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Name: Heidi Williams
Birthdate: March 21, 1969
Hometown: Charleston, West Virginia
What is your favorite stroke? Freestyle, especially long distance.
What do you love about the sport of swimming? Doing a long workout or open water swim and getting to a meditative, auto-pilot state. Letting my mind wander underwater. Re-thinking my day at practice. Releasing stress in the water.
What do you enjoy about swimming with DAMA? Swimmers are great, friendly people. I have made many friends over the time I have been swimming with DAMA. I love having other people to swim with and also love having coached workouts. (Thank you Bud and Danielle! Gretchen, I miss you.)
How long have you been swimming with DAMA? I started my Masters swimming with DAMA in 1998. I left to swim with NCAM for a couple years when DAMA had no coaching.
Swim Career Highlights/Experience or Swimming Background: I started swim team when I was 10. I swam for a club team, Sun Aquatics, in WV through high school, competing in all events. I walked onto the swim team at U of New Mexico and after a year transferred and swam for Shippensburg U in Shippensburg, PA. I swam distance freestyle in college, the 500, 1000 and 1650. I started open water swimming in 2002 (HUGE thank you to Doug Asbury and Liz Sullivan who inspired me to try open water). Highlight swims have been Bermuda Round the Sound 10K, Bonaire Eco-Swim 10K, several 2.4 Mile Low Country Splash swims in Charleston, SC and my favorite, Big Shoulders 5K swim in Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago.
How often do you swim? 3-4 times/week
Do you compete? If so, what are your favorite events to swim? I have always enjoyed competing. It’s great to socialize at meets with teammates and swim friends on other teams. I have traditionally favored the 500 Free, 1000 Free, 1650 Free and the 400, 800 and 1500 in meters. I like 200 backstroke and more recently have enjoyed the 200 butterfly. My preference now, however, is open water.
How does swimming affect your lifestyle? It is a major priority. I find places to swim when I travel and alternate places to swim when our pool is closed. Swimming is a major component of my physical and mental health.
Future swim goals? I am currently focusing on the 200 butterfly. I plan to compete at Frank Clark and State Champs Meets. This spring/summer I plan to swim the FSSeries Open Water Swims. I’m hoping to swim Big Shoulders this eptember and with a little luck, maybe Bermuda. It would be fun to be a USMS Long Distance All-Star again.
Have a great swimming story? Swimming tips? My favorite swim was a one miler in northern Lake Michigan (Little Traverse Bay, Harbor Springs) with my Dad a few years ago. It was his 1st open water race ever and a chilly 62 degrees. I swam beside him (on his breathing side) swimming breaststroke and guiding him around the course. We got to the finish and as we crossed the line I grabbed his hand to cross together. We stood up and the finish judge smiled at us and said, “I saw Dad first”. He loved it and loved the swim, his first at 70 years old!
What do you do in your life outside of the pool? (work/school/etc.) I am a Surgical Tech at Duke Hospital where I have specialize in Orthopedic Surgery. I captain a dart team on Tuesday nights. My husband is a carpenter/contractor and semi-professional cook/gluten-free baker who spoils me daily with his delicious meals and desserts.
Advice for someone new to the sport? Keep coming back. Time in the water makes you better. When you are new to the sport and start competing, you get personal bests all the time which just makes it even more fun.
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Fun Facts
High School: George Washington HS, Charleston, WV
College(s): U of New Mexico, Shippensburg U, U of Charleston, WV
Favorite sports (other than swimming): As participant: Canoeing, Hiking, Camping; As spectator: Football, Golf, Volleyball
Nickname(s): Hei-dog, MawMaw, Hardcore
Pet(s): Domino, 3, German Shepherd, Anna, 11, Choc Lab/Chow mix
Ultimate Way to Relax: Pedicure
Favorite professional swimmer: Dara Torres
Favorite food: Spinach, Olives, Hot Peppers, French Fries
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