Danskin 2008 - Lighten strikes and training pays off!

by Connie Many (back far left)

This was my 3rd time doing the Danskin Triathlon Race. This time I really wanted to do my best. I started training in February and hoped I was well prepared and ready to RACE - not just participate! Here is my race report that I wrote Sunday evening after the race - I'm told you have to do one to document the experience!

The weekend was to be a HOT one. Good news since last year it was pouring during the whole race - which really made racing tricky. I was happy to have a beautiful sunny day to enjoy the experience of this amazing race. The Danskin is special in so many ways. There are cancer survivors racing and women of all ages and sizes. The motto is "You go girlfriend". Encouragement is all around. I was racing with most of my Raise the Hope team and some RTB girls too. Some of them were doing their first Danskin. It has been fun training for this day with all of them.

I woke Sunday morning @ 3:45 to thunder and lightening. What the heck?! It was supposed to be sunny! Here we go again I thought. Got up and ready to leave at 4:45 for Seattle with Jodi, Shaun, Angela & Cathy. It was pouring and still lightening on the way up but when we got to the lake it was just a little windy and warm.

There were 5000 women racing today, and we all headed out to the lake together. It is hard to explain the feeling you get when you are all gathered together like this. Some are very nervous and some are raring to go. It is the largest Danskin TriatIon in the U.S. Every 3 minutes a wave of 100 women charge out to the lake to start the swim. I was in wave 12. I was starting the same time as Angela Meeks, my next door neighbor, and Theresa Moffatt was with us too. It 's pretty cool to start together. Angela always beats me out of the water so I was hoping to stay with her. We were in the water @ 7:16 for the start of the race... The water felt good and I started swimming on the inside lane of the first turn around the bouy. That was pretty bottled necked and I had to stop and push through the group that were having a picnic there! I then stayed in the middle of the course till the next bouy. Once I got around that one I headed on in. This year I was able to swim straight through without stopping for a break! This is hugh for me. The first year I stopped at 5 swim angels ( Angels are helpers out in the lake for swimmers go to ). Last year I stopped 3 times. This year NONE! Once I realized I was doing ok I felt really good and just kept on swimming . I kept thinking about the coaching I got from my boss at work to breath every stroke and to stretch out my hands as I swam. I did the best I could but every none and then I would run into someone floating on their back for a break. I went as fast as I could till I touched the ground with my hand! All the way in! I got out and tore off my googles and started running and ripping off the top part of my wetsuit. I saw Bob (my wonderful husband) as I was running towards the transition area he had the camera and I didn't realize it was him and I ran past him and then turned around to smile for a picture. Not sure how that one will turn out!

I ran up to my bike and ripped the rest of my wetsuit off - I saw that Angela's bike was still there. I beat her in the swim! WOW!!! I sat on my towel and put on my bike shoes, no socks! That's how the fast people do it. Grabbed my helmet & bike and I was off. Ran the bike out of the transition area and then got on. Started off and there was Bob again with the camera. This time I saw him and smiled with out stopping to pose. I didn't feel tired on the bike this time. The last 2 Danskin races when I first got on the bike I was super tired. Today I could tell I was going to do better. The weather was perfect. Not too hot and not rainy! Once we got on I-90 I was able to really go fast and I was passing the slow gals and tiring to keep up with the fast ones. I did a pretty good pace - My fastest speed was 28.6 miles per hour. It didn't last for long but it was fun coming out of the tunnel crusing fast. I felt pretty good overall. Wasn't too tired and was able to keep up a good pace. I had made the turn around and had about half of the bridge left to go and then zooming by me was Angela! Dang it. She is super fast on the bike! Oh well. I'm was glad she was doing well. Finished my bike and was off to transition to the run.

The sun started to come out and it was getting really warm. I put on my socks and running shoes and grabbed my race belt and a swig of water and off I went. I was getting pretty tired and had to walk out of the transition area. I started to run a bit and there was Bob again with his camera. (he was doing a great job trying to keep up with my every move.) I ran past him and turned around and he yelled that the picture was bury.... like I was going too fast or something!? I turned around so that he could try to get another picture of me. I smiled at him for another shot at a picture. Boy it was hot - I have been training alot on my run lately and I just couldn't get moving. I grabbed 2 waters at the water station - one to drink and the other one went over my head. I was running at a slow pace but at least I wasn't walking. Big improvement for me! I passed mile 1 and saw the turn around point up ahead! Yeah almost done! Then I saw Angela coming towards me - she had just past the turn around and wasn't too far ahead of me! We gave each other a high five and she said to come catch her! I told her I was trying! I never could catch her. I was running alittle too slow. I probably could have kicked it up a notch - but I was just too hot and tired. At mile 2.5 we have a pretty steep hill and I kept my running pace up it and then there are about 5 more blocks and we turn into the park! Almost there! Once I turned into the park and ran along the path to the finish line I saw Bob again camera to his face! One more smile and I'll be done! Made the turn into the straight away and only 50 yards to go. I couldn't run fast - but then I heard my friends yelling my name and I saw them there all cheering me in. I got a burst of energy from them and kicked it up as much as I could and ran right toward Sally Edwards and I gave her a big high 5 before crossing the finish line. It is such a great feeling to cross that line. The best part of the race is doing it with your friends. We had about 15 of us that raced today from RTH and it was such a special day to be together and share the experience. Some did the Danskin for the very first time and you could see the sense of accomplishment on their faces once they finished. How cool it is! We have trained together and seen each other go through tough times and good times - Today was a good time!

My times - 2008

swim - 20:06 (1/2 mile)

T1 - 4:36

Bike - 39:36 (12 miles)

T2 - 2:39

Run - 36:57 (3 miles)

Total 1:43:55 (Angela's time: 1:43:18 - I could have beat her!)

Last year - 2007

swim - 20:34 (swim wasn't as long last year - was less tha 1/2 mile)

T1 - 6:34

bike - 57:53

T2 - 3:07

run - 40:51

Total 2:09:01

Year before that - 2006

total was 2:14:03