From Skeptic to Triathlete
Why Susan Denk’s company sponsors the YWCA Women’s Triathlon—and how it’s changed her life.
When Susan Denk was asked to participate in the first Minnesota YWCA Women’s Triathlon by then-YWCA CEO Becky Roloff, her reaction was immediate. And blunt.
“I looked at her like she was out of her mind,” Susan says.
As the owner of White Crane Design:Build and a longtime professional in the construction industry, she was comfortable taking on challenges. But a triathlon? That was different territory entirely.
“ I thought, ‘Nobody’s going to be as old as I am. Nobody’s going to be as inexperienced as I am.’ Turns out me and 999 other women were giving ourselves that same message.”
But, as Susan puts it, “Becky doesn’t take no for an answer.” As chair of the YWCA board at the time, Susan knew she needed to try, so she accepted the challenge, reluctantly.
What followed was a journey that would transform Susan’s relationship with both herself and her community.
Finding her stroke
Susan knew she’d need help with the swim portion. “I was comfortable in the water, but to do a crawl for 500 yards—I was in no way prepared to do that,” she says. So she enrolled in some triathlon-focused swimming lessons, which she describes as “horrifying” at first.
Here she was—a woman who could confidently manage massive and complex construction projects, finding herself vulnerable in a whole new way—learning to build endurance, stroke by stroke.
“I was frightened,” Susan admits about the start of her training process. When she showed up for her triathlon swim lessons at the YWCA, she thought, “Nobody’s going to be as old as I am. Nobody’s going to be as inexperienced as I am.”
She soon realized she wasn’t alone in those fears. “Me and 999 other women were giving ourselves that same message,” she laughs.
Her training paid off. Susan not only completed that first YWCA triathlon—swimming, biking, and power walking (since she can’t run)—she also went on to participate in 10 more. Susan says she’s proud to be one of the inaugural triathletes in what has now become a beloved Minnesota tradition.
“It’s the power of women supporting women.”
The power of sisterhood
What Susan discovered in the water—and what has made her want to continue sponsoring the event through her company, White Crane—is something that has always driven her, in her career and her life: It’s the power of women supporting women.
“One thing I think is unique to having a women’s triathlon is how incredibly supportive it is,” she says. “There are women there who are absolutely there to compete, but there are equally as many—or more—who just want to finish, and they want to support their sisters who are also doing this.”
“You’ll see women saying to each other, ‘You okay? You okay? You need anything? You’ve got this!!’ They’re so willing to lift up the other athletes.”
This supportive atmosphere aligns powerfully with both the YWCA’s mission and Susan’s personal values.
“As we lift up girls and women, we lift everyone up along the way. We begin to close gaps and we create a better community.”
A natural partnership
White Crane, Susan’s local remodeling firm, specifically sponsors the swim portion of the event because: “Everyone in Minnesota should have the opportunity to learn how to swim,” says Susan. “This is the land of 10,000 lakes, after all.”
But for White Crane, this triathlon sponsorship represents more than just community support—it’s a natural extension of the company’s values. “At White Crane, we are passionate about helping to build strong communities in and around the Twin Cities,” says Susan. “We do it by helping people stay in the homes and neighborhoods they love.”
She says that makes this event a perfect fit.
“It’s just a joyful experience for both the athletes and their families to come together for a few hours—right in some of our most beautiful Minneapolis neighborhoods. We’re just so very proud to be able to sponsor this triathlon.”
“All you have to do is cross the finish line and you are, in fact, a triathlete,”
That finish-line feeling
After crossing the finish line that first time, Susan experienced something she hadn’t expected: a profound sense of accomplishment that went well beyond times, or rankings.
“All you have to do is cross the finish line and you are, in fact, a triathlete,” she says. “That means, I am a triathlete— even though you might look at me and think, ‘You? You’re a triathlete??’ You bet your ass I am. Because I’ve participated in this triathlon, and I’ve completed it. It’s a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.”
That feeling—of achieving something that once seemed impossible—is exactly what Susan and White Crane hope to support for the thousands of women who participate in the YWCA Women’s Triathlon this year, and in the years ahead.
Susan’s Tips for Your First Triathlon
Susan offers a few things she’s learned in her 10 years as a triathlete in the YWCA Women’s Triathlon:
Do some training.
“It’s so inspiring to see women of all shapes and sizes come out and give it their very best. All the YWCA asks of you is that you train, so you’re capable of doing this. We want you to be safe in the water.”
Pace yourself.
“Do the swim quickly and efficiently—but, mostly, do it as safely as you can. And do your best to not spike your adrenaline in the first leg. You don’t want to get yourself too worked up right off the bat, so you end up exhausted. And if you do get tired, there’s nobody saying you can’t go into a rescue stroke, like a backstroke or a breaststroke.”
Just keep swimming.
“Remember that the swim is a small percentage of your total race time, so stay calm and just keep swimming—even if it takes you a minute or two longer to get out of the water. It’s a big difference to get out of the water moving well and in a positive way as opposed to being completely exhausted.”
Follow the rules.
“This is a real, sanctioned triathlon—so if you don’t follow the rules, you will get busted.”
Smile for the cameras.
“I always tell people to smile when you see a camera!”
Celebrate each other.
“The most important thing is to celebrate the other women who are doing this triathlon. There are a lot of women with a huge amount of courage who are getting out there with you.”
