Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series Comes to Webster

By Kim Dunbar, Pulse Sports Editor

Boston may have its marathon, but Webster has its triathlon. On July 27, 1,200 women will gather to compete in the Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series New England, the region’s most popular event. It’s a race that combines a half-mile swim, a 12 mile bike ride and a 2.8 mile run at Webster Lake.

In its 19^th consecutive year, the DWTS is the longest running multi-sports series in the world.

“In 1990, triathlons were a male dominated sport and there were no events just for women,” said Joy Hermsen, co-founder and President of Jill B. Nimble, an organization that helps women train for events like triathlons. This year, Jill B. Nimble has formed a Worcester-based training group to prepare women for the grueling test.

Hermsen said that the first DWTS event started with 150 women and has grown to draw about 23,000 participants annually nationwide. This exponential growth might have something to do with the female support systems and feel of a team.

“There is a completely different vibe with an event that is made up of all women,” said Hermsen. “There is no competitiveness, it really is a team. An event like this can seem so intimidating, but it does not matter your age, your size. Give us a reason why you can’t do a triathlon and we will say why you can,” Hermsen added.

Each year approximately two-thirds of the DWTS participants are newcomers who have never competed in a triathlon before. Most women decide to participate because a friend is doing it or has told them about the race. Take, for example, Worcester resident Linnea Sheldon, who was looking for a new challenge and decided to go for it when a couple of her friends signed up.

“There is a group of us who are all signed up for the race and just keep in touch and try to help motivate each other,” said Sheldon. “It has been very helpful. I have one friend who lost her mother to breast cancer and her strength has been amazing throughout this training. She is the reason I get up and do my training everyday.”

Hermsen said that many of the triathlon runners she has seen in the past have been cancer or stroke survivors, or people who have lost a limb in an accident. While the triathlon doesn’t involve fundraising or the collection of pledges, Danskin donates part of the registration fees to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. That is something that Michelle Harvanek from Quinebaug, CT uses as motivation. She has formed a relay team with her sister because neither of them wanted to face the challenge alone.

“This is a personal challenge but I am also doing this to honor all those who have survived breast cancer,” she said. “I hope that the funding we raise through this event, and others like it, will allow researchers the necessary funding to find a cure.”

Both Sheldon and Harvanek are ready for the physical challenge. Harvanek, who has had no formal training, is taking it slow and steady while Sheldon, a professional exercise instructor, is used to hard workouts but nothing like the road ahead of her.

“I am so used to being a daily exerciser that it is sometimes hard to focus on the long-range plans,” said Sheldon. “I am such a laid back person, it’s going to be way out of my comfort zone.”

Hersmen hopes the participants come away with a life lesson.

“This event is empowering for women,” said Hermsen. “The women who never thought they could complete a triathlon realize they can. Afterwards they feel like there’s nothing they can’t do.”

For more information on DWTS events, log on to www.danskin.com/triathlon ~ or to learn more about Jill B. Nimble training and events, visit www.jillbnimble.com.

Photos: top left, Runners set for race

bottom right, Athlete signs banner