Spotlight: Sally Edwards, Triathlete

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Posted: Friday June 11, 1999 04:36 PM

Residence: Sacramento, Calif.

Upcoming Event: Danskin Women's Triathlon Series, June 19-20, San Jose, California

Worth Watching Because: Thousands of women have come out to compete in the annual Danskin Women's Triathlon Series (DWTS) since its inception in 1990. Sally Edwards, however, has competed in every Danskin race -- 50 over nine years -- and continues her streak in 1999. This year, along with over 9,000 other women in six different cities across the United States, Edwards will swim .75K, bike 20K and run 5K, and she will finish last in every race.

Why last? At age 51, Edwards approaches racing differently today than she did when she was younger and more eager to win prize money and Top 10 finishes. Although Edwards still maintains an ambitious weekly training schedule -- swimming about 2 1/2 miles, biking 100 miles, running 25 miles plus yoga and inline skating -- her main focus as the national spokeswoman for the DWTS the past 10 years has been to help other women achieve their athletic goals. She proudly refers to herself as the DWTS' "sweep athlete." This means she's the last to start and finish every race, and offers encouragement to participants along the way, many of whom are first-timers.

When Edwards is not pushing women toward the finish line, she is encouraging them to become physically active. She gives motivational speeches and offers fitness tips in seminars run by Danskin. The advice Edwards gives must be working: DWTS boasts the triathlon's largest female field -- averaging about 1,500 entrants per race this year compared to the 150 who entered the very first event. This year's series kicked off June 5-6 in Austin, Texas and continues June 19-20 in San Jose, Calif., July 17-18 in Wrentham, Mass., July 24-25 in Chicago, August 7-8 in Denver and concludes August 14-15 in Seattle. Edwards looks forward to a summer of finishing last but certainly not least.

Greatest Success: First place, Women's 50-54, Ironman Australia; Fourth place, Women's 50-54, 1997 Ironman Triathlon World Championships; Finisher of 16 Ironman competitions around the world.

Quote/Unquote: "It's about accomplishing goals and dreams more than it's about racing."
-- Edwards on the DWTS

Cool Fact: In addition to being a professional athlete, Edwards is the author of 12 best selling books and the owner of several businesses, including Heart Zone, a heart rate monitor company in Sacramento, Calif.

Come back soon for a new women's sports Spotlight.

 

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