If age is a question of mind over matter, Islander Peggy Pomeroy seems determined to prove that she has the answer.

Pomeroy, 85, recently led a group of Seattle-area swimmers in an open-water swim across Lake Washington, swimming from the Mercer Island Beach Club to Kennydale Beach Park in Renton. Pomeroy estimated the distance as 7/10 of a mile.

It wasn’t the first big swim for Pomeroy; she has also previously participated in an open-water swim from the East Channel Bridge, and has taken part in the local Swim Across America half-mile event from Luther Burbank Park.

“I swim all year long, three times a week, so it’s just been an additional challenge,” Pomeroy told the Reporter. “I guess my younger friends bug me on. My younger friend Liz says I have a lot of potential. I don’t know about potential at 85, but you feel good afterward when you’ve done it.”

Fellow Islander Helen Wu was along for the Beach Club swim, braving stormy conditions to swim the round trip to Kennydale and back. Two years ago, Wu didn’t know how to swim, and gave it a try while dealing with a stress injury sustained while running. She met Pomeroy at a swimming masters class at Mary Wayte Pool.

“Here I meet this nice, sweet elderly lady and the next thing I knew, she was convincing me to sign up for Swim Across America,” Wu said. “She’s always looking for the next big adventure and the next goal, which is so fun about her.”

A high school swimmer who worked as a lifeguard in college, Pomeroy keeps fit taking yoga classes and walking with Solemates once a week, both along with swimming, of course. She regularly swims at Clarke Beach, where she originally hatched the idea for her next big open-water swim. Though she admits she changed the departing location at the last minute to the Beach Club because it looked closer.

“I’m glad that it’s behind me for another year,” Pomeroy said of her swimming feat with a laugh.

Wu called Pomeroy “an amazing person” who is always looking for her next challenge.

“After we completed this swim, she was already talking about the next open-water swim we should organize,” Wu said. “She never stops. You would never know that she’s 85, she’s so current and so fun. We all joke and say when we grow, up we want to be just like Peggy.”

The group of five Seattle swimmers, accompanied by kayaker Michael Wu, make their way across Lake Washington toward Kennydale Beach Park Wednesday morning, Aug. 12. The first leg of the trip took the swimmers roughly 45 minutes to accomplish (Joe Livarchik/Mercer Island Reporter).