Hello,

I was wondering if there are any other fellow Athena Triathletes around.

I'd love to chat/share tips, etc.

I start doing triathlons this year and I'm addicted to them! My last tri was 2 days ago and my next tri is in 6 weeks.

I ride a 2012 Cannondale Synapse 7 Road Bike.

I finished 10th in the Athena Division this weekend and I'm SO excited!

Congrats on your big finish!

Yep, I'm a triathlete! I'll be competing in my fourth on September 30th. This time my goal is to run the entire 5K. I am still not sure if I'll be able to do it!

My last tri was the worst. I did it out of state and bought a crappy bike off craig's list and the mileage on the run was double my normal tri (etc, etc, etc). I only did it because I was introducing my two cousins to the world of triathlons. It was a very difficult tri but slow is better that DNF!

This next tri is my "usual" tri and I'm excited because I've recruited 3 new triathletes! I don't compete as an Athena for this tri for two reasons 1) They call that division Clydesdales and that is SO insulting 2) It's the last heat of the day and the first time I did this tri (or any tri!), I was the last one off the course. Someone has to be last but come on! Well, #2 isn't really a reason. I just hate that it's the LAST heat. It's a big race so it's a long wait for the last heat.

I have a crappy hybrid bike (like a cruiser but with gears). I sold my beautiful tri bike when I was pregnant with my daughter because I had just moved and couldn't store it. I had never even had a chance to race on it! Boooo.

My next tri is also Sept 30th! Haha!

Oh that's interesting. Our Clydesdale division is for men (200lbs+) Are your seeds based on division? Ours are based on swim times. Do they let you choose what division to be in? We are automatically placed in Athena if you're 150lbs+.

I'm currently only doing sprint tris, where the swim is typically 1/3 mile, a 16mile or so bike and a 3.1 run, but at some point think I'd like to take an international/olympic one under my belt.

I feel your pain on the crappy bike. I just upgraded from a miserable hybrid bike that couldn't gain any momentum. It was a nightmare every time I went up hill. My Cannondale is new and I'm still learning her. In fact, I wiped out last night figuring out how to get out of the saddle, while clipped in, going up a ***** of a hill. (SO sore today.)

Yes, traditionally it is MEN that are called Clydesdales. This tri is JUST LAZY and calls anyone competing in that class a Clydesdale.

Our waves are age based or you may choose to compete as an elite (I think you have to prove that you're an elite), military, or clydesdale.

I only do sprints at this point. I really don't want to run more than a 5K.

That's ridiculous. I'm assuming it's not USAT sanctioned?

That's interesting. Every tri we've done are swim seed based.

I hear the running. I'd like Olympic distance swim and bike and then a 5k run. haha! I can do a 10k on it's own, but I don't know about adding a mile swim and then ten more miles to my bike.

Maybe one day....at my goal weight.

Athena here! Although I don't compete in that category, I haven't seen it available in the 2 I've done. Ours are USAT and the swim heats are done by age group, with relay teams at the end.

I am a slow swimmer and runner, but a good strong biker.

I just did the Toyota SheROX tri last weekend and I really like it. Small, well run, and just a great atmosphere. I found some more women only tris for next summer and will spend the next 9 months working on my running, and maybe taking some swim clinics.

I'm going to stick with women only tris for a little while, I think.

I havent done an all women's tri, but I've been talking about doing the Iron Girl next year. I'm sure the atmosphere is different with women only.

I'm a lousy runner, too. haha! My swim is fairly good and my bike is getting way better.

I've never done any clinics? Have you done them previously?

There's a woman's only tri in San Diego but it's late in the season (mid-October) and the water is much cooler (and usually jellyfishyer) at that time. Although I hear the energy is pretty awesome.

I really only LOVE the swim. The bike is there to dry me off and the run is there to make sure I remember that this is hard. Oh, and for breakfast. I know I am not the only woman that thinks about breakfast while doing the tri but maybe I think about it a little obsessively.

On Sunday I got in the pool for the first time in... years? Yeah, years. I convinced a new friend of mine to sign up for the tri in September and she was nervous about the swim so we went to the pool together. It was so wonderful. I wondered why I wasn't doing this twice a week!

Do you not eat before hand? Oh god, i'd die. I typically have a clif bar and a protein shake (like 400 calories) to get me through or else I'm shaky and dizzy.

I try to swim twice a week and spin/ride 3 times a week and then throw running in sometime on the weekend. (Have I mentioned how much I hate running?) I'm actually buying one those pull buoys tonight to help with my swim and my upper body.

I'm East Coast, (Atlanta) so all of my tris are lake bound. My husband and I are hoping to go to Hilton Head Island (SC) for their tri next year.

Highly recommend push-up to help with the upper body and swimming. My BFF has been swimming the La Jolla 5 mile for the last bizillion years. She never trains for it but she's always sore the next day. This year she wasn't sore at all and the only thing that's changed is the 100 push-ups app that she's been using for six months. She says she can tell in her stroke how much it's helped.

I eat like a Clif bar before the race. But then I think about french toast when I am struggling.

Yeah, I'm definitely working on my upper body strength. It definitely needs some help.

And wait...a 5 mile swim? OMG. NO THANKS!

Another Athena here - my next one is this Saturday - 1000/15/5.

Love, love, love triathlon!

Yaaay! Good luck on Saturday!

What's your tri season in Alaska?! Is it always wet suit appropriate?

Insane, right? And I think about doing it every year but chicken out because I don't do much open water swimming. This is the part that kills me, you have to have your own kayaker following you in the race. I feel like if that's the case than maybe I shouldn't be doing it!!!

I dunno. I always WANT to do it. Hmmm.

OMG - that is 100% horrifying. I swam a mile last night in 49:49....so wait, let's tack on 10 minute because it's open water....5 hours? WTF? I would drown. The kayaker wouldn't be able to drag my big *** up on their little tiny kayak and I would drown. Jesus, I'm horrified just thinking about it.

BRAVO TO HER!