I know this has been discussed before, but Athena?

I'm currently 5'4" and about 162 lbs. I qualify for Athena and at my height, certainly won't look like a sandbagger. My first tri is a week from Saturday, but it's small and has no special classes.

I signed up to do the sprint tri at Blue Lake on June 5th. Unless someone cuts off one of my legs, I'll still be over 150 lbs at that point. I figured that since I am losing weight at a fairly regular pace, it *may* be my last opportunity to ever race in the Athena class, so I signed up for it. I figured that since my age group (40-44) seems so FAST that I'd actually feel better (more competitive) racing against younger women that are closer to my same size.

Today I looked up last years results. Oh boy. Athena was broken into two age groups! There was Athena under 39 and then Athena 40 and over. Whatever, I'd be ok with that EXCEPT that in the 40+ group, there were only two competitors (maybe 15 - 20 in the under 39 group). Crap! I really, really don't want anyone to think that I signed up for Athena just to get an award. I mean, if I compete against 20 other Athenas and still make the podium, great...but I sure as hell don't want it by default!

Thoughts? Should I contact the organizers and get moved back into AG or just enjoy it as my last oportunity to ever be an Athena (and look at it as supporting the 'Athena' category)?

Stay in Athena. It's fun to get the award and tri is harder for us chicks who are not twigs. At 147 pounds I no longer qualify for Athena. But I'll never be as fast as the women who are sub 120 pounds. It doesn't matter that I am solid muscle. It's still harder to move that extra 27+ POUNDS.

Veronica

Yeah, no one has ever accused me of being a twig. Log maybe, not twig. ;)

I'm still torn. Is there any way that I will know if I'm in a small class before or during the race? I'm afraid it won't be very motivating to know that I'll place before I even start. :(

Yes, this is about doing this for me and all that...but I'm a supremely competitive person and I know that I'll have more fun if there is something for which I can shoot (like not being the only 40+ Athena not on the podium if there are 4 of us).

If you really want to know how many there will be, I would flat out ask them - send an email to the race organisers or when you check in you might be able to tell and have it changed. Sometimes it takes a race a couple of years to build up the Athena categories - people new to triathlons don't know about them, but once they see girls "their size" racing and placing in that category, it does get them thinking.

For me, I know, like Veronica, that I will probably not place in the not-athena category for quite some time, if ever. There is a far cry from very close to 150 lbs and more like 120 lbs soaking wet - we're talking several minutes here. (I will still enjoy going faster downhill ;)) I am still right on the border of being and not being athena (basically exactly 150 lbs today), and if I raced before Ironman I might have to think about it - it would probably be my last time. That said I feel a little guilty for considering it, because last year I essentially placed top 3 in every race I raced athena in, even if I was over 150 lbs and the other women were 3-5 inches taller than I am. What is it about us that's programmed for such guilt ;)

The reality is the category is created for women over 150 lbs because it is harder to race those courses and distances... I would do it as long as I could. I certainly won't be collecting medals in the other category AND I can ALWAYS compare my times to my normal age group (trust me, I do). And I still get ranked for most of those races against my age group in the USAT rankings even if I race athena. :)

Tough choice, but I think you should just do it. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Shoot for coming in first, if your class is small. I think it's incredible that you are doing a tri, regardless.

ps--If I recall correctly, you're part Greek, right? Athena is the perfect category for a Greek Goddess like YOU!!!

mickchick - yes, half Greek here! I admit that the category name alone is definitely appealing to me! ;)

I think I'm going to do it. Why not, right?

When I was over 150 pounds, I *always* signed up for Athena. I liked the statement it made about tri being something that anyone can do, regardless of body size. It just felt right to support that class, to say to them YES, we are out here and we are doing it too!

BTW, for the race you are doing, confirmations are online, and they break it out into divisions.

http://www.racecenter.com/confirmati.../conf_ts10.htm There are 6 Athenas in your class already.

Susan

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Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas

When I was over 150 pounds, I *always* signed up for Athena. I liked the statement it made about tri being something that anyone can do, regardless of body size. It just felt right to support that class, to say to them YES, we are out here and we are doing it too!

BTW, for the race you are doing, confirmations are online, and they break it out into divisions.

http://www.racecenter.com/confirmati.../conf_ts10.htm There are 6 Athenas in your class already.

Susan

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OMG, Susan - you rock! Thank you for posting that!! Yay! There are 6 of us!! I feel so much better now (and I'm super excited!). :D

The All-Women's sprint tri they do there in August has LOTS of Athenas. The last time I did it I think we made up 10% of the participants. Since it's self-selecting, there were probably more women who *could* have signed up for Athena if the'd wanted to. It was a very cool event, and very affirming.

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

I'm currently 5'4" and about 162 lbs. I qualify for Athena and at my height, certainly won't look like a sandbagger.

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I have a female friend who is 6'1" and 155 pounds. She did Athena at Pac Crest last summer. I told her she was sandbagging! But, as she pointed out, she did in fact meet the class requirements. But, I convinced her to compete in her age group this year. :)

Susan

Yeah, I'm going to be very close to 150 if things keep going like they are by the time Blue Lake gets here. This may be my last chance, so I really wanted to take it.

I did notice a lot of women in the AG classes that opted for L and XL t-shirts which makes me think they might qualify for Athena's as well.

Have you decided on sprint vs olympic at Blue Lake yet? (see, that's my real motivation for Athena - I don't want to be competing against YOU again :p)

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

Have you decided on sprint vs olympic at Blue Lake yet? (see, that's my real motivation for Athena - I don't want to be competing against YOU again :p)

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Not yet. I have a charity awards/auction dinner on Saturday night. So my choices are sprint before the dinner, or oly the day after. I *should* do the Oly on Sunday, as it's the only chance I'll have before the HIM, and at 3 weeks prior, the timing is perfect. But that does mean I can't have much fun on Saturday night.

I think you should do the sprint so that I can cheer you on as you blow by me on the bike (the only reason I'll be in front of you on the swim is because Athena's go before our AG). ;)

Actually, I was originally thinking that it would be fun to 'watch' you do the OLY the next day, but that's the day that Kyle arrives, so I can't. :(

That is a tough call. I don't envy you having to decide!

I could be a sadist and do both.

A gal in my office training for an IM did a HIM on Saturday and an Oly on Sunday last summer.

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Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas

I could be a sadist ..

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Or would that be masochist?? I always mix those up...;)

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Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas

Or would that be masochist?? I always mix those up...;)

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Masochist starts with M = Me.

Sadist starts with S - Someone else

(not that I have to use those terms very often or anything...)

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Originally Posted by tulip

Masochist starts with M = Me.

Sadist starts with S - Someone else

(not that I have to use those terms very often or anything...)

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That's helpful!

So Susan is a masochist and her coach is a sadist. Makes sense. :p

Last night I went and looked back at my times and Jeff's times from Blue Lake for last year. Sheesh, I really fell apart on the run. I had a so-so swim, an awesome bike leg (16th or 17th fastest women's time, I think) then died on the run. That seems to be my pattern. I need to work on holding something in reserve on the bike so that I don't get cooked at the end of the run.

Yeah, but you are running so much more this year (and a lot faster, too?), so I bet that'll make a huge difference this season.

Did I tell you that after seeing Chip's talk the other night I'm thinking IM for my 50th birthday? (It'll take me that long to get the run volume up there). :eek:

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Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas

Last night I went and looked back at my times and Jeff's times from Blue Lake for last year. Sheesh, I really fell apart on the run. I had a so-so swim, an awesome bike leg (16th or 17th fastest women's time, I think) then died on the run. That seems to be my pattern. I need to work on holding something in reserve on the bike so that I don't get cooked at the end of the run.

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Hey, I'm a member of that club - average to above average swim, WAY above average bike, average to below average run. Bah! I don't think holding back on the bike (especially at sprint/Olympic distance) punishes me much on the run... or I don't want to believe that because I love the cycling so much. ;) Longer distances though I'm much more careful about the bike, and I still come out to average swim, average bike, below average run. :p

I think GLC is right - your running effort this year will make a huge difference. It would make an interesting experiment to not reserve yourself on the bike and run this year and see if it's different just by your running efforts.

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Originally Posted by colby

Hey, I'm a member of that club - average to above average swim, WAY above average bike, average to below average run. Bah! I don't think holding back on the bike (especially at sprint/Olympic distance) punishes me much on the run... or I don't want to believe that because I love the cycling so much. ;) Longer distances though I'm much more careful about the bike, and I still come out to average swim, average bike, below average run. :p

I think GLC is right - your running effort this year will make a huge difference. It would make an interesting experiment to not reserve yourself on the bike and run this year and see if it's different just by your running efforts.

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Colby, I think I will use that strategy for my sprint tri this weekend. To me, sprints are all about going balls to the wall for the entire event. I've done this event every year for the last 4-5 years, so I know the course like the back of my hand. I plan to hammer the bike, and hopefully still see good results on the run.

Besides, GLC's husband is part of a relay that begins in the heat behind me (15 minutes). He's talking trash about them catching me and I intend to see that doesn't happen. :D

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

Did I tell you that after seeing Chip's talk the other night I'm thinking IM for my 50th birthday? (It'll take me that long to get the run volume up there). :eek:

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I'm thinking about it for my 40th....hopefully. That's just over 8 years. And I DO think it will take me that long:cool::rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Blueberry

I'm thinking about it for my 40th....hopefully. That's just over 8 years. And I DO think it will take me that long:cool::rolleyes:

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My 50th is in 8 years too. Maybe we should plan to do the same one...how cool would that be?

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

My 50th is in 8 years too. Maybe we should plan to do the same one...how cool would that be?

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Awesome!