Dobson represents Lockhart at Women’s Triathlon Series

By Alonzo Garza
POST-REGISTER

Lockhart will have Kimberly Dobson representing the city in the Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series on Sunday, June 8. For 17 years, the largest and longest running women’s multi sport event has returned to Austin and this year Lockhart will have a participant in the race.
Dobson, who has made Lockhart her home for last four

years, is excited about participating in the event.
“Two years ago, a friend convinced me to celebrate our 30th birthday by competing in the Austin Marathon,” She said. “Since I have an ongoing list of places to see and things to do in life, I hesitated. Then I figured this event would be a wonderful accomplishment to add to my list so I did it. Little did I know, it would result in my participating in the Danskin Triathlon a couple of years later.”
Historically, the Austin race is one of the largest in the Danskin Tri Series, which includes Orlando, Fla., Southern California Calif., Denver, Colo., Chicago, Ill., Seattle, Wa., New York City, and Sandy Hook, N.J.
Danskin Team Survivor, in its 14th year, is one of the series’ primary collateral programs, devoted to women in all stages of cancer treatment, recovery and survivorship, with specific training programs tailored to fit their individual needs.
This year, the race will be held around Walter E. Long Lake Metropolitan Park just east of downtown Austin. The race consists of a half-mile (.75 kilometer) swim, a 12.5-mile (20 kilometer) bicycle ride and a 3.1-mile (5 kilometer) run/walk.
“A co-worker had competed in the race for her first time in 2007 and was eager to participate again in 2008,” Dobson said. “So she convinced me and two other friends of the empowering effect the experience left on her and assured us we could complete the course. A couple of days later, we signed up and began following a schedule put together by another friend who had competed in numerous triathlons.”
Women of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and levels of athletic ability compete in these triathlons, where finishing is winning. The race is open to females from 14 years of age on up. Participants elect to run the race individually or as part of a relay team of two or three women completing the three segments of the race. There is also a “mixed-age-group” category that allows for racers to participate with friends and family members.
“I am a novice when it comes to the swim portion of the race,” Dobson said. “My biggest challenge is overcoming my fear of swimming with a mass crowd. The support of my training buddies has helped me tremendously with building my self-confidence. On race day, I know I’ll be trying many forms of swimming styles like the sidestroke, free style and my favorite… backstroke. Whatever it takes to get me to the end, I’ll do it.”
“What started out as three friends collaborating together with a common goal of finishing this race has turned into a spiritual and emotional journey for all of us,” Dobson said. “I’m excited about joining other women in a race that not only raises funds for a great cause, but also makes an impact on lives forever. I know when I cross the finish line on Sunday, June 8 the Danskin motto will live up to it’s meaning, ‘the woman who starts the race is not the same women who finishes.’”
agarza@post-register.com