Injuries Don't Stop Masters Legend Penny Noyes, EP 228

We're poolside with the extraordinary Penny Noyes, a woman who epitomizes the phrase 'age is just a number'. The 69-year-old swimming legend, with nine world records and 14 national records to her name, shares insights into her phenomenal career and her secret to maintaining athletic excellence despite personal health challenges and a string of injuries.

We dive deep into Penny’s rigorous training routine, which intriguingly involves training with a USA swim club team, consisting of 14 to 17-year-olds. Prepare to be inspired as she opens up about her journey of overcoming significant odds, including four shoulder surgeries and two ACL repairs, and her persistence to keep setting new goals. As she readies herself to enter a new age group next year, Penny's indomitable spirit and unwavering resilience are sure to inspire athletes of all ages. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from a true sporting legend.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

Transcript

WEBVTT

00:00:01.463 --> 00:00:06.272
Welcome to the award-winning Champions Mojo hosted by two world record-holding athletes.

00:00:06.272 --> 00:00:13.788
Be inspired as you listen to conversations with champions and now your hosts, kelly Palace and Maria Parker.

00:00:16.605 --> 00:00:19.967
Hello friends, welcome to the Champions Mojo podcast.

00:00:19.967 --> 00:00:26.150
I am your host, kelly Palace, and, as usual, I am with my co-host, maria Parker.

00:00:26.150 --> 00:00:29.478
Hey Maria, hey Kelly, it's great to be with you here today.

00:00:29.478 --> 00:00:41.569
Yes, and Maria, this is a special edition of Champions Mojo from the pool deck and we have a great interview for you today.

00:00:41.569 --> 00:00:45.387
It's brief, it's short, but it's powerful.

00:00:46.009 --> 00:00:47.180
Yeah, and we.

00:00:47.180 --> 00:00:52.932
I wasn't there, but I was able to listen to the interview and some great takeaways.

00:00:53.432 --> 00:00:56.588
Yeah, we hope you'll stick around and catch the takeaways.

00:00:56.588 --> 00:00:57.841
And here we go.

00:00:57.841 --> 00:01:02.901
We're on deck at the Raleigh Area Masters Last chance meet.

00:01:02.901 --> 00:01:12.391
It's the long course meet in August and I'm on deck with Penny Noyes and I have been wanting to be Penny in person for decades, literally decades.

00:01:12.391 --> 00:01:14.085
So, penny, welcome to Champions.

00:01:14.085 --> 00:01:16.125
Mojo, hello, how are you doing?

00:01:16.125 --> 00:01:17.128
Doing great.

00:01:17.128 --> 00:01:23.344
I got to tell you the first time that I really tuned in to how fast you were swimming for being a 65,.

00:01:23.344 --> 00:01:24.769
I'm 69 now.

00:01:24.769 --> 00:01:27.174
Oh, okay, so you're at the top of your age group, 69.

00:01:27.174 --> 00:01:34.245
I was in a heat after you at the Minneapolis Long Course Nationals and you were in the 60 to 64 age group.

00:01:34.245 --> 00:01:37.537
I was in the 55 to 59, and you swam a 106.

00:01:37.537 --> 00:01:39.947
It might not even been your fastest 100.

00:01:39.947 --> 00:01:48.700
But I remember all of us 55 year olds went wow, a 60 plus person swimming a 106, long Course, hundred, free.

00:01:48.700 --> 00:01:52.350
But you set nine world records, 14 national records.

00:01:52.350 --> 00:01:55.867
So tell us, what is the secret to Penny?

00:01:55.927 --> 00:02:10.551
Noyes, I just feel like I'm not the age I am, I guess, and I swim, partly because of some family history and illnesses and health timers, and I have peripheral neuropathy and have difficulty balancing and swimming seems to help you a lot.

00:02:10.551 --> 00:02:12.506
My neurologist said keep doing what you're doing.

00:02:12.900 --> 00:02:18.731
I recently noticed you used to swim for Sky right or Kentucky, kentucky, yeah, and then what are you doing now?

00:02:18.792 --> 00:02:19.151
Where are you?

00:02:19.151 --> 00:02:27.550
I live in Bowling Green, kentucky, which is actually closer to Nashville, and so I switched over from the Kentucky team over to a Nashville team called Ennsworth.

00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:30.582
Okay, great, wonderful to have you in our zone.

00:02:30.582 --> 00:02:33.229
Darn it, because all the records are getting broken.

00:02:33.229 --> 00:02:36.546
Just kidding, tell us a little bit about your training schedule.

00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:43.513
I actually in 2018, I was trying to break 53 record and one of the USA coaches in town.

00:02:43.513 --> 00:02:51.689
I asked him if he would just watch me because I kept missing it by three 100ths of a second and he tweaked my start a little bit and I broke it the next time I swam it.

00:02:51.689 --> 00:02:54.147
I said God, I think I'd like to go for some more.

00:02:54.147 --> 00:02:55.245
And he said why don't you train with us?

00:02:55.245 --> 00:03:02.782
So since fall of 2018, I've been training with the 14 to 17 year olds on the Southern Kentucky swim club team.

00:03:03.525 --> 00:03:05.270
Wow, Okay, that's wonderful.

00:03:05.270 --> 00:03:05.931
Awesome to hear.

00:03:05.931 --> 00:03:07.786
Now, what does that schedule look like?

00:03:07.786 --> 00:03:08.628
How many days a week?

00:03:09.100 --> 00:03:11.288
It's at least six times a week, two days a week.

00:03:11.288 --> 00:03:17.907
We usually swim twice a day and then I do some weights at home, pretty light stuff, and I also cycle and do traplons.

00:03:17.907 --> 00:03:20.645
But I have a torn hamstring right now, probably need surgery this fall.

00:03:20.645 --> 00:03:23.046
I can swim, but I can't bike and run right now.

00:03:23.939 --> 00:03:25.064
So that was my next question.

00:03:25.064 --> 00:03:27.247
Have you had a lot of injuries or not?

00:03:27.659 --> 00:03:28.985
I've had four shoulder surgeries.

00:03:28.985 --> 00:03:32.169
I've had both ACLs replaced since 2010.

00:03:32.169 --> 00:03:35.046
I've had really good recoveries from them.

00:03:35.046 --> 00:03:40.439
They're long recoveries but I get in the water after three or four weeks and I swim with one arm for six months and I get back to it.

00:03:40.439 --> 00:03:44.790
It actually helped my fly because I did so much one arm glide when I was recovering from one of them.

00:03:45.621 --> 00:03:49.752
So you're coming into a new age group 70 years old You're going to be next year.

00:03:49.752 --> 00:03:51.907
What are some of your roles for your next stage?

00:03:51.926 --> 00:03:52.087
group.

00:03:52.087 --> 00:03:56.469
I think after this surgery I'm pretty sure I'm going to be having the surgery later this fall.

00:03:56.469 --> 00:04:00.789
I'll have a pretty long recovery but by next summer I'm hoping to be back in there.

00:04:00.789 --> 00:04:08.849
I'm really a drop dead sprinter but because I'm swimming with these kids it allows me to do things like 200 fly and 400 IM that I've never done before.

00:04:08.849 --> 00:04:12.449
So I just hope to get back into those after the surgery.

00:04:13.460 --> 00:04:24.331
So have you felt like, as you've aged, do you feel like you're slowing down a lot, a little, or do you always think, hey, I can still do my best times in the top of my age group?

00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:29.050
I feel like from 65 to 69, I definitely did slow down quite a bit.

00:04:29.050 --> 00:04:38.571
I was in a pretty bad car accident just before COVID and as soon as the ASCs opened up I had shoulder surgery and I haven't come back to the times I was doing at 65.

00:04:38.571 --> 00:04:41.928
But interestingly you mentioned a 106 that I did.

00:04:41.928 --> 00:04:53.091
My brother sent me a newspaper article from our whole hometown newspaper 50 years ago today, the date that I swam when I was in the 13 at Coinclair, canada, and I did a 106 then.

00:04:53.091 --> 00:04:59.084
So I thought that was really ironic that in the same year that I got this article about 50 years ago today, that was in there.

00:04:59.665 --> 00:05:00.750
That is really cool.

00:05:00.750 --> 00:05:03.108
Okay, second to last question Do you lift weights?

00:05:03.764 --> 00:05:05.211
I do lift weights, but nothing heavy.

00:05:05.211 --> 00:05:06.730
I don't do anything heavy.

00:05:06.730 --> 00:05:09.550
I do really like stuff, Do planks and things like that.

00:05:09.550 --> 00:05:19.192
And for the shoulders I actually do the PT that I did after the surgery is just to keep them in shape with vans and stuff, just to try to keep them from going out on me again.

00:05:19.733 --> 00:05:20.295
Awesome, awesome.

00:05:20.295 --> 00:05:27.829
Last question we ask everybody when you dive in the water, either in practice or in a meet, spiritually, what do you say to yourself?

00:05:27.829 --> 00:05:28.632
When you dive in the water?

00:05:29.064 --> 00:05:31.810
Well, if it's 200 fly, I say what the hell are you thinking?

00:05:31.810 --> 00:05:33.148
But 50 free.

00:05:33.148 --> 00:05:37.392
I just I really have a plan, usually as far as like when I'm gonna take breaths and stuff.

00:05:37.392 --> 00:05:40.415
So I'm focused on that sort of mantra of what I'm gonna do.

00:05:40.415 --> 00:05:49.771
And then if I'm doing something like a 200 fly, when I get to the second, for the back half of it I'm saying, hips up, just over and over broken record, how about in practice, just for relaxation.

00:05:50.305 --> 00:05:51.444
For relaxation, yeah.

00:05:51.444 --> 00:05:52.947
What do you say when you just dive in the water?

00:05:52.987 --> 00:05:53.449
of practice.

00:05:53.449 --> 00:05:55.870
I don't really play it, really space something to myself.

00:05:55.870 --> 00:05:59.548
It's just like stretch, just a stretch, especially on the warmup.

00:05:59.548 --> 00:06:01.093
Just get a really good warmup.

00:06:01.093 --> 00:06:02.911
I do need a long warmup, okay.

00:06:03.425 --> 00:06:04.750
Thank you so much for your time, penny.

00:06:04.750 --> 00:06:05.889
You're such an inspiration.

00:06:05.889 --> 00:06:09.125
Thank you, hey there.

00:06:09.125 --> 00:06:17.533
Fellow swimmers and water enthusiasts Dive into the pool knowing you can confidently remove the chlorine after you swim with tri-swim.

00:06:17.533 --> 00:06:24.353
This gentle chlorine out hair and body care line is the perfect addition to your post-swim routine.

00:06:24.353 --> 00:06:31.411
Say goodbye to the dry, itchy scalp and say hello to tropical scents and moisturized hair and body.

00:06:31.411 --> 00:06:38.314
Made with botanicals, proteins and aloe, this product will leave your hair and skin strong and healthy.

00:06:38.314 --> 00:06:43.988
Tri-swim is the official chlorine out personal care sponsor for master swimming.

00:06:43.988 --> 00:06:52.916
Head over to sbrsportsinccom and use code mojo23 for 23% off tri-swim today.

00:06:52.916 --> 00:06:59.713
Penny Noise Wow, she is so amazing, maria.

00:06:59.713 --> 00:07:03.732
I was so happy that I got to talk with her because I've just admired her for decades.

00:07:03.732 --> 00:07:07.910
World record holder, national record holder Just an amazing career.

00:07:07.910 --> 00:07:19.690
She's at the top of her age group, at age 69 and still, if you know what swimming a sub 1,100 meter free is, think about the length of a football field.

00:07:19.690 --> 00:07:20.915
That's amazing.

00:07:20.915 --> 00:07:22.470
So what was your first takeaway?

00:07:23.444 --> 00:07:37.413
My first takeaway is that she's still at it even though she's had a lot of surgeries, obviously lots of injuries four shoulder surgeries, two ACL repairs and now she's having another surgery because of a bad car wreck, and she just keeps coming back.

00:07:37.413 --> 00:07:44.129
I think, as we age, we can tend to think of ourselves as, once we have the big surgery, I'm gonna retire or I'm gonna do less.

00:07:44.129 --> 00:07:46.588
Your pond gets smaller, but not Penny.

00:07:46.588 --> 00:07:57.112
She just keeps swimming at the edge there and will not allow these circumstances of injuries, which are gonna happen as we age, keep her from being amazing in the water.

00:07:57.964 --> 00:08:07.406
Yes, we tend to think, okay, I've had a shoulder problem or I've had a knee problem and I'm not gonna be able to come back, but she does come back Now.

00:08:07.406 --> 00:08:18.790
My takeaway, which is pretty obvious, is that she does get really fit by swimming with youngins, as I call them, or the kids.

00:08:18.790 --> 00:08:29.790
So she's training six days a week with the 14 to seven year old age team, and sometimes she even swims twice a day, and we talked about this a little bit before we started recording.

00:08:29.790 --> 00:08:32.071
That's seven workouts a week.

00:08:32.071 --> 00:08:32.754
That's a lot.

00:08:32.754 --> 00:08:36.215
I myself do about three, maybe four a week.

00:08:36.215 --> 00:08:50.706
She's not letting age get in the way of saying I'm gonna work out, I'm gonna work out a lot, I'm gonna work out when I'm recovering from a surgery, I'm gonna work out when I tired or I just love that.

00:08:50.706 --> 00:08:53.548
She's just like the energizer bunny she just keeps going.

00:08:53.924 --> 00:08:55.750
Yeah, she has incredible discipline.

00:08:55.750 --> 00:08:56.673
I like that too.

00:08:56.673 --> 00:08:59.955
She's still doing the shoulder surgery PT exercises.

00:08:59.955 --> 00:09:01.448
She's keeping her shoulders strong.

00:09:01.448 --> 00:09:02.131
She's amazing.

00:09:03.125 --> 00:09:25.431
Yes, and the one really cool stat which I think she pointed out but I just wanted to circle back is that she, at 50 years later so when she was 13, I think, she said she went 106 and the 100 free and then 50 years later, she still went 106 and the 100 free and that's the long course meters.

00:09:25.431 --> 00:09:36.235
She's maintained the speed and I imagine there were probably times in there when she was way faster than 106, but maybe in her 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s.

00:09:36.235 --> 00:09:45.892
But still to go that time 106 when she was 13 and then do it 50 years later is really a testament to how she has maintained her fitness.

00:09:45.892 --> 00:09:49.749
Yeah, she's phenomenal Inspiration.

00:09:49.749 --> 00:09:51.849
All right, maria, another great one in the book.

00:09:51.870 --> 00:09:53.393
Great, great Thank you, love you, kelly.

00:09:53.393 --> 00:09:54.917
Bye, love you too, bye.

00:09:56.884 --> 00:09:59.875
Thank you for listening to the Champions Mojo podcast.

00:09:59.875 --> 00:10:01.190
Did you enjoy the show?

00:10:01.190 --> 00:10:08.051
We'd be grateful if you would leave us a five star review on iTunes to help others find us, and we'd also love to hear from you.

00:10:08.051 --> 00:10:12.587
We're on all social media platforms or you can reach us at championsmojocom.