AURORA — There’s something about No. 2314.
Banged up and all, 76-year-old Elaine Williams of Littleton proudly crossed the finish line at the 19th Danskin Women’s Triathlon on Sunday, claiming the title of oldest participant.
She walked the home stretch hand-in-hand with her daughter and granddaughter, smiles all around.
“It almost makes you want to cry,” Williams said of finishing the race. She admitted she was tired.
“I knew I would finish,” she said. “There was no doubt about it. It was not a problem.”
A field of 2,300 competed in the triathlon — a 1/2-mile swim, 12-mile bicycle race and 3.1-mile run.
An arm injury nearly kept Williams out of the triathlon. She broke her arm in April, an injury she rated on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being terrible, as a “35.”
But even the pain of the broken arm and differing medical opinions couldn’t stop Williams from putting on her running shoes.
“Her chiropractor told her not to participate, (but) her physical therapist said, ‘I don’t see why you can’t,’ ” said Carla Almer, Williams’ daughter. “Well, the chiropractor obviously didn’t know you can’t tell my mom, no, she can’t do something.”
Williams began working out three days a week for two hours a day. She said working out is nothing new to her. It’s in her genes. Williams said her parents weren’t ones to sit still.
“We’ve been very active for a long time. We did this four years ago, and I was in much better shape,” Williams said.
There were other multigenerational pairings. Lindsey Bebensee says her 54-year-old grandmother is an energizer bunny.
“We have to keep up with her,” said Bebensee, 28. “My goal in life is to be half of how she is by the time I am her age.”
For older women to get out and walk and run, it redefines the meaning of the phrase “I’m old,” said Maggie Sullivan, vice president of sports marketing for Danskin Inc.
“Sally Edwards, our series spokeswoman says, ‘Getting older is fine. As long as you’re fit,’ ” Sullivan said.
Bebensee said she believes her grandmother’s courageous spirit may be contagious.
“There are a couple of people that have come up to me and said, ‘My grandma thinks she can do it next year,’ ” Bebensee said.
At the end of the race, Williams wasn’t worried about her time. “We finished,” she said, which was all that mattered to her.
The slogan at the finish line echoed Williams’ spirit.
“You Go Girl.”
Yvette Lanier: 303-954-1033 or ylanier@denverpost.com
