
DATE: Saturday, September 13, 1997          TAG: 9709130661

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   51 lines

BEACH OFFICER TO TAKE HIS MARK IN TRIATHLON

Suspected criminals might be able to get the jump on Virginia Beach Police officer Dana Johnson, but they better hope they don't have to outrun him too far.

Johnson trains for the long haul. He's a triathlete.

``Had a guy at the Oceanfront one time and he ran into one of those lakes across (Pacific Avenue),'' said Johnson, 39. ``I had to run around the lake and I met him on the other side.

``I would have swam after him, but I'd of sank with all this gear on.''

Johnson will chase only fellowtriathletes Sunday when takes part in the 15th annual Sandman Triathlon at the Oceanfront. He has competed in all 14 previous runnings.

Although he's never won any triathlon, he has dreams of one day competing in the Ironman in Hawaii - the grand daddy of all triathlons.

``I was 50th out of about 600 people that finished, that's my best finish (in the Sandman),'' said Johnson, who has covered a beat for the First Precinct for 16 years. ``And that was back when it was longer distances.''

At 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds - about 40 of which is police gear - Johnson doesn't have the usual triathlete presence.

But he's been a runner all his life.

``I ran cross country and track in high school,'' said Johnson, who was brought to Virginia Beach from his hometown of Jamestown, N.Y., by the U.S. Navy. ``I've done a few marathons before, but it's the adventure of triathlons, the back-to-back events, one after another, that I like so much.''

While he has a background in running, cycling has become his strongest leg in triathlons, He competes in several cycling races throughout the year. Ironically, swimming is his second-strongest event.

``I go down to the beach and leave my stuff at the 18th Street lifeguard stand and run to 30th,'' said Johnson, a familiar sight at Beach high school events where he works part time security. ``Then I swim back. I tell the lifeguards so the tourists don't think I'm a whale or something out there in the water.''

But no matter how he finishes, the training required for his athletic endeavors has been a tremendous help in his work.

After all, he did catch that suspect on the other side of the lake. ILLUSTRATION: SANDMAN TRIATHLON

When: 8 a.m. Sunday.

Where: On Atlantic Avenue at 31st Street.

What: More than 600 athletes will compete in a 1K ocean swim,

14-mile bike ride through Fort Story and 5K run.

How to enter: Late registration will be held from 2-6 p.m. today,

Saturday at Virginia Beach Middle School for $50.