Daily workouts in and out of the pool
Fred Klein
Name: Fred Klein
Age: 95
Resides: Saddlebrooke
“After winning the nationals, I thought I’d slow down, but my wife said, ‘Are you crazy?’”
Background: Originally from Yonkers, New York, Fred Klein lived in Atlanta and Scottsdale before settling on the Saddlebrooke Community just outside of Tucson. In school he ran sprints, and then he served as a pilot in the Marines during World War II. He was the senior vice-president of a big company for many years and retired at age 65. In Scottsdale he built a pool, but just for cooling off. After swimming a lap his community pool that an onlooker, who also happened to be a world class Ironman competitor, remarked, “You should be on the swim team.” That was 13 years ago and he has been swimming ever since.
When He’s Working Out: Klein is active seven days a week. He swims three days a week with the Saddlebrooke Swimmers, and his coach helps him practice his freestyle and backstroke. On his “off” days, he works his core, lifts weights and rides the bike at the gym. He swims in a group made up of his team members, and they compete regularly. In the last master’s meet, he won the gold in his age group. “Of course, there’s no one else my age swimming,” he says.
When He’s Not Working Out: Klein enjoys lunch and socializing with friends and he reads a lot. He’s done a lot of traveling in his life, skiing in Park City, Utah, traveling for a month in Africa and enjoying the sights of Yellowstone National Park. The traveling life is not for him anymore. “I’ve seen everything I want to see,” he says.
Staying Motivated: Klein knows how good swimming and working out is for him. It’s obvious it keeps him young in both body and mind, so he will continue for as long as he can.
At Meal Time: Klein eats “regularly and carefully,” according to his wife. He sometimes eats ice cream and candy, but balances those treats with healthy meals throughout the day. He eats lunch with friends more for their intelligent conversation than the food. He usually eats a half a sandwich and a bowl of soup. The couple eats light meals in the evening, often a salad or scrambled eggs.
Goals: “I’m really living the life,” Klein says. “I’m healthy, I’m fit, my brain still works.” He has a long and loving 66-year marriage with his wife, who was a fellow Marine in World War II. “I flew all over Japan and all I ever got was a little hole in my tail and a cracked windshield. I can’t complain,” he says. “We’ve been very lucky.”
