An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated Michael Phelps is swimming in his fourth Olympics. It is his fifth.
Michael Phelps is gearing up to swim in his fifth Olympics — but this one is a little more complicated: He’s also balancing fatherhood, as his son Boomer was born a month ago. As part of his new partnership with Krave jerky for National Jerky Day — yes, there’s a National Jerky Day — he spoke with us about swimming, fatherhood and his diet.
FTW: Most important question: How is Boomer?
Boomer is good. He’s up and down, up and down. Sometimes he has some tummy issues, but other than that, he’s awesome. I came home after practice and held him, and he was crying for a little bit. I’m still trying to figure out what each little cry means. It’s been a challenge to do that. He just woke up to start eating again!
He’s starting to be more aware now than he was. His eyes are open more and he’s picking his head up a lot more. It’s crazy to watch how much they grow. He’s gained almost three pounds since he’s been born, and he is just now a month old. He’s got little tiny legs like mom and dad, but he’s got big hands, big feet and long limbs. The first night I got back [from training camp] I woke up at every little sound, so I have to get used to it.
With a newborn at home, how do you get the amount of sleep that someone needs when training for the Olympics?
I took my first nap yesterday in a while. If I don’t fall asleep, or he’s keeping me up at night, there are other bedrooms here that are available. I’ll sneak off to sleep.
Nothing like being home with the family!!! @nicole.m.johnson
A photo posted by Michael Phelps (@m_phelps00) on Jun 5, 2016 at 5:36pm PDT
What are the challenges of balancing fatherhood and training?
Going to this Olympics is a lot different than any other Olympics in the past. For me, obviously, it’s a different state of mind now. I’m doing this the way I want to do it. This being my last Olympics, and I’m turning 31 at the end of the month. There’s a lot of differences going into the Olympics than the other ones.
And now, being a parent and giving Nicole a helping hand whenever she needs it, I think the biggest thing I have to do is to make sure I’m getting enough sleep and saving emotional and physical energy leading up to these trials. I know how strenuous they are.
For me, I’ve had the privilege to learn a lot from every Olympics I’ve been in, and it’s helped me for the next one. Hopefully, along the way, I’ve been able to learn some things that will help me with this one. There are new challenges, but they’re also really awesome experiences.
This Saturday, when I was at the meet, I was probably in the worst mood I’ve been in in a long time after a race. That was thrown out the door when I was able to see the two of them on Sunday. It’s a different mentality now than I’ve had in the past. A lot of exciting times we’ve been going through.
When do you think you’ll take Boomer into the pool?
I’ve been playing with that idea for a while! I’m getting closer and closer to taking him in. I might take him in over the next couple of weeks while I’m home. I’d really like to get him in the water to see how he reacts. He loves baths, so he feels very relaxed in the water. Very at home. Maybe he’ll feel the same when he’s in the pool!
When he’s older, what will you tell him about your career as a swimmer?
When I share little things about my career, I think the biggest thing is I always say is I don’t look at the medal count or the world record count. It’s the passion I have for the sport. Other than a span of about four years, I think I can say I’ve loved every second of it. I found talent and I stuck with it. I had very lofty goals, and I didn’t let anything stand in my way. I never gave up. I think it will be more lessons that I learned in the sport than the stats.
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
You recently made the move from Baltimore to Arizona. What has move done for you?
Baltimore will always be my home, no matter where I live. I lived in that city for 26, 27 years. But being away from Baltimore, and having Nicole and I start the next chapter of our life here in Arizona, we’re both away from our families. It’s something we’re both looking forward to. Starting our own family now and building a life here. We keep telling our moms, you’re only a flight away.
Being down here, one of the craziest things for me is I’m not used to seeing bright sunshine every day! I’ve spent more time in our backyard pool than I’ve ever done being away from a workout. It helps me mentally as well, to look up at a blue sky every day.
You don’t miss the Baltimore winters?
The next time I’ll look forward to snow is when I can wear a pair of skis or a snowboard or something. I’ve never done that. It’s not only that, it’s doing a lot of other things I shouldn’t be doing, because I know I could get hurt.
This will be your [fifth] Olympics. What makes it different than the others?
From 2012 it feels like night and day different, because I’m actually going to workouts now, in that sense it’s almost easier. I’m refining the passion I had before. It’s making the process more enjoyable. I’m in a different state of mind now then I was then. I’m older now. Being 30,31, I’ve been forced to pay attention to some of the small things. Whether it’s making sure I’m getting my work done, or in more specific areas, and my diet, too.
Everyone makes a big deal out of it. It wasn’t as big of a deal as everyone made it to be! I liked to eat as a kid. For me now, it’s trying to maintain a weight. When I do go for a workout, and I know it’s a challenging workout, I know I have to eat right afterwards. I have to make sure I’m getting some nutrients and getting some nutrients in my system. For me, that’s why the partnership we’ve started with Krave is so important. It gives me a chance to rebuild my muscles in that little half hour window. It’s all those little tiny things I’m aware of now.
Are you counting calories to make sure you don’t have a deficit?
I counted off in Colorado. I always find myself losing weight when I’m there. It’s almost like eating becomes a job when I’m there because I know I have to keep eating, eating, eating a certain amount of calories when I’m there. In the three weeks there, I went from being where I needed to be to being 10 pounds lighter. At that point I know I have to, even if I’m not hungry, or if I’m too tired to eat, I have to force myself to get the calories I know I need. It becomes a job at this point, but I know when I’m done, that’s not the case. I gain weight a little quick when I’m not working out the hours I do now.
So age hasn’t affected your metabolism.
When we were in Colorado, the three weeks we were there, we swam almost 300,000 meters. That was the hard part. Keeping that weight on. It is a challenge because we’re always tired and worn out, and eating is the last thing on our mind.
Have you thought about the issues in Brazil, like Zika and security issues?
Do I feel like this is a real thing? I do. Do I think it’s something I need to worry about? I don’t. It’s winter there when we get down there, so that will help. There’s always something during the Olympic Games that you hear a lot about in the media. I think there are precautions we have to take, and that’s part of any job. You always have to know what’s going on, especially traveling overseas. It is the Olympics, and the athletes will be taken care of. For me, it’s my job to make sure Nicole and Boomer and my family are taken care of.
But we do have trials first and that is something that is very challenging because we have such a deep pool. There’s going to be almost 2,000 swimmers at the Olympic Trials, and a maximum of 52 athletes get chosen for the team. We have to make sure we’re ready and then after that, shift our focus.
Eileen Blass, USA TODAY Staff
How has your mother taken to being Boomer’s grandmother?
She was down here last week and got a chance to see him, and she came to Austin and was there for two of the days. She kept showing photos and she’s very, very excited. I feel like she’ll move down here eventually. She wants as many grandkids as she could have, and she’s probably counting down the days until we can have another one! My mom loves kids, and she worked in the public school system for so long, she has such a big heart for kids.
Will you be taking part in the curtain of distraction at arizona state again?
It was crazy hearing everything about it. I had friends who have no connection to Arizona State who said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. That was awesome.’ It went viral very quick, and it was neat sort of being with the student body there, especially with me helping out the team next year and possibly in years to come. It’s been a cool experience, and I was able to be myself in it.
Did you know there was a National Jerky Day before teaming up with Krave?
I didn’t know there was a National Jerky Day! My teammate Alison Schmidt likes to tell us every day what the day is, and I’m looking forward to jerky day.
