Tom Landis wins again

Camp Sherman’s Tom Landis won six swim events at the recent 2005 State Games of Oregon held at Mount Hood Community College in Gresham. This was the 20th anniversary for these Master’s swim events.

The 63-year-old Landis, a nationally ranked swimmer, won the 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1500-meter freestyle events in his age group (60-64). He also won the 400-meter individual medley event.

Mount Hood’s pool is a long course (50-meter) Olympic size setting and Landis set a personal record in the 1500-meter event of 20 minutes, 26.33 seconds. This was also an Oregon and zone record.

“That was 15 seconds faster than I had ever done over that distance,” declared Landis.

“I was more committed to my training and usually spent one day a week in Bend with coach Bob Bruce and my teammates training at the Juniper aquatic center pool. Most of my training occurred at the Sisters Athletic Club each week. Living in Camp Sherman, it’s a real advantage for training to have access to a pool in Sisters. I was more committed to my preparation.”

His coach, Bob Bruce, is also National Master’s ‘Coach of the Year’ and was very helpful in fine-tuning Tom’s workouts.

Landis already holds the world masters record in the 200-freestyle and the national record in the 800-freestyle event.

When not in the pool, Landis wears a beeper for calls from the Camp Sherman Hasty Team for search and rescue operations, where he is a member. He recently participated in the rescue of a woman on Mt. Washington.

Landis will be participating in next week’s Fresh Air Sports triathlon in Bend. Later in the month, he will participate in five lake swim events at Elk Lake during the Cascade Lake Swim Festival.

Tom and his wife Madeleine are planning a 17-day vacation and backpacking trip next month in the High Sierras.

“All of these activities keep me in good aerobic condition for swimming, rescue operations and work,” said Landis.

Work includes running llama pack trips around the world.