Your know you're a clydesdale/Athena when... (Page 5)

(This actually happened to me at my last tri)......

The lady next to you offers to help zip up your wet suit!

Oh yeah, I can never find any good workout clothing that's on sale and in my size!

When skinny acquaintences ask you if you can identify the vegetable he's holding.

He almost got his septum deviated on that one.

hilarious

perfect....

I wish I had the problem of people questioning me about weight...although, I don't find myself on the podium often enough to get asked...

I have tears rolling down my face from laughter!

I would think that this just means you're hot! Optimism, go with Optimism!

When you weigh the a lady (for competition) and she goes that can not be right.  I weigh more than that (which would put her in a higher weight category).

She placed as a C and would not have at the D level so she was double excited when she was done.

I definitely always get the jokes about how big to write the numbers on my arm. 

I love the up and down look you get bring your bike to the rack, then the sense of relief when they realize "good, I'll be gone before he gets here". Then there is always the obvious look of "oh crap, I'm way behind" when you see them there during the race.

The way volunteers always make backhanded complements toward the end of the race. "He's fast for such a big guy" or with surprise they say "look at him go, he still has some left" or "he's fast for a big guy". 

I have a friend I race with, we pretty much keep the same pace on the swim. Pull each other on the ride and then I pull him at my pace for about half the run, then leave him. We always keep count of the encouraging words directed at me. I'll get 10 to 1 over him of people saying "come on, keep going, you can do it" as though I'm really struggling. 

You know you're a Clyde when... the cheer, "Don't let HIM beat you," is the one you hear most often, and is always for the guy behind you.

When you're wearing revealing spandex but know the encouragement, "Go big guy!!", isn't related to your porn-making equipment.

When your bike rack is referred to as a "stall".

When you can pinch flat properly inflated tires on a perfectly smooth road.

Greatest thread ever! thank you all. I have been working hard and will be competing in april as an age grouper! Broke 200.

You know your a clyde when your are excited when you can zipper a XL trisuit!

243 to 198 in 11 months

iswim, iride, irun, ilive!

Athena here:

When the only way you can get decent brand name gear is to use the mens

Your biggest concern with a swimsuit is that you won't "fall out" up top - ok I guess that one could be an issue for non Athena ladies who are top heavy too

You're happy that you can fit in to the XL of ladies brand name gear

Actually it doesn't even have to be brand name but just in general.

Oh and you're still looking forward to the day when you can go in to the dept store and not have to get clothes from the +sizes section

I ran a 5k last year and in my finisher photo there is a woman pushing a stroller with like a 6year old kid in it that finished in front of me. Oh lord the jokes I got about that from friends and family.

I'm laughing so hard at this thread.....absolutely wonderful stuff!

You know you're a Clydesdale/Athena when..... you have the ability to laugh at yourself, whatever your size and shape...  Keep up the great work people!

I just loved getting first out of the water in my age group in my last race (there were no Clydesdale/Athena categories for this race - Boo!!!!), to be overtaken by only 5 people to end up 6th in my age group!  I got a couple of absolute looks of astonishment during the bike/run sections, especially as I overtook one woman who had passed me on the bike section 

I am 6'8", 285 lbs.  These are true events.

I ordered a wetsuit for 6'7"+, 242 lbs+.  When I was trying it on, I was sucking everything i could in and yelling at my wife "just zip it up!" .  She was yelling "I need 6 more inches of fabric!"

I was so excited, my 4xl riding jersey came in.  It was too small.  Got the replacement 5xl in,  it was too small also. WTF!!

My first triathlon, I had to lean my bike at a 45 deg angle to get it under the bicycle rack, then it wouldn't stand up because the seat wouldn't touch the top of the pole.

The fit kit for my tri club came in.  I was trying on the 3xl skin suit.  I sucked in my breath and gut and zipped it up.  When I relaxed, I started popping seams, and had to suck it back in real quick to keep from completely blowing the sides out.

When i first started riding, i was climbing a small hill so slow, I heard a diesel engine behind me, it was a flatbed truck with wide load signs on it.  How ironic.

I am the tri club bouncer.

This thread is awesome...Here are mine...

You know you're an athena when

1. You have to pay 110 bucks for a plus size racing suit when all the skinny women can buy them for 20 bucks on any sale rack.

2. Your chest and belly prevent you from getting too "aero" on the bike.

3. You get all excited while registering for a race online and seeing that the shirt sizes go up to XXL this time!

4. People are SHOCKED to see you exit the water at the front of the pack (internal wetsuit, baby!)

5. My favorite...spectators cheer you on in a patronizing way, assuming it must be your first race "C'mon...you can do it...you can finish!" No sh** I can finish...I've finished over a dozen others!

OMG! You are hilarious! I will be doing my first race in March and can't wait to hear the "You can finish" comments on my 2nd race this summer...I will be thinking of your internal responses.

You can't find a freaking bike helmet that fits...