Ms. Namita Nayyar: You belong to a family of elite rowers . Both you parents, Karl and Christine Lofgren, trained for the Olympic rowing team that would compete at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games but just missed the final selection. How your parents influenced your spectacular rowing career ?
Ms. Esther Lofgren: My parents have been unwavering supporters of my rowing career (as well as the other sports I played before). It has been very special to share my journey with them as they have a profound appreciation for the sacrifices, thrills, sorrows, and huge joys that have been and continue to be a part of it. I know that every time I step into a boat, they are right there pulling with me, and it has helped every step of the way.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: You started late in selecting rowing as a sport in your life. In fact for the first time in High School Sophomore at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California. How you overcame this disadvantage in your favour to succeed ?
Ms. Esther Lofgren: Actually, that’s a pretty early start in rowing–more than half the women in our London 8 didn’t even start rowing till college! It’s only a disadvantage in that I started rowing in Southern California and almost nowhere else is as warm, beautiful, and row-able year round…it can spoil you a bit!
Ms. Namita Nayyar: What is your regular workout routine to remain in perfect shape ?
Ms. Esther Lofgren: It depends on the time of year and how close we are to the Olympics, but I train 2-3 times per day, 6 days a week (and sometimes Sunday afternoons, too!) in a variety of disciplines: rowing, indoor rowing (“erging”), lifting weights, running, cycling, yoga, CrossFit/interval training, and to mix it up this year, Muay Thai! My boyfriend and I just adopted a puppy so there is also a lot of getting hauled around on a leash in my daily regimen. 🙂
Ms. Namita Nayyar: What healthy diet do you take ?
Ms. Esther Lofgren: Pretty much the standard athlete prescription of eating healthy, natural, whole ingredients. I found out a few months ago that I have a lot of food sensitivities, and trying to omit eggs, almost every vegetable, yeast, and several legumes has been a challenge. However, it’s been great to have to break everything I eat down to the ingredients and really know what is in things, as well as to see a difference in my body and performance since making the changes.
Ms. Namita Nayyar: How did you feel before and after winning gold medal in the women’s eight at the 2012 Summer Games in London ?
Ms. Esther Lofgren: Before: deeply grateful to everyone who helped me on my long path to getting there; excited to race after working so hard for that opportunity; and confident in the work my teammates and I had put in and the trust we had in each other. After: so happy I was actually hysterical. I am not a crier and I happy-cried for about 4 hours straight! It was amazing.
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