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Publication Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 In the swim: Regular pool workouts boost fitness, energy and endurance, local swimmers say
In the swim: Regular pool workouts boost fitness, energy and endurance, local swimmers say
(November 12, 2003) By John Flood
Special to the Almanac
If you think you're too old to start an exercise program, perhaps it's time to reconsider that notion. Because, if you ask a few local swimming enthusiasts why they swear by their regular workouts in the pool, you may find that your assumptions are ripe for revising.
Take Mitchell Johnson, 39, and Donia Bijan, 41, of Menlo Park: The married couple started swimming regularly two years ago and now, they say, they have more energy and endurance to handle the stress and hectic pace of their daily lives.
And consider Dave Gildea, 60, of Menlo Park, who after a seven-year layoff from swimming now sets world speed records in freestyle events. And Charles Ammann, 72, of Menlo Park, who began swimming regularly in 1995 because of a running injury; today, he says he feels as if he can take on regular physical challenges that many his age can't.
Then there are Dr. George Tidmarsh of Portola Valley and Jim Kemp of Menlo Park -- 40-somethings who got back into the pool two or three years ago after a 20-year dry spell and are now setting national records.
What motivated these people to take up swimming? For some, it was simple: It was time to get back in shape.
For others, it was the recognition that it's better to repair through fitness now than to face irreparable health problems later. And in one case, it took the encouragement of a spouse.
Fitness is an essential element of their daily lives, and the gains they report from their swimming regimen are impressive. Some are doing things that even a 20-year-old video-gamer can't.
With a little help ...
All members of the Menlo Masters swim club, these swimmers get a little help in the form of inspiration and encouragement from a common source: Tim Sheeper, the club's founder and head coach.
"Most everything can be boiled down to confidence in oneself," says Mr. Sheeper. "Once an athlete's confidence is high, he has a better chance to reach his potential."
Mr. Sheeper, 40, of Menlo Park, has been coaching triathletes since 1988, when he founded Menlo Masters. His swimming program has more than 300 members, swimming at levels from beginning to advanced.
Donia Bijan
Donia Bijan, who is the owner and head chef of L'Amie Donia restaurant in Palo Alto, credits Mr. Sheeper with keeping her motivated and helping her improve her technique. "Tim is an inspiring coach," she says. "I'd follow him to the Arctic if he asked."
Ms. Bijan, who has a 2-year-old son, swims one hour, three or four times a week.
"I love it," she says. "Except for my son and my husband, it is the only things that makes sense out of the chaos of life. ...When things start to go crazy at the restaurant, it's the only thing that keeps me sane," she says.
"Swimming is my sanctuary. It's my source of endurance and strength."
Mitchell Johnson
For her husband, artist Mitchell Johnson, swimming was an extension of his running program.
"I found that I wasn't as able to run more than two or three 6-milers each week. It's harder to recover from a run [at my age]," he says.
"Now my entire body is conditioned more than it was," Mr. Johnson notes. "Anyone who has kids, who juggles a lot each day, can get through the day more calmly."
Mr. Johnson, who is continually involved in the creative process as a painter, found swimming to be a positive influence on his work.
Because of swimming, he says, "I work more effectively, and maintain momentum. I'm a bit more even, especially when it comes to picking up the thread day after day, and I stay consistent with my thoughts with my approach to my work."
In the end, he adds, swimming is "an important part of the day. It's like meditation, and I feel more confident."
Charles Ammann
Charles Ammann has been jogging since the 1960s. But after sustaining a knee injury in 1995, he took up swimming because it was less stressful on the joints, he explains.
"I swim one hour two or three times a week," he says. "I think it's a good all-around exercise."
Mr. Ammann, who continues to jog several times a week, joined the Menlo Masters in 1996. It wasn't long before he decided to try a competitive event.
"I like the competition," he says. "It's interesting and it is more stressful than a usual workout; but it gets the adrenaline going. It's good."
Mr. Ammann says he swims to improve his time between meets and to keep up his conditioning.
"I feel more relaxed and more energetic -- even after the workout and throughout the day. I like the feeling of being stronger. I can do things without being limited. Besides, I don't want to look fat."
Dave Gildea
Dave Gildea swam on the Stanford swim team in the 1960s. After graduating, he didn't swim again for 20 years. His impetus to return was a humbling experience he had with some co-workers.
"I went swimming with some from friends from work who were younger than I was. I was around 40 at the time, and I wasn't able to swim like I thought I could," he recalls. "So, I thought it would be fun to get back into it.
"I like to compete and I try to do better each time," says Mr. Gildea. "If I can do well against my own standards, I'm happy."
Mr. Gildea set three new records in the freestyle and breast stroke events in the 60-year-old category at the Pacific Masters Swimming Association last month.
"Dave Gildea is a very gifted athlete and he's very powerful; he has benefited from many years of swimming at a high level," says Mr. Sheeper. "He's racing next to 25-year-olds and waxing them."
In spite of a rotator-cuff injury that he sustained two years ago, Mr. Gildea trains five days a week for an hour.
"When I turned 40, I set out to re-do my college time. I almost made it. When I turned 60, I set a goal to do my 40-year-old time and I'm not too far off that," he says.
Mr. Gildea feels healthy and strong from his swimming, he says. "I feel much better since I started swimming again. For me, swimming is the right choice. I really only do this because it's fun."
George Tidmarsh
Dr. George Tidmarsh, 43, is more than just a recreational swimmer: He's planning to break a world record next year in Italy. There are only a handful of swimmers his age who can achieve this, and almost all of them are former Olympians, says Jim Kemp, a fellow Menlo Masters swimmer.
Dr. Tidmarsh stopped swimming when he was 19 to pursue his career in medicine. But that's only part of the story. He comes from a legendary swimming dynasty at Hinsdale High School -- an Illinois team that dominated the sport in the 1960s and 1970s, producing 12 Olympic champions.
Now, after a 20-year hiatus from the sport, he swims 90 minutes each day, which is about five miles.
"I don't find that I am particularly talented," he says. "I dedicate the time, I get better at it and I have an intense desire to win."
"George is an elite for his age group," says Mr. Sheeper. "He is the complete package for an athlete: He has a positive mental outlook, he is very consistent and his emotional state is very solid," the coach explains. "It shows up in his performance, which is very consistent."
Last month, Dr. Tidmarsh broke the national record in the 1500-meter freestyle.
Jim Kemp
Jim Kemp's return to swimming was a kind of epiphany. The 48-year-old Menlo Park attorney had been a competitive swimmer in high school and at Ohio State. In 1977, he swam his last event, and he didn't swim again for 24 years.
But in 2001, after his father had been diagnosed with heart disease, Mr. Kemp reflected on his own fitness and the quality of his health.
"I had gained weight," he says. "It wasn't easy to face, but I put my speedos on and did the walk of shame in full view at the swimming pool."
"It was rough for the first year," he recalls. But now he swims six days a week.
He has lost inches off his waistline and he sees significant improvements in his physique. Better yet, "I've had an unbelievable change in outlook," he says.
His swim times have improved too. Last month, Mr. Kemp broke a national record in a 400-meter medley relay.
Find your lane
Local places to swim:
Portola Valley
Ladera Oaks Swim & Tennis Club
3249 Alpine Road
854-3101, extension 124
Menlo Park
Burgess pool
501 Laurel St.
330-2230
Belle Haven pool
Onetta Harris Community Center
100 Terminal Ave.
330-2237
Redwood City
Menlo Masters
Red Morton Community Park
1315 Madison Ave.
369-7946
Health benefits of swimming
Among the health benefits of regular swimming workouts are:
** Builds bone density.
** Engages all major muscle groups.
** Conditioning with less stress on joints, tendons and ligaments.
** Builds cardio-respiratory endurance.
** Low injury rate due to buoyancy of water.
** Accommodates a variety of skill and fitness levels.
Sources: The Wellness Guide to Lifelong Fitness, Timothy P. White, Ph.D, and the editors of the University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, 1993; "Fresh Start," The Stanford Medical School Health & Fitness Program, 1996.
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