“What are you going to do if you’re lucky enough to live to 100 years old?”
Introducing Ray Loewe. Ray will be traveling to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to compete in The National Senior Games. The National Senior Games, a 25-sport biennial competition for men and women 50 and over, is the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors. Ray will be swimming in the 50 and 100-yard breaststroke and team relays.
Ray started swimming at a young age. He loved being in the water, competing in races, and meeting new people. Fun Fact: When he graduated college he tried out for the 1964 Olympic Team. When he didn’t qualify he decided to take a break from competitive swimming and focus on his next journey. Flash forward a few years, one of his friends announced he was going to try to run his first marathon. Ray said, “If you finish your marathon I will go back to competitive swimming, and I will win something.” Well, Ray may have lost the bet but truly won after all. He started reinvigorating his passion for competitive swimming and has won two gold medals in the National Senior Games.
One of his favorite memories is at the National Senior Games in Birmingham, Alabama. Ray was exploring the complex after he finished his races and walked past a man carrying six medals. Five of them were gold, and one was silver. Ray stopped to talk to the man and found out he won his medals competing in the 100+ age group. At age 103 he won medals in shot put, discus, and various other events.
This memory stays with Ray because it emerged the question, “what happens if I live to be 100 years old, what do I want to do with my life?”
This question ventures into many people’s minds. No matter what you decide to do with your life whether that be sports, arts, or so much more – you need to make sure you’re having fun. “If it gets to be all work and you don’t get a certain amount of joy or satisfaction, it’s not going to work.”
