[Stoneridge Creek residents Susie and Del Krause pose for a photo following Susie’s 1-mile swim in open waters on August 13, during the Lake Tahoe Sharkfest Swim.]
Susan “Susie” Krause proudly wears her Sharkfest Swim medal as she becomes the record holder for the most experienced female swimmer to compete in the Lake Tahoe Sharkfest Swim. On August 13, the 81-year-old Pleasanton senior finished the 1-mile swim in open waters at 43:13, setting the age record.
In preparation, she spent the last year swimming 1 mile three days a week at her Stoneridge Creek senior living community home in Pleasanton, California. She says the most challenging part of her Sharkfest Swim was the elevation, which is nearly 6,225 feet.
“Strength wise, I felt physically really strong, really in good shape, but the thing that’s difficult is here I’m in a much lower altitude, and up in Tahoe I go up to 6,000 feet to do the swim,” Krause told the Pleasanton Weekly in an article. “I had to breathe every stroke instead of every three or four strokes.”
Susie has been swimming since she was a toddler, and her love of water has spread to her entire family. Her son, daughter, and even her 12-year-old grandson competed this year.
While the competition is over, Susie continues her training by doing the marathon swimming challenge, Oceans Seven. She’s spent the last year reaching her goal of swimming around 150 miles, which is equivalent to swimming the length of seven channels.
On a regular basis, Susie attends full-body workout exercise classes at the community, including boot camp, Pilates, strength training, and BollyX.
Krause told the Pleasanton Weekly that this swim has kept her motivated.
“I’m probably doing as much physically as I used to, except I’m doing classes which I never used to do. Before I was cycling, kayaking, skiing, and running, and I played a lot of tennis, did that kind of thing, and I never really went to a gym until I came in here,” she said.
Below, you’ll find a video of Susie swimming in the Stoneridge Creek pool. She demonstrates the torpedo stroke that helped her compete in the Lake Tahoe Swimfest race.
Wellness Programming at Stoneridge Creek
Wellness programming has always been an important aspect of life in the Bay Area senior living community. From the on-site programming to the many life-enrichment activities and amenities, residents have many opportunities to improve and enhance their health.
Roy Fowler, a fitness manager at Stoneridge Creek, told The Independent that programming focuses on strength and agility to give residents like Krause the base they need to stay active and engaged as they age.
“Susie is an exceptional person and an exceptional athlete,” Fowler said during The Independent interview. “She has all the components of what it takes to be a good athlete. She’s a joy to work with and inspiring to other residents.”
According to the National Council on Aging, there are many health benefits of swimming for seniors. These positively impact mental and emotional well-being and can help prevent bone loss, relieve osteoarthritis pain, increase heart rate, and even ward off chronic diseases.
Seniors can reap several important wellness benefits with as little as 30 minutes of water activities per day.
Make Wellness a Priority at Stoneridge Creek
Of course, wellness is more than just your exercise routine and your diet. At Stoneridge Creek, our wellness team works to help all residents on their wellness journey. Susie Krause is a prime example of this.
Our community is a place to find like-minded seniors, take part in new experiences, and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with eliminating the responsibilities of homeownership like chores.
Want to learn more about the lifestyle at Stoneridge Creek? Contact us to schedule a tour, and fill out the contact form to get in touch.