This week I met Sally Edwards, triathlon pioneer and spokeswoman for the new Trek Women Triathlon Series.Although I've finished triathlons of all distances I've never done a women's only triathlon. Either the dates didn't work out or I already had other events in mind. To clarify, I'm a slow & humble triathlete, I wasn't avoiding the series because I had years of experience etc.
I knew I couldn't make this year's closest Trek event (*same weekend as the USA Triathlon Level One Coaching Clinic in Minnesota), but I wanted to learn more about Sally & the Trek series, so I went and I had fun.
About 100 women of all ages & sizes were chatting around the room as I walked in. Sally had us do a mixer helping people meet triathletes who lived closest to them. She offered free race registration to the 2 women who met tonight for the first time, set up a time to workout together in the next week & lived the closest to each other.
Most women were already triathletes--they came back to this meeting for some of Sally's famous pep talks. Sally also included info on: how to use heart-rate charts, how to find your max heart rate, what bricks are, and how to taper.
Party favors included: lace locks, SportsBeans, financial advice/handouts from MassMutual Financial Group & a free 8-week Trek training program.
Sally suggested we become students of training: study, learn, go to events, meet other triathletes and have fun! She emphasized fitness is the best gift we can give ourselves. And, she told triathletes who are afraid of being the worst one there to "invite someone worse than you to train with you!" Besides, Sally traditionally finishes last at every Trek Women's Triathlon, just as she had with the Danskin series, so that no woman has to be last.
Funny, the two women who won free race registration even looked similar. I think one was named Diane and one named Dorrie. They'd never met & live less than a mile from each other. They're meeting to swim this week.
What a fun party! Thanks Sally!
Questions for you:
- Have you done a women's only event? Thoughts?
- How would you market something similar to men training for their first tri? If you know of one, tell me.
photo credit: another party participant took my photo with Sally but I cropped myself out, I had squinty eyes and a terrible chin angle (pride), Sally's tiny.
