Ryan Browning, a dedicated music student at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA), recently achieved a remarkable feat by completing a relay swim across the English Channel. His story is one of commitment to achieving goals and doing what you love.
Ryan pursues his interests wholeheartedly. From an early age, he enjoyed both music and swimming. He swam competitively in his early and middle school years and began playing the saxophone at age 12. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in business. After college, he began doing marathons and triathlons, even completing a half-Ironman in 2012. However, the birth of his first son in 2015 led to a brief hiatus from his musical and athletic activities. Now a father to three young boys, Ryan shares his love of music and fitness with them and is setting an example by pursuing dreams, exploring potential and living life to the fullest.
Training for the English Channel swim was no small task. Ryan connected online with others who had completed the swim, learning about the logistics and permissions required, and found a team. The training involved open-water swimming, maintaining a pattern, cold-water endurance and preparing for the unpredictable weather conditions that could delay the swim.
With all the preparation and travel, there is no guarantee you will be permitted to swim. Waiting for good weather can be a real challenge. “We were assembled and ready to go on Sunday, but after several false starts we got the green light to go on Saturday.” Further, the call could come in at any time. “It could be two in the afternoon or two in the morning. You never know when the conditions will clear and you absolutely could be doing your swim in the dark.” Ryan recalled. In the end, the team did it. Ryan swam three one-hour-long legs of the relay and through his swim raised nearly $2,000 for Mencap, a UK charity that provides respite care for families with neurodivergent children.
Ryan sees parallels between the discipline and focus of both musical and physical training. The meticulous practice of music, focusing on rhythm and breathing, translated seamlessly into his swimming technique. “Muscle memory is key, establishing the rhythm and flow in your body so the other things can’t distract you,” he explained.
His love of learning and passion for music drew Ryan back to school. At UMA, Ryan has found a supportive environment that allows him to pursue his musical interests and explore new ways to engage with music, while still maintaining balance between career responsibilities, family time, and athletic goals. Living just outside of New York City, Ryan had numerous local options for musical studies, but distance learning through UMA became his program of choice. He appreciates the flexibility of the program, “I love that I can ratchet and fine-tune my program—throttle the bandwidth, so to speak, and adjust as needed.”
Part of that family time is sharing a love for music with his boys who are all learning stringed instruments with the Suzuki Method. “Having built up my music theory skills, I’ve arranged some songs for us to play together at Christmas—my two oldest on violin and cello, me on piano,” Ryan said.
There is joy in the journey, and every step can bring new skill and new understanding that goes beyond the moment. While Ryan is working to complete his music studies at UMA, his next three-to-five year goal is a solo swim across the English Channel.
