“Sometimes I think my life started at 65, the year I joined the Y.”

Sue Holt, and her husband Ollie first came to the Y 12 years ago and were given a tour by a longtime member, and were fascinated with the pool.  Soon after joining they took yoga with Carol together, and Sue joined the Silver Sneakers aqua exercise class and then the triathlon swim class.  With the encouragement of her family Sue has completed seven outdoor triathlons, all within her being the ages between 65-73 years old.  She has placed first, second and third various years in her age group and credits the volunteers, staff, and lifeguards with running these events and helping her achievements.  “I’m really proud of what I’ve accomplished, it really gave me a boost when I needed it” she shared.

Sue and her husband Ollie, residents of Amherst, have been married since 1967 and raised two daughters in the community.  The pair met in Concord on a blind date that was set up by a family friend, and having both come from farming families they were a good fit.  Sue held various jobs while raising her family, her last role being a cashier at Shaw’s.  When she retired at 65 she knew she wanted something to keep her and Ollie busy, so she turned to the Y, and her triathlon journey soon began.

Today Sue still enjoys the Y three times per week with swimming and group cycling and walking at nearby Mine Falls.  In addition to her sprint triathlon achievements, Sue has completed three indoor tri events at the YMCA.  She also credits the Y with saving her husband, who was previously a 100 miler runner and after an injury attended the Y as an extension of his physical therapy.

The Y is so clearly a huge part of Sue’s life, she even has a Y tattoo!  “The community I have found at the Y is called ‘my Y family’, a praise I have heard by many others here.”