If you tell Susan Simmons she canB次元官网网址檛 do something, chances are sheB次元官网网址檒l take an extreme approach in the opposite direction.
When she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1995, she was told not to exercise because physical exertion is one of the triggers that can cause a debilitating attack. Although the former competitive swimmer hadnB次元官网网址檛 taken to the water for 25 years, she decided to jump back in with a vengeance.
B次元官网网址淎t the time I was having problems even walking a block,B次元官网网址� explained Simmons, now 51. B次元官网网址淚 thought I was going to wind up in a wheelchair.B次元官网网址�
She believed her experience as a B次元官网网址減retty relaxedB次元官网网址� swimmer would help manage the stress levels. Additionally, she changed to a vegan diet, with an emphasis on foods that help limit inflammation, and reduce the energy loss experienced from the bodyB次元官网网址檚 processing of foods like meat, which can complicate her condition.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been taught since we were kids that diet and exercise are key, but for some reason many of us resist,B次元官网网址� Simmons noted.
Since she is convinced that exercise and diet go hand in hand on the path to a healthier life, Simmons started swimming again the same day she became a vegan.
It also seems a natural progression that she now helps organize the HtO Thetis Lake Swim for MS and the Masters Swimming Association of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 open water swimming provincial championship at Thetis Lake on July 31.
B次元官网网址淲hat I love about Thetis is that the event is a community-based, gentle swim; a great place to start if youB次元官网网址檙e new to open water swimming,B次元官网网址� the James Bay resident said.
B次元官网网址淚t also has more challenging races for more experienced swimmers. ItB次元官网网址檚 a beautiful lake where most people in the Capital Region train for open water swimming.B次元官网网址�
Simmons trains while her partner, Ray Este, paddles nearby in a kayak. Three times a week she swims two- to three-hour sessions, logging six to nine miles each session.
This year will mark the sixth time Simmons has participated in the HtO Thetis Lake Swim for MS. She started out with the 1.5 kilometre race, then swam the 3K the next year and has kept increasing her distance.
B次元官网网址淚 eventually ran out of lake and had to move on to bigger lakes and the ocean,B次元官网网址� she said, having built her distance up to 70-kilometre open water swims. B次元官网网址淢y mantra is swim if you have MS, and itB次元官网网址檚 really worked for me.B次元官网网址�
Simmons hopes lots of people register to swim or just come out to cheer the racers on.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a fantastic way to spend a Sunday morning,B次元官网网址� she said.
You can register for the HtO Thetis Lake swim at . Half of the money raised through donations and sponsors will go toward researching a cure for MS, while the other half supports exercise programs for people with MS in Greater Victoria. This yearB次元官网网址檚 event includes distances of 800 metres, 1.5K, 3K and 5K. In addition, 1.5K and 3K Masters Provincial Championship distances have been added.
reporter@goldstreamgazette.com
