Meet GTD Swimmer Patricia Saint Aubin

Patricia Saint Aubin started swimming in a YMCA swim program at age 6 with Coach Trixie Whalen, an Olympic swimmer from Great Britain. She quickly moved in one season from beginners to advanced competitive. She competed in local and regional meets and on through high school.

Saint Aubin acquired her BS in Accounting from Providence College, a school that did not have a swim program. At age 24 she returned to swimming as a hobby and since that time swimming has remained a priority. In fact, she schedules her daily activities around swimming. Go the Distance gives her that extra push to stay on track throughout the year.

She has enjoyed her time back in the water and has swum for many years just for exercise. About eight years ago, her group suggested they go to the New England Masters Championships. And so she became reacquainted with competitive swimming. She’s enjoyed these meets and getting to know others throughout New England who love to swim. Saint Aubin participated in her first national championship in 2010 and placed 5th in the 1650 in her age group.

When Saint Aubin stopped working full time, she returned to graduate school and attained a masters in American history from Providence. She is presently finishing up a double major masters in European history. This past November she decided to run for office within her state political party. She ran and won her race for Republican State Committeewoman for her state senate district. Much of her ability to campaign and do what she needed to do to win was goal setting. She bases many of the successes in her life on being a competitive swimmer.

Like so many swimmers, Saint Aubin tries to find a pool to swim in when she is traveling. While she and her husband were on vacation on Maui, they found the beautiful outdoor pool in Lahania where each day the Aquatics Director hit the pool deck announcing, “Isn’t it a beautiful day!” "Yes," says Saint Aubin, "It’s a beautiful day every day I can get up and get my swim in."

Although she’s not a frequent open water swimmer, she swims the mile in Boston for Swim Across America, a national open water event that raises money for a local cancer research facility. She started doing this event six summers ago after her best friend was diagnosed with colon cancer. He died in September 2010 at age 58. She’s raised more than $15,000 in cancer research money which goes locally to Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. "I am happy my sport allows me the opportunity to give back in such a meaningful way," she says.