recovery.
(31:57):
A lot of times people thinklike, oh, if you're not in, if
you need a rest day, you justtake a few days off.
But you can rest by swimmingeasy as well.
Danielle Spurling (32:06):
Yeah, I agree , because it stretches you out.
If you're sitting around, youget stiff and you can't use the
muscles that you're used tousing.
So it's just like going forpeople that are runners.
Go for a simple walk.
Ildi Szekely (32:21):
We go for an easy swim for people that are runners
go for a simple walk, we go foran easy swim, exactly yeah, and
I have to be.
I'm really not good withrecovery.
Um, also, like I, I push my,I'm, like, I'm an energizer
bunny.
I push, push, push until mybody breaks down and says no,
you need to take a break.
So I'm still learning and as Iget older, I realized that I
(32:44):
need to be more forgiving withmy body.
Danielle Spurling (32:48):
Yes, yeah, definitely, and especially
you're working full time job aswell, because you get tired from
that, even though you know youmight be sitting in a desk.
It's mentally tiring, and soyou do have to weigh up all
those things and living life'stiring as well.
Ildi Szekely (33:04):
I agree, and I have a dog and I have to walk
him twice a day too.
So like I feel like that's, youknow, he needs a 45 minute walk
twice a day, so like, all right, so that's, that's an
additional workout.
Danielle Spurling (33:16):
Yeah, that's an additional workout.
You get your steps up doingthat?
Yes, I do.
Can you talk us through atypical?
Ildi Szekely (33:26):
training session that you would do.
Yeah, so okay, so, um, theChris's, that.
The Chris's sets are alwayslike you have a warm-up, you
have a prep set which right andthen you have a main set, and
usually his main sets areconsisting like four to five
rounds um, and, and I tend toalways incorporate a lot of fly
um, he always makes fun of mefor that because I can swim fly
(33:48):
forever and he's like no, youneed to do fast fly, not the
survival fly.
Yeah, so that he has thisamazing um structure to his
workouts.
So anywhere between, like youknow, if it's meters, I would
say 3,500 to 4,000 meters a dayand and what is like.
Danielle Spurling (34:10):
Can you talk us through it like a main set?
What kind of thing does he sortof set for you?
Ildi Szekely (34:15):
so like this is a shorter one, right.
So like we have 400 warm-up.
He's saying, oh, I was on thehouse.
Then I do a six 50s.
This is yards, so like theinner wall is gonna be different
.
So you go six 50s, one kick,one swim, and then six 25s where
no breath, right.
So on the 30,.
So like hold your breath, andthen the main set is four rounds
(34:37):
.
So I'm gonna go three 50s on a45.
The first one is fly free.
Second is free fly and thenI'll fly.
And then you're going to 125sor two times 125s on a 145.
Where you go, the first 45yards is breath control and the
(35:00):
second one is the last 45 yards,breath control.
So that could be like onebreath or two breath or depends
on how much you can hold yourbreath.
And then you're going at 200.
And that 200 changes by eachround.
So the first round the 200 aregoing to be 50 fly 153, 100 fly
103, 150 fly 53.
(35:22):
And the last one is a 200 flyand you're doing this for ran
right, well, that's, that's aset yeah, and this is one of the
easier one.
Danielle Spurling (35:31):
I look forward to it actually do you do
breath control on the butterflyas well, or is that just for
freestyle?
Ildi Szekely (35:38):
no, I.
You know I don't do breathcontrol for the fly, so breath
control is usually like warm-upsor warm dance or really in a
main set like that.
It's more like um, like workingoff your wall or working into
the wall to hold your, to holdyour breath.
Are you a good turner?
No, like the turn I, I'm off so, which is why I love meters I.
(36:00):
I avoid every time short courseuh races because I suck at the
turns.
So and I like open waterbecause you don't have to do
turns of course yeah.
Danielle Spurling (36:13):
Do you use much equipment in your training
like snorkel, fins board, poolboy?
Ildi Szekely (36:20):
yeah, you know, interestingly not as much I, I
feel like sometimes.
So I, I started an Instagramaccount to teach a lot of skills
and to promote the butterfly umto masters, and I think people
have the tendency to abuse uh,equipment right like I.
I believe in equipment, I lovethat, but I feel like a lot of
(36:40):
masters and beginners useequipment without having a good
technique right.
So now you're reinforcingstrength onto the wrong
technique.
All right, so I, I useequipment, but not as much I use
pedals, but I, I have to say, Idon't use pedals every practice
.
I put the pedals, I usesnorkels once in a while warm up
(37:03):
or if I do some fly set when Iwant to focus on more about my
stroke and not worrying aboutthe breathing and fins
occasionally.
But I kind of abandoned thebuoy that I used to use.
I used to use a lot of equipment.
We used to use a lot ofequipment in college like the
bands that goes around your legs.
We used to use a lot ofequipment in college like the
(37:24):
bands that goes around your legsright and the buoys.
That was a big one in college.
Um, and if I do like I, I Iprefer like occasionally, like
resistance training.
Like I, I use mesh socks forkicking and underwater kicks.
That's really fun, or any kindof similar equipment like belts,
you know to go on, but that'salso for just resistance and
(37:44):
power and when you use thatresistance sort of work in the
water, is that just over veryshort distance?
yes, absolutely.
Um, go 25s, you know with it.
Um, or really I do 50s, but ifI do 50s with a mesh socks it
would be like 50, like moderate,and then 25 or 12 and a half
(38:04):
sprint with the mesh socks and Iknow you just mentioned your um
, your Instagram or your socialmedia that you started, and you
do put a lot of butterfly thingson there.
Danielle Spurling (38:14):
What sort of what message are you hoping to
send out to people with that?
Ildi Szekely (38:19):
you know, everyone is so afraid of the fly.
I mean, it was initially, uh,we started out like I was never
on instagram.
It was not my thing.
Um, and a friend of mine, like10 years ago, like he got really
bothered because he saw so manyuh masters videos that are like
incorrect, right, like theywere just spreading the wrong
information, and he's like youneed to start an account.
(38:41):
I'm like I, you know, like I Iassociated instagram account
with showing you know, like,kind of like, oh, everyone, you
have to look sexy and then thebikini and you show your body
and then you get followers.
I'm like I, just not me, Idon't want to prance around the
pool deck.
And so he actually ended upbuying me a gopro and he's like
no, you're doing an account.
So, like, I started in likeright around covet, so I started
(39:02):
posting a lot of techniquebalance videos um, like basic
skill work, of how to improvethe technique and how to get
into the butterfly rhythmbecause it butterfly.
I know it's intimidating, butif you get the technique and the
rhythm right, it's just reallyfinding that rhythm.
It's really a simple stroke andI think once you get the rhythm
(39:26):
and start working on thosemuscles.
It's really a fun event.
Danielle Spurling (39:31):
Yeah, there's nothing better than swimming a
butterfly when you're in rhythm.
I can't do it anymore because Ihave a bad shoulder, but I
still do one-arm butterfly, butI really do like butterfly.
I wish I could put it back inmy schedule.
Ildi Szekely (39:44):
Yeah, it's definitely hard on the shoulders
, but I think that's whereflexibility comes in right.
So a lot of flexibilitytraining that's very important
as we age will help yourbutterfly and your rotation.
Danielle Spurling (39:58):
Yes, have you ever had any shoulder problems?
Ildi Szekely (40:01):
Knock on wood.
Can I knock on wood, no?
Danielle Spurling (40:03):
not good surprisingly.
Ildi Szekely (40:06):
You know I wonder how many times I crossed the
Atlantic back and forth.
Just the amount of butterfly Ihave done in my life.
Yes, were you always a butterflyas a young swimmer, as well, I
developed into one yes, um,around I would say like my, my
coat, like so, when I quitswimming at 10 and I returned
back to the club, I luckily Iwent to a different coach for
(40:29):
the first two years, um, and hewas wonderful and he trained me
for the 4am, um, and I remembergoing I was 12 years old and
that was my first year I thinkwas the second year back of
training from like the yearhiatus and he put me in a 4am
and I didn't do as well as hewanted.
I remember him crying on thepool deck Like he was really
(40:52):
hurt and I was hurt because hewas crying and I felt like I let
him down.
And then the butterfly was thenext day and I went at 2.28.
I was 12.
Like I dropped, like the time Idropped like 20 seconds and he
was like you are going to be aButterflyer and so that was like
that was it for me at 12 yearsold and from then on I was doing
(41:14):
Butterflyer.
Danielle Spurling (41:16):
That's amazing.
Yeah, that's great that you'vegot that young sort of passion
for it and you've carried thaton now as a master swimmer.
Ildi Szekely (41:24):
Yeah, definitely Hence that swimplify yeah
swimplify.
Danielle Spurling (41:28):
It's great.
That's your social media tag.
Yeah, now, everyone that comeson the podcast.
I like to ask them the deepdive five favourites about your
current swimming life?
So just give me the first ideathat pops into your head what's
your favourite pool?
Ildi Szekely (41:44):
Oh, Duna Arena in Hungary.
If I could swim there every day.
Danielle Spurling (41:51):
That's a nice one.
Well, I think the WorldChampionships are going back
there in 2027.
Ildi Szekely (41:57):
Yeah, definitely going.
Danielle Spurling (41:58):
So you can aim for that.
Are you going to head toSingapore next year?
I'm thinking about it.
Ildi Szekely (42:04):
It's just really really long flight, right so if
from here, but I think I am Ibecause my, my, as I said, my
best friend lives in Malaysiaand I am the godmother to her
second son.
So, like she said, like ifyou're coming, you have to meet
your godson.
I'm like that's an incentivefor me to go definitely an
(42:27):
incentive.
Danielle Spurling (42:28):
What's your favorite butterfly drill?
Ildi Szekely (42:32):
oh, that's a tough question.
Um, because everyone's gonnasay that one arm, left, right,
double.
For me I want to say myfavorite all time butterfly.
There is the one undulation,one fly stroke.
So like you're hand out in thefront you undulate one like a
(42:54):
dolphin undulation and abutterfly stroke.
Dolphin undulation, butterflystroke.
You kind of kick but it's, youknow, I mean I say undulation,
you're like doing that dolphinmotion, but I like to call it
undulation because it's notabout the kick right, more about
getting the chest.
You know the chest pressed downand the dolphin motion, but
(43:14):
your hands are still in thefront.
So you're kind of settingyourself up for the rhythm and
then you do a stroke, because wetend to if you see master
swimmers and I do the same thingand I noticed still in my
videos that enter tend to pullsometimes a little too soon
right and then like I rushed thecatch.
So this one really lets me tofocus on keeping out a longer in
(43:38):
the front and not rushing thecatch in the front.
Danielle Spurling (43:41):
Yeah, that's a good one.
Do you have a video of that onyour Instagram?
Ildi Szekely (43:46):
Yes, I have plenty of those, yeah.
Danielle Spurling (43:49):
Cool, okay, well, people can go and look at
that and they can see in motion.
Ildi Szekely (43:56):
How about your favorite training set?
Okay, I have one, one of myfavorite training sets.
Again, it's a crisp one, it'sshort, it's only 1500, but it's
um 30, 50s and I see if I canexplain this right.
I think it's yeah, you go five.
Okay, see if I can explain thisright.
So you go go five, five, three,five, fly, four, three, four,
(44:16):
fly, three, three, three, fly,two, three, two, fly, one, three
, one, fly.
But the last round you go likethe freeze, always on the 45.
So it's meters, right, so it'squick.
So the three, five, three, four, three, three, it's always 45.
And you start the fly on theminute.
So five, three on the 45, fivefly on the minute.
(44:40):
Four, three on the 45, four flyon the 55.
Three, three on the 45, threefly on the 50.
Two, three on the 45, two flyon the 40.
One, three on the 45, and thenas fast as you can go, it's
really quick, it's a 1500, butby the time you get down to that
(45:01):
fly and you're doing, you know,on the 50 and the last on the
45, it burns and you don't.
And it's an active recoverybecause you can really slack off
on the 53, right, because it'son the 45 seconds.
Danielle Spurling (45:16):
Yeah, that's a great set.
I'd like to try that.
And swapping backstroke yeah,that'd be good.
Ildi Szekely (45:22):
Yeah, and again, you can alter that.
So I always, when I post setson my Instagram, it's like you
know, what's beautiful aboutmasters is you cater to your own
needs.
So you can alter, change theinner walls that fits your needs
, and then even change like Idon't expect people to do that
fly, Like you could do thatbackstroke, breaststroke or any
of the stroke you want to workon.
Danielle Spurling (45:43):
Yeah, that's a great set.
I'd like to try that.
And swapping backstroke?
Yeah, that'd be good.
How about your favoritepre-race snack?
Ildi Szekely (45:52):
Honestly, it's simple Bag your favorite
pre-race snack.
Honestly, it's simple bagelsand bananas.
Carb loading before, definitely.
Uh, I feel like bagel has acarbs and then banana it's the
potassium like.
Danielle Spurling (46:03):
So prevent the cramping and who's the
swimmer you're most lookingforward to watching at the paris
olympics, and why, oh, oh Iknow I watched the trials
eagerly.
Ildi Szekely (46:14):
Um, I have to say it's gonna be the race between
sarah soystrom and uh, gretchenwalsh, the hundred fly.
I think that's gonna be myfavorite, it'll be a great
olympics.
There'll be some great swimminggoing on yeah, I think, yeah,
the American women areincredible.
(46:34):
I think this year so, and youknow the big rivalry with
Australia.
Danielle Spurling (46:38):
It's a little overkill, but it's complete
overkill that whole thing thatNBC beat up with Michael Phelps
and Kate Campbell.
It's just ridiculous.
It it was.
She said it a year ago and itwas a joke.
It was a joke, it was a joke,and it's just ridiculous.
(47:00):
And she's the loveliest personever, oh, I know, and I just
think it's terrible because allthese people have like piled on
and really said some horriblethings, you know, on her social
media channels and things likethat.
Ildi Szekely (47:15):
That's like that's bullying to me.
I honestly like one of thedrawbacks for social media is is
the negativity.
So, like I, I block, like, andit's so interesting too because
we over focus on the negativecomments.
You could have a hundredpositive things and now one one
negative comment and and Inoticed it too, like I started
(47:37):
dwelling on it and secondguessing my stroke and and like
my training, my 40-yearexperience, like, oh, what am I
doing?
So, like you, it's, it's tough,right.
Social media is definitely anand um.
I don't want to use the wordweapon, but it is.
It's just people can be very,very nasty, unfortunately.
Danielle Spurling (47:59):
Yeah, they can, I think, because they think
they hide behind.
I mean, there's a lot of thosekind of sort of like troll
accounts and they hide behindthose.
No one knows who they are andthey think they can say whatever
they want those.
No one knows who they are andthey think they can say whatever
they want.
It's it's a terrible sort ofside effect of the positivity of
social media, which there arepositives as well and that's why
(48:20):
I love swimming, because youknow, once you're in the water,
you just the noises are gone.
Ildi Szekely (48:26):
Exactly, it's just you on the water and nobody
else.
Danielle Spurling (48:30):
I know, isn't it nice.
Ildi Szekely (48:31):
No one can contact you, no one can text message
you, you don't have to answeremails, it's great, exactly, and
that's why sometimes, like youknow, like people reach out,
like, oh, do you want tocollaborate and do you want to
do this?
And and I had a few with thewhole music in your ear, I'm
like no, like I don't want musicin my ear, I don't't want noise
(48:52):
, I don't.
You know, I just want peace andquiet.
I don't need any otherdistractions on the water.
Danielle Spurling (48:58):
Yes, I understand.
Yes Well, udi, thank you somuch for being on the podcast
today.
It's been such a pleasuremeeting you and hearing about
your swimming journey andwishing you every success for
all your races heading forward,and hopefully you'll get that
world record soon thank you somuch and it was a pleasure being
on your podcast, yeah thank you.
(49:21):
Okay, take care, bye, bye.
This november we're coming upto our fourth birthday
celebrations and we wanted tomark the occasion by giving you
some more reasons to continueenjoying the podcast and show
your support.
So you can now subscribe to theshow, and the subscription will
(49:43):
give you lots of extra contentthat I know you're going to
enjoy.
As part of the subscription,you get advanced notifications
that a new episode is dropped.
You'll get four swim trainingworkouts per month, and I know
that they're very popular witheveryone that listens in.
You'll become a member of ourprivate WhatsApp group and
(50:03):
you'll get a shout out on theshow.
By becoming a supporter of theshow, it helps us to continue
putting out our weekly content,which is free for all.
You can become a subscriber byfollowing the link in our
Instagram bio at Torpedo SwimTalk podcast or via the button
on our Torpedo Swim Talk website.
Hope to see you all in our SwimTalkers group soon.
(50:26):
Till next time.
Happy swimming and bye for now.
Hello swimmers and welcome to another
episode of Torpedo Swim Talkpodcast.
I'm your host, DanielleSpurling, and each week we chat
to a master swimmer from aroundthe world about their swimming
journey.
Boston-based Ildi Szekely joinsus on the podcast today to chat
about her swimming journey fromHungary to the USA, as well as
(00:31):
her recent success in becoming adual Masters World Champion in
Doha and why she started herSwimplify Instagram page and how
she hopes to inspire otherswimmers with her content.
Let's hear from Ildi now.
Hi, ildi, welcome to thepodcast.
Ildi Szekely (00:55):
Hi, nice to meet you.
Danielle Spurling (00:56):
Yeah, really nice to meet you too.
Now, where are you based inAmerica?
Ildi Szekely (01:01):
I am in Boston.
Well, I say Boston, but I livelike an hour north of Boston.
And where do you do all yourswimming?
In Boston, or well, I sayBoston, but I live like an hour
north of Boston.
Danielle Spurling (01:06):
And where do you do all your swimming?
In Boston.
Ildi Szekely (01:10):
Okay, well, that's , that's a long answer.
I used to be doing the BUMasters, boston University
Masters, for a while when I wasworking at Boston College.
I commuted into that and then,after I left my job, post-covid,
I'm like all over the place.
So in the summer if I want tohave meters, then I track to
(01:33):
Beverly, which is a 45 minutedrive, and then local YMCAs and
again it depends on who I canrecruit because I don't like to
swim by myself.
So like we have a group that'sgoing and it's it's, you know,
play by ears.
Like where are we gonna end upin the morning?
Danielle Spurling (01:48):
if you do, do you write your own programs or
do you have a coach thatoversees?
Ildi Szekely (01:51):
that.
So I do have a coach.
I am very lucky.
I feel like I have one of thebest coaches I've been working
with the last 10 years.
Um, and he I collected likeseven years worth of his workout
.
So even if he's busy with hishis uh club team I have like
seven years worth of his workout.
So even if he's busy with hisclub team, I have like seven
years worth of goodies to gothrough.
Danielle Spurling (02:11):
Oh, that's really good.
So do you ever get to see himin person?
Ildi Szekely (02:15):
No, I do get to see him.
So I met him like 12 years agothrough the Beverly Y when he
was coaching there, and then he,for a short stint he was
coaching BU Masters and webecame very close.
He's one of my closest friendsso whenever I can I drop in and
swim with that club, andactually went to Florida this
(02:36):
past weekend because they have atraining camp there, so I just
crashed their party and swamwith him.
So I do get to see him inperson.
Danielle Spurling (02:43):
So what club is he in charge of coaching?
Ildi Szekely (02:47):
he's coaching the Gators right now.
Danielle Spurling (02:49):
It's a local club and what master's swimming
club are you a member of?
Ildi Szekely (02:57):
by name.
Well, new England masters and Irepresent the penguins by name
because of the Rowdy Penguins,because I usually score for them
and they're a really fun team.
But I don't technically trainwith them, so I'm not sure if
that's considered cheating ornot.
So I'm New England Masters, ifI go internationally that's my
(03:19):
club, but if local club it'scalled the Rowdy Penguins.
Danielle Spurling (03:25):
That's a cute name and they're trust me
called the rowdy penguins.
That's a cute name and theytrust me.
They are rowdy.
Well, I think that's part ofthe fun of master swimming, it's
.
You don't want to go along andbe quiet, do you want to go
along and have a bit of fun?
Ildi Szekely (03:35):
yeah, I agree, they know I have fun, that's for
sure.
That's they are fun that's good.
Danielle Spurling (03:40):
So you grew up in Budapest in Hungary and
you had your early years there.
Tell us a little bit about theenvironment and the culture and
your early experiences inswimming.
Ildi Szekely (03:50):
All right, sorry, I'm giggling because it's going
to be.
I'm trying to be as short aspossible.
So, yes, I grew up in Hungarylike that was still behind the
Iron Curtain, and I like torefer it that way Right, because
we were still part of theSoviet Union and I think the
mentality was still kind of thatI don't know if I should use
(04:10):
the words backwards, but it wasmore the discipline, hardcore
discipline, mentality and thenwinning at the week early on.
So I started swimming when Iwas three years old and by six I
was a registered club memberand competing, and by nine, you
know, I was doing doubles, andby 10, I quit, initially because
(04:32):
I could not handle the fear,the abuse and the pressure and I
begged my father to let me quit.
And I was 10 years old andlooking back right now I'm like
wow, wow, that's really young,um.
But I returned to swimmingbecause we had a family friend
who really encouraged that I wastalented, I shouldn't quit.
And I did a short stint ofrowing because my cousin um, who
(04:55):
I love, like my sister um, andshe was the Hungarian national
rower and so she inspired me alot.
So I started rowing and then Iwent back to swimming and then I
swam till like 15, 16 years oldwhen I knew this is, I have to
get out of this place.
Like one way or another I haveto leave Hungary.
(05:17):
And it's kind of crazy to thinkback that I knew it back then
that this is not the place forme.
And then I ended up.
I got very lucky, like it's afortune of events, a sequence of
very fortunate events thatallowed me to, at that young age
, to be able to come to the US.
Danielle Spurling (05:36):
So what happened to sort of facilitate
that, because I know you sort ofheaded over to the US for
school.
How did that all come about?
Ildi Szekely (05:46):
headed over to the US for school.
How did that all come about?
Well, my cousin at that timemet her first husband in Hungary
, because back then they'reallowed we were still
transitioning from, you know,from the communist regime to
like democracy at that time, sothey had a lot of international
companies.
So she met her then Americanhusband, who helped me find a
summer program.
I was 15 years old, so heactually sponsored me for a
(06:10):
summer program at Hill School,which is a private school, a
very prestigious private school,and I came back and I said help
me, like anywhere you can, justplease help me.
And then, a year later becausethat was a little too late for
applications A year later heactually helped me apply and he
sponsored my two years of highschool in the US.
(06:32):
Wow, so was that a scholarshipthat you were on so somewhat?
So he actually paid for?
Like I am forever gratefulbecause he actually made my life
possible.
Um, it's really hard toconceptualize how, how much that
means to me right now, but heactually, yeah, he sponsored me
(06:54):
for the first year, um, and thenthe second year he was
sponsoring me too, but I got apartial scholarship and from
then on I was able to get acollege scholarship to continue
here assuming scholarship that'samazing.
Danielle Spurling (07:08):
So did you miss your family being over here
at such a young age?
Ildi Szekely (07:13):
so I was such an emo kid so I am sorry to say
that, but I was going through areally rough time.
Um, because I haven't reallyinternalized.
You know, when you're a youngkid you experience abuse
differently, right, likephysical, emotional abuse.
You don't really realize howmuch it influenced you, you just
(07:34):
want a way out.
So, like I think, for you know,like at that time of my life, I
just wanted an escape and Ididn't look back, so I did not
get homesick until like much,much later in life.
Danielle Spurling (07:49):
Do you go back to Hungary much now.
Ildi Szekely (07:53):
So, interestingly, I found somewhat like I was
ready to quit Hungary, likecompletely.
That was a period of 10 years.
I didn't go home and I justrecently found meaning again
Like my passport expired in 2012.
And my interestingly, like myfather passed away last year and
(08:16):
then going back and kind ofrevisiting, kind of like almost
I don't say I grew in love again, but now I don't feel like.
I feel like, okay, I couldpossibly find my roots again
there.
Danielle Spurling (08:34):
Wow, I mean what a life change at such a
young age.
And obviously you've embracedliving in America because after
school you went on to study atMichigan State and then UC
Berkeley.
Tell us a little bit about thatexperience and college swimming
.
Ildi Szekely (08:50):
Yeah.
So again, I needed a lot ofrebuilding mentally and
emotionally.
So I always wonder what wouldhave been like if I wasn't in a
basket case, like if I had moreconfidence.
So when they tell youconstantly all your life that
you never amount to anything ina sport you love so much, you
(09:12):
kind of internalize that andthen even though, when you're
good enough to get a scholarship, you still don't believe it
Right.
So like, going to Michigan Statefor me was such a learning
curve because I was first of allI had an option to go to
Michigan State or Canyon College, and I'll never forget I again
I feel so lucky because now I'min the field of, like I'm an
(09:34):
educational consultant, so I'mhelping students find a college
path for themselves.
And like I did not realize backthen, like what it means to
have a full scholarship offer totwo colleges, one division
three and one division one.
And and having that dilemma andI chose um, I chose Michigan
State.
And and it's interestingbecause I remember to this day,
(09:58):
I was in at Mercesburg, I was inthe office soaking wet, um,
because I was just training, andthe canyon coach was in the
office soaking wet, because Iwas just training and the canyon
coach was on the call with mefor 45 minutes telling me that
I'm making the biggest mistakeof my life Because I should be a
big fish in a big pond and I'mgoing to be a small fish in a
big pond and in my head I'm like, no, I'm going to be a big fish
(10:25):
in a big pond.
So like I was I so definitely.
Michigan State has altered mylife in a sense that I learned
to love swimming again, but ittook me four years because I was
a workhorse, like I brokeschool records during a dual
meet, but when it came to bigmeets I lost faith in myself and
I never performed well.
So I wish again, I wish I hadmore of the access to mental
(10:51):
support and mental health tolearn, you know, to love myself
enough Like, yeah, I'm capable.
Danielle Spurling (10:57):
That's amazing resilience that you've
shown, because obviously you hada not nice experience in your
swimming in Hungary and to beable to come to America at a
young age and then turn thataround to become more resilient
and then be successful incollege is such a testament to
your strength.
Ildi Szekely (11:17):
Well, thank you, I don't look at it that way, but
because I'm like you know, thetypical athlete mentality is
never enough, right?
I think that's such a like Ialways, when you like, achieve
something, I want to, then let'sgo further, let's go further.
Why can I reach more and more?
So like, I'm never content.
And I think that could be anegative thing too, because when
(11:39):
, when can I say enough isenough?
Danielle Spurling (11:42):
Yeah, but but in in saying that that's one of
the drivers that you know makesuccessful people and also gives
you motivation.
Ildi Szekely (11:51):
Yeah, swimming definitely has changed my life,
but it was not always pleasant.
I did take a seven-year hiatus.
Danielle Spurling (11:58):
So after college, while you were doing
your master's degree, or did youswim through when you were at
UC Berkeley as well?
Ildi Szekely (12:05):
I did swim through when you were at UC Berkeley as
well.
I did swim through UC Berkeley.
So I, my senior year I made itmade an Olympic trial cut and I
was so, so, like, incrediblylike excited about it and on
that 200 butterfly and I wish Icould have gone and at that time
my my then my boyfriend wasalso qualified so for the
(12:26):
ultimate trials.
And I remember being in atraining pool and like, oh, I
just wish I could swim, but atthe time I was not a us citizen
so I was not able to participate.
So I swam two more years umafterwards and and I just burned
out.
I felt like swimming has beenjust my identity and I couldn't.
(12:46):
No one who knew me oh, you'rethe swimmer.
And I just like startedresenting people like knowing me
, that I'm just a swimmer, andI'm like there is more to me and
I also I lived in an area inCalifornia where there was
really no access to the pooleither.
Danielle Spurling (13:03):
Oh, really Okay, Because that's unusual.
There's a lot of pools inCalifornia.
Ildi Szekely (13:08):
Yes, but when I finished Berkeley I followed my
ex-husband to up north, into,because he was really wanting to
live in the woods, and I toldhim, like the only way I go up
there if I land a job.
And I landed a job, so I was anEnglish teacher and then I was
(13:30):
in there and there was nothing.
It's just the redwoods,beautiful middle of nowhere,
with one tiny access to pool.
But at that time I did not wantto do anything with swimming.
Danielle Spurling (13:51):
No, that's understandable when you've had
that life like that and you'vebeen flogged as a young sort of
swimmer.
Ildi Szekely (13:54):
You need that mental and physical break from
it.
What drew you back to startmaster swimming?
Midlife crisis same with me.
Yeah, I had to reinvent myself.
Um, after I California, Ipacked my car and I drove across
the country because I justwanted to reinvent my life.
I needed to find myself againand I was really lucky.
(14:15):
One of my closest friends I metat Michigan State.
He was at that time a professorin Adrian College and he used
to take his kids in the summerto, you know, all over the
country and the world to justfor, like, a summer class and
slash outdoor activity.
And I remember calling him upand like can you, what are you
(14:36):
doing?
Can I join?
I'm like, and I was in middleof jobs and I just left
California, you know as, andarrived in the Boston area,
because my cousin lives here andshe has three, at that time
three very young kids, and Iwanted to be a part of their
lives.
I wanted to be the aunt, acousin, a secondary cousin.
(14:58):
They called me their aunt.
So I love that.
And I couldn't find a jobbecause I was in the middle of
that teaching year.
So I love that and I couldn'tfind a job, because I was middle
of the middle of that teachingyear so I needed something.
I couldn't just sit there andthen be a burden on my sister.
So I called him and he said,yeah, well, I'm going to Guam
for a month.
He's a, join us.
I'm taking eight kids and thenfour of them are girls, so we
(15:19):
could use a woman chaperone.
And I was like, wow, I'm like,look at the map, like I know
it's a US territory, but whereis Guam?
So, a very long flight later Iended up there and it was, um,
life altering and that's where,um, I was in Guam and and I was
like, all right, swimming thatsounds really, really, really
(15:40):
amazing.
Maybe I should try again.
And then my friend, one of mybest friends, who was my
roommate at Merseysburg uh,she's actually Malaysian and she
went to UCLA and ended up goingback and and starting a very
powerful swim club and she flewme from Guam to Malaysia at that
time and I spent a week withher and I started swimming with
(16:03):
her and she and I was like Ithink I want to go and race at
the world masters, which isgonna be in 2014 in Montreal,
and I can just drive there.
And I had this like tunnelvision of I'm gonna break the
world records.
So I started training um reallyhard and, uh, I missed the
world record by two seconds andI had not realized at that time
(16:25):
how insanely fast the worldrecord was in that 35 age group.
But I shot really high and butit was.
It was an incredible journeyand since then I've been
swimming.
Danielle Spurling (16:38):
You've been hooked, so how much training,
how much training did you giveyourself before you went to the
World Masters in 2014?
Ildi Szekely (16:46):
So about a year and a half I was doing yeah.
So it's amazing how quicklythings come back.
That's when I met my coach,chris Morgan, who just
revolutionized the training,because you know, I grew up, as
I said, in Hungary.
It was now what we refer to asgarbage yardage.
Like I was that generation thatdone a lot of a lot of yardage.
(17:11):
Right, I actually have myworkout book and I'm looking at
it and I'm like wow, like insane, like mind blowing.
So it's like four, four hundredbutterfly pool, four, four
hundred butterfly kick four,four butterflies meters.
Right, I'm like wow, that was amorning workout when I was 12.
Danielle Spurling (17:29):
And you probably trained doubles all
through that time.
Did you do much strength workback then, or was it just all in
the pool?
Ildi Szekely (17:37):
No, it was a lot of strength work and flexibility
training.
So, yeah, we were in the weightroom and flexibility training.
So yeah, we were in the weightroom.
And that wasn't strength workin the sense that you're like
lifting a lot of heavy weightsbut a lot of like ropes, you
know like stretch cords.
That was a big one and we didsome weights, but I wouldn't
(18:00):
call it, like you know, barkingup heavy.
Danielle Spurling (18:07):
Yes, yeah, of course.
And flexibility trainingtraining was that sort of just
on the pool deck, or was thatsomething you did in a special
sort of class with the rest ofyour teammates?
Ildi Szekely (18:14):
that was all our coach.
We, we marched around the pooland we did all kinds of
flexibility and drag andtraining that I don't want to
remember.
I'm still scarred, you know.
You're still scarred.
Oh yeah, I'm like because itwasn't like I don't like.
If you like the flexibilitytraining, if you didn't do it,
(18:37):
the coach sat on you until youwere able to, like, get into
that position, right, putweights on you or one of the
hardest one, like we had to putyour hands behind your head and
then you push your elbowstogether, right.
So our coach used to go behindour back and push your elbows
together and it forced it rightUntil it went.
(18:59):
So that was a lot of crying, alot of pain, but that was almost
every Wednesday.
We had flexibility training wow, wow.
Danielle Spurling (19:08):
And compare that to now and what you're
doing.
How, how many, how manysessions would you typically
swim a week right now?
Ildi Szekely (19:17):
um, well, that depends, right, like so now I'm
swimming smarter and also I'm afull you know, I have a
full-time job and I'm also, likeyou know, in my mid-40s.
So, like I, I need to besmarter of how I recover.
But it depends, like I, I tryto get in four to five days a
week in the, in the pool, um, ifI, if I'm like for for for
montreal, I did a lot more, Iwas, I was in the pool at least
(19:40):
six times a day, um, or sixtimes a week, sorry, and but now
I'm also doing alternative,like I do bar um, like I don't
know, that's where Australiait's, it's.
It's like it's a core workout,but it goes through your arms,
legs, core, um, and lighterweights, but a lot of reps.
Danielle Spurling (19:58):
So, and I do that twice or three times a week
in combination is that the onlytype of dry land strength work
you do, or do you do heavyweights as well?
Ildi Szekely (20:08):
I don't do heavy weight.
I ever since college.
Danielle Spurling (20:11):
It's just not for me, yeah yeah, sorry, I was
gonna say well bar bar um.
Ildi Szekely (20:17):
Classes are fantastic for swimming yeah, and
, and it's, you know, like Imean, it's a fad, right, like
even to yoga, to pilates, likeyou know it's, it's a fad of the
of the generation.
But what I like about it, itdoes go through your entire body
yeah, we've got reformerpilates are very, very big in
(20:38):
australia right now.
Danielle Spurling (20:40):
Everywhere it's got reformer pilates and um
, yeah, and I think you knowbefore that we do have bar
classes, but I don't think ittook off quite as much here as
it did in the states they callit bar, like every studio is
called now bar, but it's reallya combination of pilates right,
and then yoga and like alternate, like kickboxing, and it's.
(21:00):
I think it's a combination ofall those and you recently went
to doha for the World Masters inQatar.
Can you share with us yourexperience?
Because congratulations you wonthe 100 and 200 butterfly in
your age group.
What were those races like?
What was the experience like?
Ildi Szekely (21:16):
Yeah, yeah, you know, I love the world, I love
traveling too, because you justnever know who you're going to
meet and what kind of you knowcamaraderie, and I just love
people.
Always interesting like peoplelike even when I went to Qatar
is who are you with?
I'm like I came by myself andif for some people it's really
(21:37):
hard, like, oh, you travel thatfar alone, I'm like like I'm not
, like I'm meeting people, right.
So like when I went to montreal, I think that was the last
world masters that wereseparated from the real worlds,
right, and after that, now itcoincides with the world
championships and so you get toembrace swimming in world-class
facilities.
(21:58):
So like when I went to budapest, hungary, in 2017, and in Qatar
, Doha, qatar you actually racein the same pool as that, you
know, and so you like feelspecial.
It was phenomenal.
It's like I think they've donea really nice job, even though
it was less attended because ofthe time like timeline it was
(22:18):
end of March, I mean end ofFebruary, so it was, I think, a
lot, a lot of people can reallycome because they're working,
they.
It was incredibly wellorganized, fantastic.
It was just a phenomenalexperience because I got to, I
had.
I met so many Hungarians therein Qatar.
Yeah, I actually ran intofriends I grew up swimming with
(22:39):
I.
I shared, we shared some horrorstories with one of the friends
who, like, oh you, you rememberthem?
Like, yeah, I do remember.
So we reunited that way.
And then you see women like intheir 60s, breaking world record
, like there was a 60 year oldAmerican who who went faster
than anybody any age group in a200 backstroke and, like you
(23:01):
know, it's very inspiring.
Or you see, like a 90 year oldwoman get on the block and do
the 200 butterfly.
I mean for me that's, it'sincredibly.
Like if I have to die, I meanthat I want to go that way, like
getting on the blocks and doingthe 200 fly.
Like I'm sorry for the audienceand people who have to pull me
out of the pool, but like Ican't see any better way to go
(23:25):
yeah, absolutely doing somethingyou love.
Danielle Spurling (23:28):
I think that's.
Ildi Szekely (23:29):
That's what's so inspiring about seeing all those
older master swimmers it sureis, and it was the first time I
ever done an open water in inthe world scene, so that was a
very unique experience for metoo yeah, how did?
Danielle Spurling (23:41):
how did you feel with that the the open
water swim.
Ildi Szekely (23:43):
I loved it.
I mean, I felt a littleunprepared because everyone was
wearing the, the, you know the,the open water suit.
She's a little longer.
I was like you know, like Idon't know, I didn't know that's
, that's, that's the thing.
So like I felt a little bitlike a novice, but it was was.
It was really fun.
Danielle Spurling (24:01):
it's a it's a different kind of group yeah,
absolutely, and that was beforethe swimming started, the pool
swimming started.
Did you find that that affectedsort of like what was your
recovery like from that thatswim?
Ildi Szekely (24:13):
yeah, yeah.
So by by the end of the trip Ifelt like I was catarred out,
what I called it um, becauseyeah, it was just like the four
day gap in between was.
I mean, I recovered, well, butit was just a little bit too
long for being there for twoweeks of the competition and the
200 fly is always almost on thelast day, so like you have to
(24:36):
wait and wait and wait around torace the 200 fly, what's,
what's your race plan for the200 fly?
talk us through um well, Ialways think of it as 450s.
Right, it's not a 200 fly, it's450s and it's it's.
I'm a back, always a backhandflyer and I can't sprint for the
(24:57):
life of me.
So if I go a 50 fly all out,that's gonna be probably very
close to my first 50 on that 200fly.
So like I know the adrenalinetakes me out.
So yeah, first 50 is alladrenaline and so like.
For me the focus is the second50, because that's when I start,
you know um lagging.
So like I have all right.
The second 50 is you have tokeep it smooth but you have to
(25:20):
keep it strong, because by third50 I know I can bring it home
and I usually have my almostsecond fastest 50 is the last 50
.
That's unusual, yeah okay, I'm,I'm, I'm very unusual.
So when I went, when I swam theOlympic trial cut I almost even
split my my 200, wow, 107,because I was at, um, santa
(25:48):
Clara.
It was no, it was Jenny, notJenny Thompson.
Is it Jenny Thompson?
Invitational at in, uh, you atUSC?
I always forget it was.
It was year 2002, um, and I wasamong olympians.
Really a phenomenal experience.
I had maggie boy, um, is itmaggie bowen bowman?
I forgot her.
(26:09):
Oh god, I'm so bad with see, Iwas so bad with names.
But I remember having twoolympians next to me, um, and I
was the last at the hundredbecause I was one at the order
in 103s, 104s and I was likealmost 108, 107 high and I came
back with another 107.
So yeah, I was always a badkind of flyer wow, that's,
(26:32):
that's amazing.
Danielle Spurling (26:33):
What so?
Your time back then was what?
A 214?
No, I was a.16.1.
And what do you swim now?
Ildi Szekely (26:43):
So I was 2.22 in my 35-40 age group and my world
record was 2.20.
So now I slowed down, like Iwish I could go back, because I
was like, all right, then I getthe world record, the next age
group, which now was 2.24.
I missed it by, you know, 0.5.
Oh, so close?
Oh yeah, I was so close, and itwas the year before COVID, uh,
(27:04):
just aged up to the 40, and, um,I was actually swimming with
mono.
I had no idea I had mono.
Who gets mono in their 40s?
Right, and I and I also hadlike anemia at that.
So I was like, okay, that'sbecause my sister was like
something's wrong with you, youneed to go to a doctor or you
need to get to go to a therapist.
And I'm like, why?
Like you're miserable.
(27:26):
So I went to the doctor.
I said, yeah, you're an anemicand you have mono.
So, and then COVID hit right ayear after, and then I couldn't
train, like so I was training bymyself, so I could never really
get back to.
You know that, because it'svery hard to train by yourself.
No one to push you.
Danielle Spurling (27:46):
Definitely and particularly butterfly.
I think too.
Ildi Szekely (27:49):
Yeah, and once you reach 40, like I feel like once
I reached 40 and 42, now I'm at45, it gets so much harder.
Danielle Spurling (27:58):
It does.
What's the record in the 200fly now for 45?
.
Ildi Szekely (28:04):
Still to this day.
It's insane, Colin Pipes.
I mean she was 222 and 224 and40 to 45 and then 45 to 50.
It's faster than the last agegroup.
I'm like girl, can you slowdown?
Give a chance to some of us ofus.
(28:25):
Yeah, she was incredible.
So yeah, it's still 24 wow,that is fast.
Danielle Spurling (28:30):
You'll get there, don't worry.
This November we're coming upto our fourth birthday
celebrations and we wanted tomark the occasion by giving you
some more reasons to continueenjoying the podcast and show
your support.
So you can now subscribe to theshow, and the subscription will
(28:50):
give you lots of extra contentthat I know you're going to
enjoy.
As part of the subscription,you get advanced notifications
that a new episode is dropped.
You'll get four swim trainingworkouts per month, and I know
that they're very popular witheveryone that listens in.
You'll become a member of ourprivate WhatsApp group and
(29:11):
you'll get a shout out on theshow.
By becoming a supporter of theshow, it helps us to continue
putting out our weekly content,which is free for all.
You can become a subscriber byfollowing the link in our
Instagram bio at Torpedo SwimTalk podcast or via the button
on our Torpedo Swim Talk website.
Hope to see you all in our SwimTalkers group soon.
(29:34):
What other races did you do inthe pool in Doha, you did the
100 and 200 fly.
What else did you do?
Ildi Szekely (29:43):
That's it.
I did the 100 and 200 fly andthen the open water, the 5K.
Danielle Spurling (29:47):
Oh, okay, so you decided not to fill out the
five events that you are allowedto do.
Ildi Szekely (29:54):
I never do.
I only do the 50, 100, 200 flyOccasionally if it's a big meet.
Occasionally I like to do likein smaller meets I sign up like
I sign up for random events.
I do the 400 im, I do you knowthe mile or the 1500 or the 800.
But when it comes to like a, acompetition, like a big one,
(30:16):
because I don't, I want to focuson the two fly.
If the two fly was on the firstday or the second day, I would
fill it up.
Danielle Spurling (30:24):
Yes, understood, I know it's the
scheduling of the program and Ithink the world masters they
don't ever.
Well, they did change it thisyear.
They put the 400 a bit closerto the 800.
But then in doing that, becauseI'm a backstroker, I think they
move the backstroke to the lastday.
(30:46):
So if they fix it for oneperson it doesn't always work
for another person very true.
Ildi Szekely (30:52):
I just wish the plane fly was sooner, that's all
and what do you find works foryou in recovery?
That's a great question and um,without throwing, I don't know,
I don't want to do anadvertisement Like I don't know
how to say that without doing anad.
Danielle Spurling (31:08):
No, that's fine Mention, what you do,
people are interested.
Ildi Szekely (31:12):
My coach introduced me Chris Moore
introduced me to Katsu about 10years ago and it's a blood flow
restriction.
It goes around your arms andyour legs and it acts almost
like a blood pressure cuff.
It restricts and releases theflow.
So I've been using that for 12years and I swear by it.
I use it for warm up, I warmdown, I use it like at home,
(31:33):
when I'm sitting around and whenI'm driving I always have the
Katsu band on my arms and ithelped me tremendously to
recover.
And I also incorporate easyswimming.
Now I used to not believe ineasy swimming.
When I go to the pool and Ijust float around, right, I'm in
, but I'm just because it helpswith recovery.
(31:57):
A lot of times people thinklike, oh, if you're not in, if
you need a rest day, you justtake a few days off.
But you can rest by swimmingeasy as well.
Danielle Spurling (32:06):
Yeah, I agree , because it stretches you out.
If you're sitting around, youget stiff and you can't use the
muscles that you're used tousing.
So it's just like going forpeople that are runners.
Go for a simple walk.
Ildi Szekely (32:21):
We go for an easy swim for people that are runners
go for a simple walk, we go foran easy swim, exactly yeah, and
I have to be.
I'm really not good withrecovery.
Um, also, like I, I push my,I'm, like, I'm an energizer
bunny.
I push, push, push until mybody breaks down and says no,
you need to take a break.
So I'm still learning and as Iget older, I realized that I
(32:44):
need to be more forgiving withmy body.
Danielle Spurling (32:48):
Yes, yeah, definitely, and especially
you're working full time job aswell, because you get tired from
that, even though you know youmight be sitting in a desk.
It's mentally tiring, and soyou do have to weigh up all
those things and living life'stiring as well.
Ildi Szekely (33:04):
I agree, and I have a dog and I have to walk
him twice a day too.
So like I feel like that's, youknow, he needs a 45 minute walk
twice a day, so like, all right, so that's, that's an
additional workout.
Danielle Spurling (33:16):
Yeah, that's an additional workout.
You get your steps up doingthat?
Yes, I do.
Can you talk us through atypical?
Ildi Szekely (33:26):
training session that you would do.
Yeah, so okay, so, um, theChris's, that.
The Chris's sets are alwayslike you have a warm-up, you
have a prep set which right andthen you have a main set, and
usually his main sets areconsisting like four to five
rounds um, and, and I tend toalways incorporate a lot of fly
um, he always makes fun of mefor that because I can swim fly
(33:48):
forever and he's like no, youneed to do fast fly, not the
survival fly.
Yeah, so that he has thisamazing um structure to his
workouts.
So anywhere between, like youknow, if it's meters, I would
say 3,500 to 4,000 meters a dayand and what is like.
Danielle Spurling (34:10):
Can you talk us through it like a main set?
What kind of thing does he sortof set for you?
Ildi Szekely (34:15):
so like this is a shorter one, right.
So like we have 400 warm-up.
He's saying, oh, I was on thehouse.
Then I do a six 50s.
This is yards, so like theinner wall is gonna be different
.
So you go six 50s, one kick,one swim, and then six 25s where
no breath, right.
So on the 30,.
So like hold your breath, andthen the main set is four rounds
(34:37):
.
So I'm gonna go three 50s on a45.
The first one is fly free.
Second is free fly and thenI'll fly.
And then you're going to 125sor two times 125s on a 145.
Where you go, the first 45yards is breath control and the
(35:00):
second one is the last 45 yards,breath control.
So that could be like onebreath or two breath or depends
on how much you can hold yourbreath.
And then you're going at 200.
And that 200 changes by eachround.
So the first round the 200 aregoing to be 50 fly 153, 100 fly
103, 150 fly 53.
(35:22):
And the last one is a 200 flyand you're doing this for ran
right, well, that's, that's aset yeah, and this is one of the
easier one.
Danielle Spurling (35:31):
I look forward to it actually do you do
breath control on the butterflyas well, or is that just for
freestyle?
Ildi Szekely (35:38):
no, I.
You know I don't do breathcontrol for the fly, so breath
control is usually like warm-upsor warm dance or really in a
main set like that.
It's more like um, like workingoff your wall or working into
the wall to hold your, to holdyour breath.
Are you a good turner?
No, like the turn I, I'm off so, which is why I love meters I.
(36:00):
I avoid every time short courseuh races because I suck at the
turns.
So and I like open waterbecause you don't have to do
turns of course yeah.
Danielle Spurling (36:13):
Do you use much equipment in your training
like snorkel, fins board, poolboy?
Ildi Szekely (36:20):
yeah, you know, interestingly not as much I, I
feel like sometimes.
So I, I started an Instagramaccount to teach a lot of skills
and to promote the butterfly umto masters, and I think people
have the tendency to abuse uh,equipment right like I.
I believe in equipment, I lovethat, but I feel like a lot of
(36:40):
masters and beginners useequipment without having a good
technique right.
So now you're reinforcingstrength onto the wrong
technique.
All right, so I, I useequipment, but not as much I use
pedals, but I, I have to say, Idon't use pedals every practice
.
I put the pedals, I usesnorkels once in a while warm up
(37:03):
or if I do some fly set when Iwant to focus on more about my
stroke and not worrying aboutthe breathing and fins
occasionally.
But I kind of abandoned thebuoy that I used to use.
I used to use a lot of equipment.
We used to use a lot ofequipment in college like the
bands that goes around your legs.
We used to use a lot ofequipment in college like the
(37:24):
bands that goes around your legsright and the buoys.
That was a big one in college.
Um, and if I do like I, I Iprefer like occasionally, like
resistance training.
Like I, I use mesh socks forkicking and underwater kicks.
That's really fun, or any kindof similar equipment like belts,
you know to go on, but that'salso for just resistance and
(37:44):
power and when you use thatresistance sort of work in the
water, is that just over veryshort distance?
yes, absolutely.
Um, go 25s, you know with it.
Um, or really I do 50s, but ifI do 50s with a mesh socks it
would be like 50, like moderate,and then 25 or 12 and a half
(38:04):
sprint with the mesh socks and Iknow you just mentioned your um
, your Instagram or your socialmedia that you started, and you
do put a lot of butterfly thingson there.
Danielle Spurling (38:14):
What sort of what message are you hoping to
send out to people with that?
Ildi Szekely (38:19):
you know, everyone is so afraid of the fly.
I mean, it was initially, uh,we started out like I was never
on instagram.
It was not my thing.
Um, and a friend of mine, like10 years ago, like he got really
bothered because he saw so manyuh masters videos that are like
incorrect, right, like theywere just spreading the wrong
information, and he's like youneed to start an account.
(38:41):
I'm like I, you know, like I Iassociated instagram account
with showing you know, like,kind of like, oh, everyone, you
have to look sexy and then thebikini and you show your body
and then you get followers.
I'm like I, just not me, Idon't want to prance around the
pool deck.
And so he actually ended upbuying me a gopro and he's like
no, you're doing an account.
So, like, I started in likeright around covet, so I started
(39:02):
posting a lot of techniquebalance videos um, like basic
skill work, of how to improvethe technique and how to get
into the butterfly rhythmbecause it butterfly.
I know it's intimidating, butif you get the technique and the
rhythm right, it's just reallyfinding that rhythm.
It's really a simple stroke andI think once you get the rhythm
(39:26):
and start working on thosemuscles.
It's really a fun event.
Danielle Spurling (39:31):
Yeah, there's nothing better than swimming a
butterfly when you're in rhythm.
I can't do it anymore because Ihave a bad shoulder, but I
still do one-arm butterfly, butI really do like butterfly.
I wish I could put it back inmy schedule.
Ildi Szekely (39:44):
Yeah, it's definitely hard on the shoulders
, but I think that's whereflexibility comes in right.
So a lot of flexibilitytraining that's very important
as we age will help yourbutterfly and your rotation.
Danielle Spurling (39:58):
Yes, have you ever had any shoulder problems?
Ildi Szekely (40:01):
Knock on wood.
Can I knock on wood, no?
Danielle Spurling (40:03):
not good surprisingly.
Ildi Szekely (40:06):
You know I wonder how many times I crossed the
Atlantic back and forth.
Just the amount of butterfly Ihave done in my life.
Yes, were you always a butterflyas a young swimmer, as well, I
developed into one yes, um,around I would say like my, my
coat, like so, when I quitswimming at 10 and I returned
back to the club, I luckily Iwent to a different coach for
(40:29):
the first two years, um, and hewas wonderful and he trained me
for the 4am, um, and I remembergoing I was 12 years old and
that was my first year I thinkwas the second year back of
training from like the yearhiatus and he put me in a 4am
and I didn't do as well as hewanted.
I remember him crying on thepool deck Like he was really
(40:52):
hurt and I was hurt because hewas crying and I felt like I let
him down.
And then the butterfly was thenext day and I went at 2.28.
I was 12.
Like I dropped, like the time Idropped like 20 seconds and he
was like you are going to be aButterflyer and so that was like
that was it for me at 12 yearsold and from then on I was doing
(41:14):
Butterflyer.
Danielle Spurling (41:16):
That's amazing.
Yeah, that's great that you'vegot that young sort of passion
for it and you've carried thaton now as a master swimmer.
Ildi Szekely (41:24):
Yeah, definitely Hence that swimplify yeah
swimplify.
Danielle Spurling (41:28):
It's great.
That's your social media tag.
Yeah, now, everyone that comeson the podcast.
I like to ask them the deepdive five favourites about your
current swimming life?
So just give me the first ideathat pops into your head what's
your favourite pool?
Ildi Szekely (41:44):
Oh, Duna Arena in Hungary.
If I could swim there every day.
Danielle Spurling (41:51):
That's a nice one.
Well, I think the WorldChampionships are going back
there in 2027.
Ildi Szekely (41:57):
Yeah, definitely going.
Danielle Spurling (41:58):
So you can aim for that.
Are you going to head toSingapore next year?
I'm thinking about it.
Ildi Szekely (42:04):
It's just really really long flight, right so if
from here, but I think I am Ibecause my, my, as I said, my
best friend lives in Malaysiaand I am the godmother to her
second son.
So, like she said, like ifyou're coming, you have to meet
your godson.
I'm like that's an incentivefor me to go definitely an
(42:27):
incentive.
Danielle Spurling (42:28):
What's your favorite butterfly drill?
Ildi Szekely (42:32):
oh, that's a tough question.
Um, because everyone's gonnasay that one arm, left, right,
double.
For me I want to say myfavorite all time butterfly.
There is the one undulation,one fly stroke.
So like you're hand out in thefront you undulate one like a
(42:54):
dolphin undulation and abutterfly stroke.
Dolphin undulation, butterflystroke.
You kind of kick but it's, youknow, I mean I say undulation,
you're like doing that dolphinmotion, but I like to call it
undulation because it's notabout the kick right, more about
getting the chest.
You know the chest pressed downand the dolphin motion, but
(43:14):
your hands are still in thefront.
So you're kind of settingyourself up for the rhythm and
then you do a stroke, because wetend to if you see master
swimmers and I do the same thingand I noticed still in my
videos that enter tend to pullsometimes a little too soon
right and then like I rushed thecatch.
So this one really lets me tofocus on keeping out a longer in
(43:38):
the front and not rushing thecatch in the front.
Danielle Spurling (43:41):
Yeah, that's a good one.
Do you have a video of that onyour Instagram?
Ildi Szekely (43:46):
Yes, I have plenty of those, yeah.
Danielle Spurling (43:49):
Cool, okay, well, people can go and look at
that and they can see in motion.
Ildi Szekely (43:56):
How about your favorite training set?
Okay, I have one, one of myfavorite training sets.
Again, it's a crisp one, it'sshort, it's only 1500, but it's
um 30, 50s and I see if I canexplain this right.
I think it's yeah, you go five.
Okay, see if I can explain thisright.
So you go go five, five, three,five, fly, four, three, four,
(44:16):
fly, three, three, three, fly,two, three, two, fly, one, three
, one, fly.
But the last round you go likethe freeze, always on the 45.
So it's meters, right, so it'squick.
So the three, five, three, four, three, three, it's always 45.
And you start the fly on theminute.
So five, three on the 45, fivefly on the minute.
(44:40):
Four, three on the 45, four flyon the 55.
Three, three on the 45, threefly on the 50.
Two, three on the 45, two flyon the 40.
One, three on the 45, and thenas fast as you can go, it's
really quick, it's a 1500, butby the time you get down to that
(45:01):
fly and you're doing, you know,on the 50 and the last on the
45, it burns and you don't.
And it's an active recoverybecause you can really slack off
on the 53, right, because it'son the 45 seconds.
Danielle Spurling (45:16):
Yeah, that's a great set.
I'd like to try that.
And swapping backstroke yeah,that'd be good.
Ildi Szekely (45:22):
Yeah, and again, you can alter that.
So I always, when I post setson my Instagram, it's like you
know, what's beautiful aboutmasters is you cater to your own
needs.
So you can alter, change theinner walls that fits your needs
, and then even change like Idon't expect people to do that
fly, Like you could do thatbackstroke, breaststroke or any
of the stroke you want to workon.
Danielle Spurling (45:43):
Yeah, that's a great set.
I'd like to try that.
And swapping backstroke?
Yeah, that'd be good.
How about your favoritepre-race snack?
Ildi Szekely (45:52):
Honestly, it's simple Bag your favorite
pre-race snack.
Honestly, it's simple bagelsand bananas.
Carb loading before, definitely.
Uh, I feel like bagel has acarbs and then banana it's the
potassium like.
Danielle Spurling (46:03):
So prevent the cramping and who's the
swimmer you're most lookingforward to watching at the paris
olympics, and why, oh, oh Iknow I watched the trials
eagerly.
Ildi Szekely (46:14):
Um, I have to say it's gonna be the race between
sarah soystrom and uh, gretchenwalsh, the hundred fly.
I think that's gonna be myfavorite, it'll be a great
olympics.
There'll be some great swimminggoing on yeah, I think, yeah,
the American women areincredible.
(46:34):
I think this year so, and youknow the big rivalry with
Australia.
Danielle Spurling (46:38):
It's a little overkill, but it's complete
overkill that whole thing thatNBC beat up with Michael Phelps
and Kate Campbell.
It's just ridiculous.
It it was.
She said it a year ago and itwas a joke.
It was a joke, it was a joke,and it's just ridiculous.
(47:00):
And she's the loveliest personever, oh, I know, and I just
think it's terrible because allthese people have like piled on
and really said some horriblethings, you know, on her social
media channels and things likethat.
Ildi Szekely (47:15):
That's like that's bullying to me.
I honestly like one of thedrawbacks for social media is is
the negativity.
So, like I, I block, like, andit's so interesting too because
we over focus on the negativecomments.
You could have a hundredpositive things and now one one
negative comment and and Inoticed it too, like I started
(47:37):
dwelling on it and secondguessing my stroke and and like
my training, my 40-yearexperience, like, oh, what am I
doing?
So, like you, it's, it's tough,right.
Social media is definitely anand um.
I don't want to use the wordweapon, but it is.
It's just people can be very,very nasty, unfortunately.
Danielle Spurling (47:59):
Yeah, they can, I think, because they think
they hide behind.
I mean, there's a lot of thosekind of sort of like troll
accounts and they hide behindthose.
No one knows who they are andthey think they can say whatever
they want those.
No one knows who they are andthey think they can say whatever
they want.
It's it's a terrible sort ofside effect of the positivity of
social media, which there arepositives as well and that's why
(48:20):
I love swimming, because youknow, once you're in the water,
you just the noises are gone.
Ildi Szekely (48:26):
Exactly, it's just you on the water and nobody
else.
Danielle Spurling (48:30):
I know, isn't it nice.
Ildi Szekely (48:31):
No one can contact you, no one can text message
you, you don't have to answeremails, it's great, exactly, and
that's why sometimes, like youknow, like people reach out,
like, oh, do you want tocollaborate and do you want to
do this?
And and I had a few with thewhole music in your ear, I'm
like no, like I don't want musicin my ear, I don't't want noise
(48:52):
, I don't.
You know, I just want peace andquiet.
I don't need any otherdistractions on the water.
Danielle Spurling (48:58):
Yes, I understand.
Yes Well, udi, thank you somuch for being on the podcast
today.
It's been such a pleasuremeeting you and hearing about
your swimming journey andwishing you every success for
all your races heading forward,and hopefully you'll get that
world record soon thank you somuch and it was a pleasure being
on your podcast, yeah thank you.
(49:21):
Okay, take care, bye, bye.
This november we're coming upto our fourth birthday
celebrations and we wanted tomark the occasion by giving you
some more reasons to continueenjoying the podcast and show
your support.
So you can now subscribe to theshow, and the subscription will
(49:43):
give you lots of extra contentthat I know you're going to
enjoy.
As part of the subscription,you get advanced notifications
that a new episode is dropped.
You'll get four swim trainingworkouts per month, and I know
that they're very popular witheveryone that listens in.
You'll become a member of ourprivate WhatsApp group and
(50:03):
you'll get a shout out on theshow.
By becoming a supporter of theshow, it helps us to continue
putting out our weekly content,which is free for all.
You can become a subscriber byfollowing the link in our
Instagram bio at Torpedo SwimTalk podcast or via the button
on our Torpedo Swim Talk website.
Hope to see you all in our SwimTalkers group soon.
(50:26):
Till next time.
Happy swimming and bye for now.
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