Meet Peter...
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1. Name: Peter Beard
2. Zodiac sign: Scorpio
3. Hometown: Born in Albuquerque . Grew up in Damascus , MD
4. Your favorite stroke: Breaststroke
5. Lane you swim in and why your lane is better than the other lanes on the team:
Generally in lane 4, but sometimes move up to Lane 5. Lane 4 has a great mix of personalities. It is also a very diverse lane and reflective of the inclusiveness of the team.
6. Tell us a little bit about your aquatics/sports background?
Hmmh. In high school, I played football, wrestled and swam. In college, it was primarily intramurals like volleyball, flickerball, etc. Swimming and the water was always a passion. So when I worked as a counselor at scout camp, I worked on the waterfront and taught swimming, rowing, canoeing, and lifesaving. Swimming has been my preferred recreation and athletic activity in law school and in work.
7. When and why did you join DCAC (any interesting stories associated)?
In the late 1980s and early 1990’s, I worked for Habitat for Humanity in Georgia . When I moved back to D.C. and started working for Fannie Mae in 1994, I wanted a way to develop friends in the gay community without going to the bars. Joining DCAC provided an activity to build friendships and relationship with others who represent the diversity of our community. Because we come to the team for various reasons—social, competition, health—it was a way to meet people with similar values and interests, but in a context that wasn’t smoky and focused on drinking. I joined the team in time to go to Montreal for 1995 IGLA.
8. What is your favorite kind of swim set/workout and why?
Because I like mid-distance work, I enjoy set that focus on building. One set Andrew gave a couple of years ago is one that I come back to in my training on my own. It was a set built around broken 200s. It starts with a 200 (about 15 secs rest), followed by 2 x 100 (about 10 secs rest), and then 4 x 50 (about 5 secs rest). I am not a big fan of butterfly or backstroke, so IM sets aren’t a favorite. I generally replace regular fly with fly and an underwater arm recovery (i.e., breaststroke), and back with inverted backstroke (i.e., free).
9. Do you compete, if so, what competitions are you planning on participating in the next year?
I plan on Gay Games and I always try to swim one of the local DC meets and one of the gay meets like Boston , Philly, etc.
10. Do you have any swimming/sports goals for the coming year? If so, what are they?
Not really.
11. What do you love most about swimming?
I enjoy the solitude it provides when swimming on my own. It is a way to get away from the phones and a hectic world. I also enjoy the camaraderie when practicing with the team. Also, you can never complain about the eye candy—how many sports have such suggestive uniforms?
12. What do you dislike the most about swimming?
Nothing
13. What's in your night stand drawer?
An interesting question. There really isn’t anything than the directions that came with the nightstand. We generally keep books and moisturizer the top along with lamps. Also, when Jamie and I have visitors, we give up the front room to our guests so discretion wins out. And in the back room, there are no drawers on the night stand.
14. Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson, or Kristen Stewart and why?
Taylor—he’s a jock and plays football and baseball.
15. Ever "date" anyone on the team past or present? Care to elaborate?
Once, not for very long—a long time ago. Dean Delibertis. He had a cockatoo—way too loud.
16. Anyone you want to date on the team? Care to elaborate?
Lot’s of people. We have some really great people on the team—similar personal and professional values. I have had long time crushes on a couple of people. Beyond that I won’t say more.
17. If you could be anyone else on the swim team, who would you be and why?
I have a lot of respect for Neill Williams. He cares about the team and the people on the team. He is always giving his time and an encouraging word to help out.
18. Please describe DCAC in three words of less:
Diverse, Friendly, Fun
19. What is something that most other people on the team don't know about you?
This is a challenging question. Last year, I spent three week in Oaxaca , Mexico attending a Spanish language immersion program. So, I am trying to improve my rudimentary Spanish.
20. How sick are you of these questions right about now?
Not really. It’s been fun.
