Seattle Danskin Triathlon 2010

I am so proud of you and so happy you did this. We can do anything we put our minds and bodies to do. Great Job Ali!

Congratulations on such a wonderful accomplishment. So nice that you have it documented with photos. This is so inspirational, not that we all have to be athletes, but that we should not be afraid to embrace and follow our dreams. I'm here clapping for you.

Ali, from your will to do this to the photos to the time...I have just been transported to 2000 when I finished my first and only Danskin Tri.
I am DEATHLY afraid of water and didn't know how to swim. So at the age of 33 I decided to learn. My friend Holly spent the winter before teaching me. That August we drove to Denver, Colorado {an 8 hour drive}. We did the race in a huge park there...I have photos very similar to yours.
The morning of the race I was so sick with fear. I had never swam in open water with so many people! When it came my time to go in I froze. A famous triathlete {Sally Edwards} was on the sidelines and she was so sweet. She encouraged me in the water. Once in I panicked. Finally I was given one of those boogie boards kids use and the COAST GUARD boat came beside me and stayed with me the entire way! I was so TERRIFIED!! I was doing this for my Dad who had died of Leukemia 4 years before and I just kept thinking of him.
When I finally got out of the water I remember just standing there...exhausted, embarrassed and tears were running down my face. I was sobbing. This old couple was standing there and they said...."Honey, RUN.". That snapped me out of the trance I was in and I began running up the hill and over the grass to my bike. From there it was so much fun!!!
Doing this was life-changing...I am so proud of myself for finishing {even if I had to have the Coast Guard and a boogie board help me through the water!}
I am so proud of you!!! What an amazing day!!!!!

Congratulations -- you rock! Very inspiring -- I hope to push myself to do something athletic this year -- I know I just have to do it and not talk about it -- your story inspires me. How great that your sister got these great pics so you can relive your experience and share it with others.

Congratulations!! I could feel the excitement as I read your post! Thanks for sharing.

Awesome!! Congrats on a personal journey "beginning"
Here's to the next event.

I don't have your willpower to just do it. you have to be proud of yourself, I would be.

Congratulations, Ali! I am so in awe of you. Thanks for sharing this great accomplishment.

Really so cool!! And your stats are so completely respectable! Wow! You are right in there with all the veterans! :) Congratulations, it must really feel like such an unbelievable sense of accomplishment!

This is outstanding! Your endless persistence and strength are a great model for those of us who need that extra push!!

That's AWESOME. So proud of you and don't hardly know you!
I hoping to have the same achievement one day. I've been wanting to do a tri for as long as I can remember. I wanted to have done one by the age of 30 but I'm still working on it! Good for you!

this is so great and inspiring! congrats.

Congratulations, what a wonderful accomplishment to be so proud of no matter what time you finished-you FINISHED!!! You are definitely an inspiration to all of us out there!

Congratulations! What an amazing feat. Great job - you are an inspiration!

Sooo incredible and awesome! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and photos with us. I thought of you many times that day hoping it was going well.
Congratulations!

I was so excited reading this that I felt like I was racing with you! You put in a great time/pace for taking your time and doing your own race. I remember the first 10k I ever did. I cried like a baby when I crossed the line cause I was just so darn proud that I had showed up! Great job, Ali!

Way to go Ali!!!!!!!!!
You are Awesome!!!!!!

Wow, you are an inspiration! Makes me want to try one too! :)

You know, it's my secret desire to do a triatholon. I'm not a runner, so I'd have to work. Way to go, you!

That is SO AWESOME!!! GO ALI!!!!
I have started running this last year and am training for a half marathon. I am interested in a triathlon, but I am worried about the swim part, since I know how to swim, but without any technique. I am considering taking lessons and training for next year. You make it sound easy!
Great job!!!