Keep moving: That’s Leslie Grissim’s mantra.
As the facility dog coordinator at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Grissim, MA, the primary handler for Canine Clinicians team member Squid, is always on the go.
As a teenager, she was a member of her school’s track and field team: Sprints, hurdles, long jump and shot put were her events.
As an adult she participated in 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and triathlons to quench her thirst for movement.
Four years ago, at age 60, Grissim returned to competitive sports and has found success as a participant in the Senior Games.
“I wanted to work towards something to keep me active,” Grissim said. “It was a goal of mine. I’ve always been that way, and this fit the bill.”
Senior Games offers more than 25 events for people 50 and older. More than 10,000 participants compete in the Olympic-style games at the local, state and national levels.
The first Senior Games event, called the “Senior Olympics,” was held in Los Angeles in 1969. The first National Senior Olympic Games championship took place in 1987 in St. Louis.
Grissim has qualified for nationals each year, competing in the 400 meter, discus, shot put and javelin events, and she has recently added powerlifting to her list.
This year the National Senior Games were held from July 24 to Aug. 4 in Des Moines, Iowa.
“The games are a really inspiring place to be,” she said. “To watch 100-year-olds competing, it’s just amazing.”
Part of the preparation for the throwing events, discus, shot put and javelin involves lifting weights, and that sparked Grissim’s interest in one of the newer offerings at this year’s games — powerlifting.
“I’m still learning how to do it,” she said. “There’s a lot of technique to it. I didn’t know if I was going to like it or not. It was a big learning curve.
“I will say this — adrenaline is a real thing,” she said, laughing.
Grissim earned a silver medal in powerlifting. The event includes three attempts each at squat, bench press and deadlift to obtain the highest weight. In the squat event she lifted 115 lbs., benched 70 lbs. and deadlifted 175 lbs.
In addition, the 400-meter event in Des Moines was an especially good one for Grissim, as she achieved a personal record of 1:22.66.
“I just wanted to make the podium, which is the top eight finishers. The top three get medals. I was fifth [in the 400-meter race], but I was super happy with that. I accomplished my goal,” she said. “This has been a great experience for me. It’s a great example that age is just a number. I try not to think about my actual age, but rather what I can do and am able to do.”
Since 2014, Grissim has served as a volunteer coach for Williamson County middle schoolers interested in the shot put and discus. Staying connected to the sport was another motivation for entering the games, she said.
Her sons are another source of inspiration: Garrett competes in marathons, and CJ is an Ironman competitor.
“It’s a great community,” she said of the senior sporting platform. “We all support each other. It’s just a really cool atmosphere and feels good to be active.”
