Amesbury's Erin Dignard describes herself as "the furthest thing from an athlete," and yet she will compete in her first triathlon tomorrow.

Dignard, 28, has been training for 12 weeks with Heidi Thompson's Heat Training, completing a program designed to prepare local athletes for the third annual Powow Triathlon in Amesbury. The race, which starts (8 a.m.) and finishes at Lake Gardner, includes a 0.5-mile swim, a 12.3-mile bike and 3.2-mile run.

Dignard, who played one season (freshman softball) of high school sports at Amesbury High, committed to the triathlon at the encouragement of a few colleagues. She works in the Amesbury public schools as a speech and language assistant and also baby-sits on the side.

"I just needed a goal," Dignard said. "That's why I'm doing it. I don't have an athletic background, but I decided I needed to start training."

She joined Thompson, who offers various training programs throughout the year for triathletes, distance runners and boot camp enthusiasts. Thompson's training group for the Powow Triathlon includes 35 athletes.

"I borrowed a road bike from one of my employers and bought a wet suit," Dignard said. "Training with a team was a huge help. Everyone gave me tips on what to do and what not to do."

The group met four or five times per week, alternating two weeks of increased intensity with one week of active recovery. In the middle third of the 12-week program, the athletes completed "bricks" — or two of the three disciplines in the triathlon (i.e., swim and bike). The last four weeks, the group practiced a complete triathlon on several occasions.

"Erin's swim has really improved," Thompson said. "She has confidence now. The group is really supportive. She's even said that if trained with a less supportive group, it would be extremely difficult. She's put 100 percent in."

Dignard has cut the time on her training swim from 24 minutes to 16. Thompson's program includes drills for bilateral breathing, catch-up drills and sighting.

"When you're racing in a lake, you can't see anything," Thompson said. "So we'll practice going out in a pack. She was doing a lot of breaststroke the first few times. She got herself a wet suit, and now she's doing crawl, keeping up with the group. She's not in the back anymore, she's in the middle."

Based on her training, Dignard feels confident that, if nothing else, she will finish tomorrow's race. Then she hopes to enter the Pumpkinman Triathlon in South Berwick, Maine, on Sept. 12 if it is not already filled to capacity.

"It's addicting once you realize you can do it," Dignard said. "Originally my goal was just to finish and not be last. But now I think I can finish under two hours."

Thompson agrees.

"I think it's going to take her less time than that," Thompson said. "She'll do it. I'm predicting an hour and 50 minutes. She's ready to go."