Attempting the impossible, or at least, the unreasonable, I did two tough things this summer. I climbed Mount Rainier all the way to the very top in July and finished the Danskin triathlon in August.

Which would you think is harder, climbing Mount Rainier, or doing the Danskin triathlon (half-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike, 3.1-mile run)?

The answer probably depends on the person deciding to do it.

It's true that Mount Rainier was tough. There were the weekend snowshoeing trips and hikes up and down Mt Si with increasing levels of weight in the pack. There were lots of sore leg, back and neck muscles and significant time spent in training.

There was the actual climb that involved one day of hiking from Paradise to Camp Muir and one day of climbing to the summit and descending all the way to Paradise. The total elevation gain (and loss) was over 9,000 feet. There was the ecstasy of achievement and the intensity of exhaustion that came with summiting the mountain at around 7 a.m. and being back at Paradise at 4 p.m. All that was truly great and worthy of the pride that comes with achieving a difficult goal.

But, for me, the Danskin was harder. It wasn't the two hours that the event took; that turned out to be relatively easy.

What made it hard was that in January of this year, I couldn't swim farther than one breath would take me. That's not very far. So, I had to learn to swim after 58 years of fear of water. That's not easy!

I didn't have fear based on any close call in the water. I don't remember ever almost drowning. I simply sank every time I got in the water. That makes swimming difficult. I couldn't float and never got the hang of breathing out under water so that I could breathe in when my head came up for air. So, one breath was all I had. For all of you out there who learned to swim as a child, you might think that learning to swim as an adult is easy if you just put your mind to it. People who knew me applauded my decision to learn. They all said that they knew I could do it. They all had more confidence than I did. I'm here to tell you - it's not easy!

I started in January for my 2006 New Year's Resolution. I went to Mary Meyer Life Fitness beginner's drop in swimming classes every Sunday at the Queen Anne pool for almost seven months! After about three months, when I felt I just wasn't getting it, I started taking private lessons every Thursday evening at the Mercer Island pool with Ed Artis, one of the wonderful swim coaches who work with Mary Meyer.

So, I was going on Sundays to group lessons and on Thursdays to private lessons. And I still wasn't getting it!

It wasn't easy!

I was very frustrated and many times considered stopping. However, at some indiscernible point, I started exhaling under water. I don't remember when it happened because I was too focused on rotating, extending, catching the water at the appropriate place, making an "S" pattern with my hands under water, being sure to throw the water backward at the end of my stroke, and all the other details of efficient swimming.

Then, "suddenly" after many months, I started exhaling under water and inhaling when I came up for air. I didn't even realize it. Earlier, I had thought that if I could only breathe, I'd have this swimming thing licked.

I found out, however, that breathing was not the only thing preventing me from swimming. There was this issue with my sinking legs. It's very hard to swim with your legs hanging at a 45-degree angle and acting very efficiently as an anchor. I can't say that I have mastered this little dilemma yet, but I found that swimming with a wet suit or training fins does resolve the problem. It's cheating - a little bit - but the Danskin triathlon allows wet suits. After I tried one in the swimming pool and discovered I really could swim in it, I thought I was home free.

But, it wasn't so easy!

My coach assured me that swimming in open water was not the same as swimming in a swimming pool. There are a few more skills to master. I actually thought that since I could now breathe, it wouldn't matter what kind of water I was breathing in.

Ed took me out to swim in the lake at Madison Park and I swam in shallow water where I could stand up any time. The choppy waves and milfoil were a little disconcerting; however, when he sent me out to the far buoy, well over my head, I freaked out! I had to flip over on my back and get my uncontrollable panic under control with Ed by my side supporting my back. I did manage to make it to shore while Ed was complimenting me on the achievement.

The real achievement was that I went back again. This time I did better. Soon I was doing my twice weekly swims in Lake Washington. I started by doing 20 strokes freestyle and 10 strokes on my back to get my breathing back in check. Then I increased to 30 freestyle, 10 back. Then 40, then 50. Then 100 yards freestyle before flipping over, then 200.

OK, I was getting some confidence. So, I went to Mary Meyers' Open Water Swimming Clinics. There I got to practice with about 100 other swimmers of various abilities competing for the exact same place in the water by hitting and kicking (unintentionally) whoever was in their way. Again, I freaked out and semi-panicked the first two practices. Not until the third, that happened to be on SeaFair weekend with humongous choppy waves, did I start feeling confident about swimming in choppy open water with 100 other people.

So, I thought I was ready to take on Danskin! I knew that the Danskin program offers tremendous support. If I did freak out, I could count on one of the wonderful Danskin swim Angels to come to my aid. The swim Angels are real swimmers who volunteer to spend over three hours in a wet suit escorting panicked swimmers around the course with a noodle (flotation device) close by for resting if needed. My roommate was one of them, so I thought I might get my own personal Angel.

As it turned out, I didn't need her. I actually made it through the entire half mile in just over 21 minutes without resorting to either a noodle or my back stroke! I felt like I had climbed Mt Everest when I got out of the water and I basically floated through the bike and the run. I wasn't there to really compete, but to participate.

It was a wonderful day! There were over 400 cancer survivors who participated, each one being an inspiration for each other and all the rest of us. There were much older women and women who had never done anything athletic before who decided to try because of the great support. The back of the completion medal was stamped with the statement that "The woman who starts the race is not the same woman who finishes it."

As hokey as that may sound, I think it was true for me and for many of us. I feel that I actually started my Danskin back in January when I decided to learn to swim. I haven't totally finished because I'm still working on swimming without my legs acting as anchors; but, I have conquered an irrational fear that has lurked in the background my whole life. I do have the Danskin triathlon (along with my encouraging roommate and Danskin Angel, my personal trainer and my patient swim coach) to thank for it because I probably would not have started my swim training had I not known that the support would be there for me during the race if I actually needed it.

I strongly recommend the Danskin for other women, whether athletic or not. Danskin arranges training support groups so you can train with other women of similar abilities. You can train to win, like fellow West Seattleite Judy Sentz, a phenomenal athlete who won my age group. Judy has competed successfully in Danskin for many years. Or, you can train for fun and reap the health benefits that come with increased activity. Or, you can train to overcome irrational phobias and reap the tremendous psychological benefits that come with that.

So, which was harder, summiting Mt. Rainier or doing the Danskin?

For me, I had to show far more perseverance to swim without an Angel in the Danskin. Both, however, have underscored my life long belief that you can do anything you choose to do if you take it One Step at a Time. You can learn to play the piano or violin, draw, paint, start a business, change careers, repair a fractured relationship, deal with life threatening illness, write poetry or write a book, learn karate, yoga, or judo, lose 100 pounds, stop smoking, become a lawyer, do a triathlon, meditate, anything!

The first step is to choose to try. Next, you need to plan how to do it and get whatever expert help you need (personal trainer, mountain guide, swim coach - I have referrals for those.) Then, you need to execute your plan but be prepared to modify it, if necessary.

Finally, you can stand on top of your personal mountain, grinning from ear to ear.

Sharon E. Best is a West Seattle attorney who can be reached via wseditor@robinsonnews.com