Olympian Nick Symmonds Plans His 'Sinatra Getaway'

In case you haven't heard, the normally under the radar sport of Track and Field has a new star. His name is Nick Symmonds. In the last couple of months, Symmonds won his fifth consecutive U.S. Championship Title in the 800 meter race (That's two laps around the track in one minute and 43 seconds) and in doing so, qualified for his second Olympic team.

In addition, Symmonds who New York celebrity columnist Liz Smith recently dubbed "The Brad Pitt of Track", recently had a date with socialite Paris Hilton, which spread like wildfire in various newspaper articles and NBCOlympics.com, the Official site of the Summer Games.

Symmonds is a native of Boise, Idaho and grew up loving the outdoors and sports like fishing, soccer and surfing. It was when Symmonds joined the Cross Country team in Junior High that he was hooked on distance running. "I was too small to play soccer after I was 13. The coach looked at me and said, 'I can't put you in there. You'll get murdered.' When I joined the cross country team I was immediately embraced and knew this was the sport I would excel at," Symmonds said. 

Excel is putting it mildly. Symmonds is one of the top "two lap" runners in the world and is the United States brightest hope for a medal in the grueling 800 meter race in London this Summer. Symmonds trains and lives in Oregon, where he is part of the Oregon Elite Track Club. "State Champion. National Champion. Olympic Champion. These are the titles I am after. This means you show up to competition and you win," said Symmonds with his trademark confident smile.

Symmonds, who idolizes Frank Sinatra (he has deep blue eyes of his own, reminiscent of the Chairman), wrote a letter to Paris Hilton's father, Real Estate mogul Rick Hilton and asked permission to take his daughter Paris out on a date.

"In Boise where I'm from, that's how you asked a girl out." Symmonds said.  "I think the old fashioned approach is best sometimes in today's world of Twitter and iPods."

Paris replied and Nick took her on a date to the iconic Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel in June. "Paris is a beautiful and bright woman," said Symmonds, who is hoping that Paris will show up in London to watch him compete in the Olympics.

After the Games, Symmonds has another "Ring A Ding Fling" in mind, he plans to visit Palm Springs and Palm Desert for the very first time. "I can't wait to have a little down time after the Summer Games and I can't imagine a better place than the desert atmosphere to do just that." Symmonds, who wears bright orange racing flats on the track as a nod to Sinatra's favorite color (Frank's desert homes were always decorated with heavy orange and Sinatra's favorite sweaters and shirts were orange as well.) 

Symmonds will visit The Riviera Resort and Spa where Sinatra hung out by the pool and performed with his Rat Pack buddies in the 1960s, Sinatra's two homes in Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, and even pop in for a scoop of Chocolate Malt Krunch ice cream at Thrifty Discount Drugs (now known as Rite Aid), which was Frank's favorite "on the go" treat in the desert.  He also plans to visit family friends in Palm Desert. 

Hopefully, Symmonds will bring home the Gold this summer, but he'll certainly look forward to some days and nights of Golden California Desert Sunshine to help him regroup and regenerate the battery pack as the 2012 Track season winds down. "I plan to take it easy a couple months and maybe even get a suntan before training begins again for next summer's World Championships."

Such is the life for Nick Symmonds who keeps a steady diet of classic Sinatra albums on his iPod. "Mostly the '50s and '60s Capitol and Reprise label stuff. My favorites are: 'Come Fly With Me', 'Songs For Swingin' Lovers' and 'Sinatra Live At The Sands Hotel'. Man that guy knew the meaning of timing! I use that Sinatra groove in my head when I'm running a lot."

No wonder Symmonds is so smooth running around around the track. And that's why you see him snap his fingers every so often...