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Susan Weimer might be described as a competitive distance swimmer with a beautiful, graceful stroke who inspires others to stretch their swimming abilities. She has participated in the Greater Greensboro Senior Games since 2002 and will compete in her age group (65-69) when senior games get under way this March.

Weimer has been an inspiration to me and many other swimmers as we watch her glide through the water for the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyles. She also swims the back stroke and breast stroke and has won drawers full of gold medals.

Her competitive swimming interests really took off when she met dedicated senior games swimmer Grace Evans at the Central YMCA (now the Bryan YMCA) in about 2000.

At that time, Weimer had never heard of the Greater Greensboro Senior Games, but Evans had been a participant for many years.
One day, Evans asked Weimer her age.

“Well, you’re old enough to swim in the Senior Games,” Evans told her.

“I sort of laughed her off at first,” Weimer said, “because I just wasn’t interested in competitive swimming.”

Weimer and Evans developed a great friendship, being together in the pool and teasing each other.

With Evans’ constant urging, Weimer decided to try competitive swimming for the first time.

(Still swimming in her 90s, Evans was an inspiration to many and a participant since the beginning of Senior Games in the 1980s. She is now deceased.)

Weimer had just planned to participate in the local games and call it quits, but she was hooked winning all the local events she entered.
She was the only female swimmer in her age group, so she had no competition for the gold medals.

This may sound simple, but believe me, it’s not. I also have been a swimming participant in the Senior Games.

It takes a lot of endurance and skill to swim in several competitive events.

Completing her first 500-yard event, Weimer remembers she was so out of breath that she had to swim around a bit just to regain her wind.

Winning locally qualified her to compete at the state Senior Games in Raleigh. She returned home with more gold medals.

Weimer has kept records of all her medals and swim times back to 2002.

The record she is most proud of is competing in the 500-yard freestyle in 11.27.98 minutes.

“When you consider that the younger swimmers can do 500 yards in about six minutes, 12 minutes seems like a long time,” she said. “But I look at it like this: At least I am in the pool, doing something active rather than sitting at home, feeling sorry for myself or just watching TV.”

Weimer is far from just sitting at home. After retiring in 2003, she started working part time for ECPI College of Technology, teaching Introduction to Writing with a focus on the basics of English grammar.

Calvin Weimer has been a great supporter of his wife, and always shows up with his camera to record Susan as she glides gracefully through the water.

Cal found swimming a difficult sport and not to his liking, but he liked riding a bicycle.

In 2006, he signed up for cycling and also started winning medals.
He regularly practices at Country Park and became so confident that he challenged himself to ride 77 miles on his 77th birthday.
“Amazingly,” Susan said, “he accomplished his goal.”

Now, when Cal competes in cycling events, Susan is one of the timers for the racers.

Both Susan and Cal Weimer are great advocates for the senior games.

“The competition is not the main point,” Susan said. “It is the fellowship and the sense of accomplishment in being able to be successful at some sort of activity: bowling, cycling, tennis golf, race walking, baseball throw, ping-pong, swimming, and horseshoes — just to mention a few event possibilities to compete in.”

Susan said she and Cal have both had to deal with the aches and pains of growing older, but that activities such as swimming and cycling have kept them both in fairly good health.

“Swimming may not be your favorite sport or activity,” Susan said, “but I tell everyone that they are going to be surprised when they die and go to heaven and find out that it is one gigantic swimming pool!
“Perhaps for another person, heaven might be one giant golf course,” she laughed.

Senior Games and SilverArts are year-round programs designed for people 55 years of age or older, which encourage participants to stay active and healthy.

Beginning in March, Smith Senior Center, a division of Greensboro Parks and Recreation, will again sponsor the Greater Greensboro Senior Games and SilverArts.

There is something for everyone to participate in, regardless of skill level. You must be a resident of North Carolina for a minimum of three months of the year to be eligible.

For information and a registration form for Senior Games, call the Smith Center at 375-2237 or e-mail Cynthia.hipp@greensboro-nc.gov. For SilverArts, write to Elizabeth.sapp@greensboro-nc.gov.

All forms are to be returned to Smith Senior Center, 2401 Fairview Street, Greensboro, NC, 27405.

To suggest a person or organization that is “Making a Difference” in Guilford County, contact Peggy Longmire at rlongmire@triad.rr.com or 288-9040.