Archive: Sports

Lansing Athlete Shanna Swanson placed first in her category at the Cayuga Lakes Triathlon last Sunday.  With times of 12:32 for the 750 yard swim, 54:13 for the bike course, and 25:45 for the 5K (3.1 miles) run, Swanson,14, won the first place medal for the 15 and under girls category.  The triathlon, held at Taughannock Falls State Park, was a national championship event this year.

Swanson placed 317th overall, 75th among all females, and 1st in the Female 15 and Under catergory.  She placed impressively in swimming (124th overall, 25th among all females, and second in her age group) and running (266th overall, 51st among females and first in her age group).  "That isn't the greatest for bike," she says.  "Comparatively my swim and run times are about the same as people that placed better than me.  But the bike time was about ten minutes or so behind most people, so that set me way back."

The Ithaca Triathlon club organized the first Cayuga Lake Triathlon in 2003.  This year's race was also a national championship triathlon and a USA Trithlon sanctioned event.  The event was sponsored by Borg Warner, and medals were designed by Ithaca jewelry designer Mickey Roof .  But Swanson almost didn't get into the race.  The event is capped at 640 individuals, and 35 relay teams.  When Swanson tried to sign up, all those spots had been filled.

But on June 14th she competed in the Borg Warner Triathlon and entered a raffle for a spot in the Cayuga Lakes Triathlon.  It was a great day -- she not only placed first in her age group, but she won the raffle.  On top of that she competed in the 400 meter IM event at a swim meet later that afternoon, dropping about 30 seconds from her previous record.  "I got really psyched up," she said.  "I actually did pretty well.  I was really surprised!"

Swanson is no stranger to triathlons.  A few years ago she competed as a swimmer on a team at the Lansing Family Triathlon.  "I like swimming and I like running," she says.  "I figured I could probably bike somewhat.  The next year I wanted to see if I could do it by myself, to see if I could.  Then I got really into it.  It was a lot of fun, so I started doing it more competitively."


Since then she has participated in the Lansing Family Triathlon, Track with the Y, Borg Warner Triathlon.  At the Lansing event she won first in her age group two years ago.  Last year she placed second despite being bumped up to the adult women's category.  But she says the Cayuga Lakes Triathlon is the biggest she has competed in.

Swanson says she likes competing with herself as well as other athletes. "When I'm running I look at someone ahead of me and set a goal to try to catch up with them or pass them," she says.  "It gives you motivation.  That course went past a waterfall and the trail.  It was really nice to look around.  I didn't know anyone that was in my heat, so I mostly competed against myself."

Swanson swims 5 hours a day and a half hour of weight lifting with the LCats swim team.  She runs three miles a day.  She says she hasn't trained for the bike portion.  "That's my weak point," she says.  "I have to work on that more."


In September Swanson will start her first year Lansing High School.  She is joining the cross country team, and continuing club swimming.  She is thinking of joining a triathlon club to work on her biking.

Swanson says wants to compete again next year, and will be sure to sign up earlier.  And eventually she would like to compete in more events farther afield.  "Definitely, it was a lot of fun," she says.  "I want to get more into it.  National triathlons - that would be cool."

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