Dana Chance, W40-44

tulsa, ok

Describe your athletic background: I have always been involved in sports, and as a kid I enjoyed many different sports. I would have to say that gymnastics was my first love.  In other sports I was not very competitive, I just had fun being active and outside. After college, I watched Rob do triathlons for a year or two, and I decided that if I could swim, I would try one. He taught me to swim,I competed in my first triathlon race soon after that, and I was hooked!

How long have you been competing in multi-sport races?   I did my first triathlon, a sprint, in 1994.

What is your favorite product available at TriSports.com? It is hard to narrow it down, but I love the Zoot ULTRA line of racing gear. It is so comfortable and always looks good. I can't get enough of the  mint chocolate Gu, which is only available at Christmas time, so I stock up. I also love my Zipp wheels.  They are so fast, and the sound that the disc makes when I shift gears is one of my favorite sounds.

How did you get started in triathlon? Rob introduced me to the sport. I watched him race at the Memphis in May Triathlon.  I saw all kinds of people finish the race, and it was inspiring to see everyone finish -- people of all shapes and sizes, young and old. They had such a look of accomplishment on their faces. I decided that I wanted to “tri”, too.

What is your favorite workout? My favorite workout would have to be “the long ride”. I love the anticipation, with a bit of dread mixed in. I enjoy the planning of the route and the planning of the nutrition. It is pretty epic.

If you could train for a week with one other triathlete who would it be and why? I would like to train with my husband. With three busy kids we don't get much time to train together, it is always “tag-team” parenting and training.  With one caveat, though.  I would like him to train at my pace. If I tried to keep up with him it would be a miserable week.

“When I'm not training or racing, I enjoy... hanging out with my family.  I enjoy watching my kids' sporting activities, or going  camping with my son's Boy Scout troop. I like to watch movies in our basement, and I love to read.  I always have a book in my hand at home.

If you could do any triathlon in the world... it would be Kona.  I was fortunate to race there in 2006, and I would love to race there again. Anytime you can qualify for the Hawaiian Ironman, it is an honor to race there.

Describe your biggest race disaster. One year I was racing USAT Nationals in Cleremont, Florida.  On the bike leg, I discovered that my back wheel's skewer wasn't holding into the frame's bracket, so every time I tried to pedal up a hill, the back wheel would jam into the frame. I would have to dismount and fix it each time. Frustrating, to say the least. I finished the bike leg, slowly, by soft pedaling in a small gear up every hill.  I did finally finish the race, but with a disappointing time.

Do you have a non-negotiable pre-race ritual? A bagel with peanut butter for breakfast. Every single race.

What culinary indulgences do you allow yourself after a big race that you don't normally partake of? Rob and I agree 100% on this one, a burger and french fries.  Greasy and salty.

Have you ever accidentally destroyed a very expensive piece of gear? No, thank goodness.  Rob has done enough of that!

What is the worst job you've ever had? When I was in PT school, I worked as a orderly in a hospital. My job was to get the patient out of bed and to the therapy gym. Sounds simple, but this usually entailed getting them dressed, taking them to the bathroom, getting them in wheelchair, and pushing their wheelchair, with their IV pole and oxygen tank, to the therapy gym. Usually the patient, and I, was exhausted before the therapy session even started.  On the bright side, though, I think I am a much better therapist because of my experiences with that job.

What adjective describes you best? Driven

Any advice for athletes new to multi-sport competition? I would tell a new triathlete to “Enjoy the Journey”. Don't rush the process of getting more and more fit. What is considered a long swim, bike or run to you now, may turn into an easy, recovery day in a few years.  But don't be impatient. Enjoy each step. Don't bite off more than you can chew or it will take the fun out of the sport. Don't think you have to finish an Ironman to be a triathlete.  Enjoy what you can give to your new found sport at this present time, and the sport will give back to you, many times over.