To Athena, or Not to Athena...

[colby]

... that is the question.

I'm buying someone's spot in a race (sprint) that literally passes my backyard. I am VERY familiar with this area (as you can imagine ). Two years ago in this race I would have placed 4th athena and was top 15 or 20 in my "regular" age group. That was before I got Lucy (my tri bike) and before two Ironmans.

I am expecting (hoping) this year to be my last year as an athena (though I have actually entered no races as an athena because I figured if I'm not going to win anyway, why does it matter - I can always compare my results). I am going to spend time focusing on weight loss and conditioning to remove the rest of my squishy - I am 5'4" and about 155-160 lbs now (depends on what the week has been like - only after Ironman or having the flu have I been below 150 in the last two years). As the wii so graciously reminds me, "that's overweight!" I can tell that over the last year my legs have gotten bigger but smaller (if that makes sense - I can now see my quads in pictures, but I have not lost actual weight, nor are they actually smaller).

Anyway... so why not? I guess I can't get over the "everyone knows I'm over 150 lbs" thing, and more importantly would it be seen as childish to race just because you think you can win? I've never been about that, but the prospect of having a chance does appeal to me. I am competitive, but choose to compete with myself, and always have... but but. I also don't want to take the victory away from someone who truly is athena, and what athena actually means... though at 5'4" and 155 lbs maybe that actually is me.

I have a few days to decide. Thinking out loud... advice welcome.

[sarahspins]

Go for it! I don't see it as robbing the potential win from someone else if you did win.. it's certainly not as if you don't train hard too!

[Veronica]

I raced Athena last year in two of my races and was thrilled to place. Do it! It's fun to get the plaques or medals or whatever.

I don't see it as "taking a win" from someone. The race rules say 150 pounds. That means any chick who weighs more than 150 pounds - even if it's 150.1- can choose to race Athena. It doesn't matter why you weigh more than 150 or how much over you are. Heck, if I still weighed enough, I'd race Athena. Some of those super fast chicks weigh less than my lean body mass of 116 pounds. But I'm down to 146, so no Athena for me.

Veronica

[athenarides]

I agree - why not go for it if you are eligible for the category? I plan to race as an Athena in my first du coming up in August. Of course I'm 6'1" and nearly 200 lbs so I most definitely qualify for the category. Haha. Good luck!!!

[Tri Girl]

I'm over 150 so I race Athena. Why not? I'm not going to place in my AG, so at least there I have a shot at winning something.
My only gripe is when someone who is an amazing athlete races Athena and they are almost 6 foot tall and weigh 150. No fair.

[KSH]

I'm over 150 so I race Athena. Why not? I'm not going to place in my AG, so at least there I have a shot at winning something.
My only gripe is when someone who is an amazing athlete races Athena and they are almost 6 foot tall and weigh 150. No fair.

Race Athena Colby.

As for losing weight... I did it by doing the following:

1) Logging all my food on www.livestrong.com/The Daily Plate.

2) I had a base of 1400 calories and would add 1/2 of what I burned exercising to that. So if I burned 400 calories running I would get to eat 1600 calories that day.

By doing that I lost a good 5 pounds in a month... went from 5'4" 125 pounds to 118 pounds. Some days I'm at 117. I'm not trying to lose anymore weight though. Mind you, last year right before my IM I was up to 130 pounds.

It was REALLY HARD to lose those few pounds... but I sucked it up and did it. Now all my clothes fit... and in fact, most of them are falling off me now. Since your IM is over, focus on losing weight, and it will happen. You just have to be very strict with your diet.


I agree Tri Girl... when a girl who is 6 foot tall and is obviously in amazing shape is racing Athena... I think that is BS.

The same for the men too. You see it all the time. Some guy is 6'4" and racing Clydesdale... and he's OBVIOUSLY very fit and a top athlete. I see him as working the system. He KNOWS that he can compete with the samller guys, but he does Clydes just to win a medal.

[colby]

Well, Athena it is. The race is this Sunday, we'll see how it goes. They lengthened the bike ride from 10.5 to 12 miles (otherwise it's a shorter swim/run than normal, 1/3 mile and 3 miles), but it is pretty flat and I know it well - though I think I'm going to ride it tomorrow just to get perspective. No way am I stressing over a wetsuit for 1/3 mile swim, though I am considering trying a short-leg sleeveless suit to see how it feels for shorter swims (still not sure it'll be worth the time to take it off).