GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — Penny Satterfield spends a lot of time running after her grandkids, but never considered herself as having an active lifestyle.

That was until she signed up for Nancy Stevens’ Tri It Camp.

As of Sunday, Satterfield, a blind woman from outside of Parachute, could swim, ride a tandem bike and run. She even has a mini triathlon under her belt that involved swimming laps in the Hot Springs Pool, a bike ride in the Glenwood Canyon and a run from the Hot Springs to Two Rivers Park.

That’s part of Stevens’ second annual camp, which is funded by a grant from C Different, a foundation centered on inspiring blind people to lead more active lifestyles.

Stevens, a blind woman and former Glenwood resident who has run more than 15 triathlons, and members of the Roaring Fork Women’s Triathlon Team helped blind women — and those wanting to train as guides — from all over the country learn every step of how to compete in a triathlon.

In three days, the participants go over what to do in transitions, how to run a tandem bike, how to swim together and how to run as a pair. On the third day, their newly acquired skills are put to the test in the mini triathlon.

It’s not about finishing times or competitiveness. It about working together, giving it a try and gaining tips on how to live healthier.

Satterfield and her guide, Sandy Knox, who is also from outside Parachute, have been training for two weeks at the Battlement Mesa Activities Center to prepare for the camp.

“I can run and ride a bike and swim a little, but I have never been good at any of it,” Knox said. “So we’ve just been practicing the last two weeks to get more comfortable in the water and get our muscles in shape again.”

One of the hardest parts for most campers is the learning the swimming portion of the training. On Saturday morning, the women hit the Hot Springs Pool to train and get ready for Sunday. They have to communicate everything clearly, from how they plan to make turns to how to use their bungees and both be able to swim freely.

Stevens and one guide swam without a bungee, and Stevens helped explain how to guide.

“If you don’t feel me tapping on your leg, it means I’ve swam off to China,” she told her guide.

After the swim, the women headed out to try their first bike ride. All were sharing tips of what certain details worked best and shined with pride and joy of seeing everything come together.

“I think it is a great experience,” Knox said. “Everybody is helpful because I am learning how to be a guide and they help teach me and of course they help teach Penny the techniques — how to run better, how to breathe better when you are swimming, how to use the stroke and how to put your feet on the pedals right — everything.”

If there had been a most enthusiastic camper award for the Tri It Camp this year, it would have gone to Barbara Oswald. The blind woman from Seattle smiled as she swam and frequently let out cheers of excitement.

Oswald took up triathlons after beating breast cancer and being convinced by fellow survivors to participate in the Danskin Women’s Triathlon in Seattle.

She came to the Tri It Camp to sharpen her skills.

“I realized that my treatment for preventing recurrence was to stay fit and I needed to learn how to swim better,” she said.

After Saturday’s training, Oswald swam as naturally as a fish in the sea. She wasn’t the only one; every single athlete was looking good at every facet of the training.

Despite the fact that Stevens no longer lives in Glenwood Springs and has relocated to Bend, Ore., she hopes she can keep doing the camp and continue to pass on her knowledge as she increases the number of blind triathletes.

“I am going to see what happens. We’ll try to have it either in Bend or here,” she said. “Everyone keeps saying come back here. They love it here.”