They came in groups. They came in pairs. Mothers and daughters. Friends hand in hand. As the announcer said, they looked good and smelled even better after swimming, biking and running at the sixth annual Tri for the Cure at Cherry Creek State Park.
The triathon, one of the largest Tri for the Cure events in the nation, supports the Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation and this year will donate more than $100,000 to the local affiliate of the foundation.
For many who competed in the all-female event Sunday, this was their first triathlon. After months of training and long hours on the bike, in the pool and on the road, they could finally raise their arms in triumph as they crossed the finish line.
“It was very challenging. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be,” said first-timer Julie Paddock. “I can do these things individually, but I’ve never put them all together, and I’ve never done the open- water swim with all of the people.”
Several others agreed with Paddock, saying the swimming leg of the triathlon was the roughest.
“The water’s really tough,” Ann Cope said after finishing her first triathlon. “There are so many people that you just feel like you are bumping and knocking.”
She added that everyone was friendly, even when they were hitting each other in the water.
“If you knock someone, they are so nice,” she said. “They’re like, ‘Sorry.’ ”
Sunday’s Tri for the Cure was a sprint triathlon, which combines a half-mile swim, an 11.4-mile bike ride and a 3.1-mile run. According to race director Amy Downing, the event is capped at 3,000 participants and fills up quickly.
“I think women participate in this for a number of reasons,” she said. “We have breast cancer survivors who come out to support the struggle that they’ve been through. We have people who come out in honor of loved ones who’ve been survivors. We have people who come out just as a personal challenge, a goal they take on. There are so many stories, it’s unbelievable.”
The crowds were big, loud and supportive of the athletes competing. The camaraderie of the women helped many get through the sometimes grueling stages, especially as the weather started to warm up.
“This is a first of many for me, hopefully,” Carmela Fay said. “This was absolutely fantastic. Instead of feeling drained at the end, I actually feel energized because of all of the energy out here.”
Anica Wong: 303-954-1720 or awong@denverpost.com
