Anyone doing the Danskin Tri at WDW?

[getnthinr]

Is anyone doing the Danskin Tri at WDW? It's scheduled for May 12-13 (Mother's Day weekend) and registration is open. It is for women only and VERY first-timer oriented. You can get a couple of buddies (or sisters or daughters) and do the race as a team, or you can do the entire tri solo. The race distances are even shorter than the typical sprint tri: Swim - 1/4 Mile, Bike - 9 Miles, Run - 2 Miles. you don't even need special clothes or an expensive bike -- it is very much a "come as you are" event and everyone there is extremely supportive and encouraging.

So if you have always wanted to do a tri but have been a bit intimidated in the past -- THIS is the race for you! The race fills very quickly, so if you think you might be interested, I'd encourage you to sign up right away.

http://www.danskin.com/disneymain.html

Here are some photos from my trip with my daughters last year.
The start and finish areas

My team

Oh yes, and you do get a medal -- even if you are on a relay team -- every member gets her own medal! If anyone is planning to do it, please let me know and we'll do a mini-WISH meet sometime that weekend, even if it's just to say "hi" in the transition area.

 

[wfloyd]

Lynnda did this last year and had a blast. She is looking forward to doing it again next year. She also felt this was a great race to see how tri's actually are.

Bill

 

[TiffJ]

I soooo want to do this race. I have too much going on this year esp. with coming down for Minnie (kiddos in school so I cant stay longer) Hopefully I can do it next year.

Wendy & Lynnda-so how nasty is it swimming the the lake?

 

[getnthinr]

Wendy & Lynnda-so how nasty is it swimming the the lake?

My daughter, Ally, did the swim for my team. She is a year-round swimmer and finished 10th overall in the tri (took her 6 WHOLE minutes to do the swim -- she said she kept having to stop for slower swimmers ). You can see I'm in a completely different world (astral plane?) than she is, but what she told me was the water wasn't that bad. The Danskin folks describe it as "tannic, like swimming in a cup of warm tea" -- It looked dark and scary to me, but my daughter assures me it isn't a big deal once you're in it and you can see swimmers swimming beside you.

Assuming I don't completely flake out, this will be my first attempt at the entire race solo. I met so many relay team members last year (my first year) -- many of whom had been doing this race annually for a while with their coworkers or family members. It is a very upbeat event and you are told to encourage EVERYONE during the race. Sally Edwards, the celebrity sponsor and past ironwoman, says this race is for women and "we aren't going to do it their way -- we're doing it OUR way" and you are instructed to say "You go girl" to each person who passes you and each person you pass.

It is such a wonderful, empowering event! I'm so glad my daughters got to see women supporting each other in that way.

 

[crzy4pooh]

I soooo want to do this race. I have too much going on this year esp. with coming down for Minnie (kiddos in school so I cant stay longer) Hopefully I can do it next year.

Wendy & Lynnda-so how nasty is it swimming the the lake?

The lake wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Fair warning, though - my clothes, my bag (and everything in it), and my flip flops I wore before and after the race smelled for a while. You don't notice it at the time, but when you are all crowded onto the ferry, you notice how much everyone smells like icky water!!!

I did it with a couple friends, so we went in the mixed age group. In the swim, all three of us got caught in with people that really didn't know how to swim very well. When I do it again next year, I will definitely go with my age group. I'm not a great swimmer, but with the mixed group, I just couldn't get past the "mob" of those doing backstroke, doggy paddle, holding onto the swim angels, etc. (Which is another reason this race is so great - you don't have to be an expert at all three events to do it.) Also, practice looking up frequently. The water is very murky, and you won't see much. I think I added an extra 50 yards for going too wide at one point.

I cannot say enough great things about this race - what an inspiration to see all the cancer survivors of every age, and to see people from every athletic ability and background cheering each other on! There really was no feeling of competition - it was all about encouraging the other women to reach deep inside, to find their inner strength, and be the best that they could. For anyone considering this race, the coolest part is that you will never be the last place finisher. Sally Edwards always finishes out the race, and the cheering for those coming in at the end is almost deafening.

I have to admit I'm sad I won't be doing it this year, but my friends are both doing it again, and I think we will go over for the expo on Saturday just for fun.

Wendy - have a wonderful time and an awesome race!!! Tiffany - I'll be looking for you next year!!!

--Lynnda

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

What a great event this seems. I WISH I could play.

Have fun to whomever of our WISH Team gets to go.

 

[ultramickeymouse]

My DW and I will still be there as part of the Minnie trip. We will miss the race as we have a 6:00 flight on Sunday morning Maybe we will see you before the race

 

[perfectmatch300]

Too bad I did not see this sooner. I checked, and registration closed on 2/28. I think I will set my sights on next year's event, as long as my knees hold out. It really does sound like the kind of tri that I have been looking for. I'm glad you don't need a wetsuit or special bike, because I don't have either and I know my swim to bike transition would be painfully slow because there would definitely be shorts and a shirt going on this body over my swimsuit before I got on my bike! I think I'd fare pretty well in the swim, I'd hold my own on the bike even though I ride a Wal-Mart klunker, and by the time I finished that, I'd struggle through the 2 miles on foot. Still, I'd love to give it a shot.

 

[Jodi]

What if you're not local? I couldn't afford to send a bike down there, 'sides, I've got a wal-mart clunker, too. Can you rent a bike or something? I'd love to try this! Or should I find one local so I can drag my bike w/ me?
Thanks for any info.
Jodi

 

[getnthinr]

They do offer bike rental, but it is quite expensive ($200 this year). There is also an option to ship your bike, but again, it's almost as expensive and you need to be able to disassemble and reassemble it or pay someone else to ($149). I'm not local either -- unless you'd consider a 9.5 - 10 hour drive local -- but driving my own bike down was definitely cheaper than flying and shipping my bike, or renting one. Danskin does have tris all over, though, so you might check their website and see if one is closer to you. I understand the atmosphere for this race is much the same everywhere it is held.

http://www.danskin.com/triathlon.html

What if you're not local? I couldn't afford to send a bike down there, 'sides, I've got a wal-mart clunker, too. Can you rent a bike or something? I'd love to try this! Or should I find one local so I can drag my bike w/ me?
Thanks for any info.
Jodi

 

[getnthinr]

Robert, I'll love to say a quick hello to you and Linda. I'll be driving down Friday, but will arrive quite late. Maybe we can get together on Saturday. I'll email you as the time draws closer. It'll be a wild couple of weeks for me -- driving 9.5 hours in one direction to Cinci for the Pig one weekend, then driving 9.5 hours in the other direction for the tri the next!

My DW and I will still be there as part of the Minnie trip. We will miss the race as we have a 6:00 flight on Sunday morning Maybe we will see you before the race

 

[perfectmatch300]

Out of curiosity I just looked at the 2006 results to see approximately how I'd do. It was interesting to say the least. I'd be at least in the top 10 for the swim in my age group, probably about the top third overall. On the bike I would be at about the mid point in my age group based on my usual average speed on my current bike. Then comes the run. No wait, for me at that point it would be all walking as it usually is anyway! Let's just say that most of the field would be passing me! Still, I would'nt have finished last, or should I say just ahead of the designated last place finisher! Since this year's registration is already closed in Orlando I have over a year to try to improve my bike and walk/run times so I can sign up for next year's event. Maybe by then I will be able to afford a better bike, too!

I am actually thinking of going down to watch this year's event to get a better feel for what it would be like. That is, if night person me can get moving that early in the AM!

 

[TiffJ]

ohhhh, I just WISH I could do it this year. I have been wanting to for a couple of years now, but just can't swing it this year with all else we have going on.

Lynnda-next year......you, me & the Danskin Tri: Be there or be square

I remember being there several years ago in May & seing the bikers walking their bikes in front of MK I had no idea at the time what was going on.

 

[crzy4pooh]

Lynnda-next year......you, me & the Danskin Tri: Be there or be square

Woo-Hoo!!!! I'm marking my calendar!!!

 

[perfectmatch300]

Tiff & Lynnda, can I join your party next year?

 

[getnthinr]

My race report is in the weekly WISH racing thread here:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=18656370&postcount=35

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Great job Wendy! You finished your first tri. Next year will even be better

Can't miss another visit to WDW

 

[sk8ingmom]

IF I survive today, I'll be there in '09!

I'm here this morning getting motivated for my first-ever tri later today! Pinned my number on my WISH shirt a few minutes ago.

This even sounds awesome! I'm sk8ing WDW in April '08, so I'll have to wait until '09 for this one.

A girls gotta have goals!

 

[ultramickeymouse]

Good luck today!

BTW the Inline Marathon Weekend has been moved from April to May 4, 2008. It has taken over what was the Minnie Wekend. Disney has it listed on its site.

 

[sk8ingmom]

Thanks! I just changed my sig.

An extra month to train!