Danskin Women's Triathlon - Seattle - TriathlonSprint

Well someone must have leaked our plan because I think EVERYONE tried to go outside and on the left! I am not sure if the waves were bigger, if it was because I was in later wave than I'd been in the past (I've been in wave two the last three years), or what but it sure seemed like there were more bodies in the water! My plan had been to not panic, swim alternating breathing every 3 and then 4 strokes, and come out feeling strong.

As soon as I got into the water I was fine, but when I put my head under I was kicked. Came up fast. The face in the water didn't scare me, but the myriad of kicking feet and the inability to get out of this knot of women did. Hello panic my old friend. YOu've come to torture me again! I started to panic, although it probably wasn't as bad as usual. J kept saying "It's okay" and I kept saying "I know" and she said "I know you know, but I'm going to keep saying it." I breast stroked out a bit, feeling my old "friend" pulling at me and J told me to go onto my back...exactly what I had told myself I would NOT do, but my body obeyed. I went onto my back, kicked a few times and then said "Stop it, you're fine." Over I went back onto my front, started swimming breathing every other stroke until I could get out of the knot of people.

At that point Julianne was helping another woman who was REALLY panicking. I knew she'd find me so I got going slowly. My panic is funny. It's not "OMG I am going to drown". I don't feel like I can't swim. I just get this "can't put my face in because I don't know what is in front of me or what someone might do to me."

The swim was definitely the most challenging swim I've done. Because I was actually keeping a relatively good pace, considering, I was constantly running into people. I was kicked in the face 6 or 7 times (4 times by the same woman who would float, then KICK HARD, then float), my leg was grabbed twice.

Julianne stayed right next to me the entire time doing the breast stroke. I need her more often! Didn't have to worry about siting. Just looked at her under the water. If I could see the black shorts with the blue stripe, I was fine. She told me I actually swam straight! Imagine! Me! I usually swim like a drunken one-armed sailor! Did end up breathing every 4th stroke, which usually pulls me left (since I breathe on my right), but once I got going and left my old friend behind, I felt good and strong the entire time.

Note: It did not appear to rain on the swim. Ironic, huh?

What I am proud of: I swam in a straight line and was able to relax into a good strong stroke.

What I am not happy with: The fact that I went onto my back

Next time: I am going to remember that my adrenaline will come, whether I want it to or not, and embrace it. I will give myself time to ease into the swim and get past the knot using a breast/crawl combo. Then I will go.

The T1 time was horrible because we had to go to the bathroom. Stupid bladder and stupid me for not going before we went to the swim!

We weren't in a big hurry anyhow. Definitely slowed down by the rain and trying to get into wet clothes.

Go to the bathroom at the beginning. Make it not rain. Oh wait, I can't control that.

J has knee issues so we couldn't run into the bike portion, which was fine. We hit the pavement ready to go and hopped on our bikes. At this point the rain had started, but it wasn't bad. I was a little nervous about biking with so many people around on slick pavement, but I trusted my training (which included a long urban orienteering race in the rain) and my bike and went for it. We agreed to stay together on the bike.

We hit Day Street and about 10 bikers in front of us, one of the women went down. We dismounted and walked up the hill for safety. There was too much congestion and it was too slick for anything else. A woman barreled past us growling at walkers to get to the right, at which point I said "Hey, there's a cyclist down. Just relax." She apologized. The thing is, in a race with 6000 entrants, many of whom ARE NOT going to do any other triathlon and are there for personal challenge, not to win a purse, you have to just know you can't "compete". If that's your goal, Danskin isn't for you.

We mounted after Day Street and headed across the bridge, which is flat with some rolling hills. Dulcy, my bike, wanted to go fast so I had to reign her in. The rain was starting to come down harder and soon my top was soaked from inside and out. J and I biked alongside each other talking on the flats. On the hills I had to go ahead as Dulcy gets antsy if I slow too much on hills, and she threatens to throw me. I lost J for awhile on the out, so watched for her after the turn. I saw her and called to her and stopped to wait for her.

There is about a .25 mile stretch in a tunnel which was such a blessing. By about 1/4 of the way into the bike I was so cold (and I'm sure I wasn't alone). The tunnel was somewhat warm and stopped the wind. Thank the LORD!

I was definitely a lot slower than I could have been, but this afforded me an opportunity to cheerlead. As women went past me I cheered them on. When I saw someone struggling, I offered encouragement. It reminded me that this is what this race is all about! It isn't getting to the finish line as fast as you can...in fact if you do you miss a lot of special moments along the way!

On the way back the wind really started whipping up. My right hand had gone completely numb. Fingers were white and I just kept pumping them to try to keep at least some tingling in them so I could feel them enough to brake. My right foot was also completely clubbed...the toes were numb to the middle of the foot, which always makes me feel like I have a huge "club" on the end of my foot. I was shivering so badly I could feel the bike wobble under me.

At one point I was riding alone so I started to sing;

I'm gonna swim when the spirit says swim! I'm gonna swim when the spirit says swim. I'm gonna swim when the spirit says swim and obey the spirit of the Lord.

I'm gonna bike...I'm gonna run...I'm gonna freeze...I'm gonna shiver. I don't think anyone could hear me over the wind and rain, but it helped me take my mind off how bad I was feeling for the cold.

Finally we entered the tunnel again and I could get some feeling back into my hands. More encouragement to the ladies around me and lots of prayers of thanksgiving. I mean I'm there, you know? I'm riding my bike across a bridge on a Sunday morning in the presence of thousands...THOUSANDS of amazing women. Yes I'm wet. Yes I'm cold. But I am alive and healthy and if that's my biggest problem, I am also blessed.

At the end of the tunnel I waited for Julianne (no sense waiting in the rain) and we caught up again. On the way down Day Street we were all told to dismount. There had been a bad crash and they decided it was too dangerous to ride down. So we did. Some women grumbled, but whatever. It is the journey more than the destination!

As we finished the ride the rain was REALLY coming down. Roy said he saw at least 40 women fall at the dismount. Fortunately we came in fast, but easy and were able to get off quickly and safely. I saw Roy ahead of me and called out to him. He got a picture and I yelled, "Isn't this weather WILD???" and just laughed!

Note to spectators: Bless you over and over again! What a day to be out in the rain! Thank you for the cowbell (can never have enough cowbell) the cheers, the encouragement. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Nothing really...not for the conditions we were in. Obviously we were a team, and I couldn't leave my team mate behind!

What I am proud of: I rode very evenly throughout. I had tuned up my bike myself and she responded beautifully even after a night in the rain. I am proud that I took time to enjoy and encourage on the bike.

What I would do next time: Bring rain gear. I honestly didn't think it would rain that much and I do have a rain jacket I bought specifically for rainy rides.

T2 was faster (no potty this time) but it still was slower than I'd like. That's okay. I had stupidly left my jacket

Find a tiki god deep in a cave in Hawaii and force it to give me the power to control the weather. Alas, not likely.

I knew that we were walking the run, so I was prepared for it. I had stupidly left my jacket out when we went on the bike so I had to don a soaking wet jacket. I figured it would be wet within minutes anyhow, so I put it on.

We headed out to the run walking briskly. Immediately someone handed us Jelly Belly Sports Beans. Wonderful! I needed that! We dug in and ate. I thought Julie was pushing it on my account, and she even said I could run ahead and come back if I needed to. Unfortunately my right foot was still so cold I think I would have tripped if I'd tried to run at this point! Besides, we'd come this far together I wasn't leaving her now!

So we settled into a GREAT brisk walk. Seriously, she can hoof it on the walk! We talked about our lives, thanked the spectators, caught up on the blessings and curses of the last year. It has not been an easy year for her, but never have I known someone to be such a calm witness for a relationship with the Lord. She doesn't preach, she lives. She's dealt with so much and come through it with humor, faith, and class!

As we rounded the corner two women yelled out "You look GREAT!" and I laughed and called back, "You're LYING! We look WET!" The cameraman actually started laughing so hard he had to put his camera down. He chuckled, "That's not very nice" I said "It's true!" We may have FELT great, but I guarantee we didn't LOOK great.

We hit mile one feeling good. My fingers had warmed up as had my toes. We had probably half the spectators but they were enthusiastic! I also noticed WAY more walkers than I've seen in the past. I think it really was because it was so cold. I know my knees and elbows were very stiff and had I been running, it would have taken a relatively substantial amount of time to warm them up.

Mile two took us up the hill. Every year there is a group of bongo drummers who drum us up the hill. I was pretty sure they weren't going to be there this year. After all, it was pouring, it was cold, and they wouldn't want to wreck their instruments. THEY WERE THERE! There were only two, but GOD BLESS THEM! They drummed up right up the hill! We danced our way up the hill, and I called out "We love hills! Hills build BUNS OF STEEL" as I always do. (It may be an old joke, but it never gets old...right?)

As we were almost to the park I looked over and saw Roy passing us going the opposite direction. I called out to him and he joined us on the route for a bit, but we were walking too fast for him! Hahahaha! He gave me the camera because he didn't think he could get close enough for good pictures. I kissed him and he raced on to the finish line to see us finish.

We entered the park and decided that we could run it in. Julie's knee felt good, considering, and we wanted to "look fast" for the finish line pics. We finished running and hugged each other at the end. We did it!

Nothing for this race. For walking, we did a GREAT pace.

There was no "warm down" because we were never warm! Haha! But you know there was warmth in our hearts.

The Danskin is a special race. You look around and you see these women of all shapes and sizes (in fact, very few really look like athletes) who are out there running their own personal race. They have faced demons that most of us will never understand and a little swim/bike/run isn't going to hold them back. I run all kinds of races and while I believe that amateur athletes are, overall, good people I never EVER see the support and fellowship I see on the Danskin. It starts at the starting line and finishes after the race has run. It is in every smile, cheer, and hug. It is the high fives you give before the swim, and the cheering you get as you pass the runners running in while you're running out. It is in every kid jumping up and down screaming "Go Mom! Go Mommy!" It is in every husband and son who is there for his own special athlete.


Nothing. It is the journey not the destination.


There are some things I saw on the race that will stick with me.

The three women behind me, including Julianne, hugging each other as they realized they all belonged to the "one boob" club. The swim angel making her way over to one of those women who still didn't have full range of motion from her mastectomy. Sally Edwards giving us our word and cheering us on like we were the first wave, the best wave, and the most important wave. Julianne comforting a panicked swimmer. The man before the swim bolting around trying to figure out what wave his mother was in so he could help her find her place. The spectators lining the swim exit cheering and hollering as if we were Olympic Athletes. The volunteers helping women with flat tires on the bike. A crowd of women helping up a rider who crashed. The beautiful grey of Lake Washington from the bridge on the bike. The volunteers thanking us...THANKING US! Sports Jelly Bellies! The volunteer high fiving women on both sides. The older heavy lady proudly running around in her sports bra and shorts. You go girl! Roy at every turn taking pictures and cheering us on. The bongo drummers drumming us on. THE FINISH LINE! The woman hugging and hugging another woman who was sobbing in pride at the finish. Peanut butter, bananas, bagels, and hard boiled eggs. Starbucks on the way home. Dry clothing! My hot bath after I got home.

I will hold all of these pictures in my heart until next year. Next week I have another triathlon. I'll race this one and I'm sure I'll "do better" but I won't feel more fulfilled or satisfied than I do today.

Thank you, once again, to every woman, volunteer, and spectator who made this one for the books. This will forever be known as "...remember the year when it never stopped raining?"