You Are a Badass for aspiring triathletes: a practical and inspiring guide to getting off the couch and on the trail to race your first--or fiftieth--triathlon
When Meredith Atwood first shared her journey from tired, overworked wife and mom to successful triathlete, her story resonated with women everywhere, online at SwimBikeMom.com and in the first edition of Triathlon for the Every Woman. Now a USAT Level 1 and IRONMAN tri coach, Meredith is back with even more wisdom. In this fully revised edition, Atwood not only shares how she went from the couch to a half Ironman triathlon in just over a year, but also shares the latest expertise from coaches, nutritionists, and athletes on each component of the triathlon: swimming, biking, and running. With compact training plans, the most current nutrition advice, updated resources, and the latest information on long-distance racing, this new edition has all you need to make your triathlon goals a reality.
Meredith Atwood is a recovering attorney, wife, mother of two, four-time IRONMAN triathlete who had never run a mile in her life until she tackled the sport of triathlon. In 2010 she started writing and created her Swim Bike Mom blog.
Over 2.5 million words later, she has built a cult following of women (and men) who desired a change in their lives–but not at the expense of their health, family or sanity.
This might be one of my favorite books when it comes to fitness and middle age. Atwood narrates a tale here that will be familiar to so many of us - whether it is that you are an Athena (fancy way of saying more than 150lbs or so) or you are someone who did not think you could do it. She really is for the every woman. Now granted her background is athletic (more than couch potato) but it's not as if she was only a year or two out of that situation. She's got a real job and a real family and real issues. There are injuries, self doubt, and family commitments that all converge to make things not as easy as you might think. It takes dedication and perseverance and that is what I think you can get out of this book.
I've seen some reviews that say maybe this one is a bit long winded. I didn't find it so. I was utterly fascinated pretty much the whole book. The amount of detail she uses as she breakdown races made me feel like I was there with her and REALLY was motivating. There is some (there is always some) do as I say not as I do but it doesn't really detract. Also this book did not come across as whining and obnoxious. I've read a few lately that are similar where that tone was something I didn't really enjoy. Atwood has a coach but it grows organically and it never seems to put her up on an elite status as far as "well this book is for everywoman who clears $200K per year" - like another book I have been listening too.
I found her blog/website to be also very interesting. One of my biggest fears is that I'll look stupid. This is not the same as having people look at me because of my body - truth be told I'm at about 26% Body Fat and I may be carrying a few extra lbs but overall I'm happy with my weight and that's not my issue. It's more the fear of embarrassment heavy on the looking like an "ass" part of it. Just sayin'.
REALLY enjoyed this book. Felt it was worth every penny. I'll go back to it I'm sure again and again for inspiration. Outstanding!
So much info! I have learned a lot and have so much more to learn. But super helpful for me since I know 0 about triathlons. Excited but also nervous for the Tri 😂
This book is a training and race memoir with a bit of cheerleading thrown in. The balance between the two works for the first two-thirds of the book, and then I wanted much less of Atwood's play by plays of her races. For example, I'm not sure I cared too much about the four races she ran in the run up to her first half Ironman competition.
I don't follow Atwood's Swim Bike Mom blog, so this was my first introduction to her writing style. While I appreciate her efforts to keep it real, after 200 pages, I wanted to spend less time with Meredith being Meredith, and more time reading about... something else. (I wish I knew what that something else was.) To be fair, Atwood does a good job bringing in other voices to talk about various aspects of training and racing. However, after the experts's roundtable portion of the book, it's all Atwood, all the time, and that's when I became frustrated with the book.
I wasn't sure why I was being told the story of four races in four weekends before the big race at the end. Was the point to reiterate (again) that Atwood feels fat and uncoordinated? That she felt both prepared and unprepared for the upcoming competition? To hear yet another tale of panic in the water or an argument with her spouse? It was more of the same, without adding to the overall. There's a whole interlude with an injury that felt more appropriate for the blog than the book as well. (Your mileage may vary, of course. I felt it didn't tie in as well as it could have, but it's entirely possible to enjoy the detour.)
On balance, this is probably a book I would read again, but only the first 1/2-2/3 of it. I would skip the end entirely.
I loved this book! I laughed at some parts and cried at others and finished it feeling super motivated! It's a great mix of Atwood's personal journey with expert advice on everything from motivation to nutrition. I'm in awe of how much she accomplished in a year- going from near couch potato to finishing a half ironman in a year while working full time and raising two little kids. She is honest (and funny!) about how hard it was and how much she had to sacrifice and why it was totally worth it. If you are even thinking a tiny bit about doing a triathlon or are looking for advice about how to balance training with life-this is the book to read! I highly recommend it!
I have mixed feelings about this book. Atwood's basic premise is that if she, a fat lawyer and mom, can find the time and willpower to do triathlons, anyone can . . . and should. Part of this speaks to me. As a mother of two young children, exercise is a huge key to maintaining my sanity and happiness. However, I have a hard time fully buying into the overweight, non-athlete description of herself that Atwood pitches. Atwood reveals at times that is a former competitive weightlifter. I think she mentions having done swim team as a kid, and in the midst of describing how she doesn't know how to ride a bike, she reveals she's using clipless pedals. While I am sure there are far more athletic people out there, and being overweight definitely does not help with running, Atwood sounds pretty athletic to me. I think she is exaggerating the challenge she experienced to try and appeal to the reader, but to me it felt disingenuous.
Atwood includes a section each on how to swim, how to ride a bike, and how to run. These sections are lengthy. Halfway through the bike section, I started feeling really stressed about whether I could really do a tri - it seemed so complicated. Then I read the run section. Now, I have been running for 25 years, and there's really not much to it. Running shoes a very nice to have, but not necessary. Beyond that, all you have to do is walk out the door and start moving. Meanwhile, Atwood recommends ice baths. Really? While many professional and serious amateur runners use ice baths (and I have taken a couple myself), I would not advise any new runner to take an ice bath. Atwood also suggests that it is critical to go to a running shoe store to get yourself observed on a treadmill before buying shoes. Nice to have? Yes. Necessary? Definitely not. I suspect the sections on swimming and biking were similarly over the top.
In general, Atwood is over the top. However, she is also over the top in her enthusiasm and belief that the reader will find happiness in the triathlon. Her enthusiasm is mostly encouraging and inspiring. I'm not sure I'd recommend this book to a friend, especially a a male or childless friend, but I enjoyed reading it.
Overall, I did not like it. - 1 out of 5 star rating.
The first 15% or so of this book is the author spilling her heart out about her self-doubt, struggle with weight, and some of her weightlifting successes in her youth (squatting 300 lbs. for reps as a young lady is really impressive).
Her self-doubt is not uplifting, and on the flip side presents to the reader a really negative read.
I was trying to stay positive, thinking that she was going to transition to a state of greater confidence, instead of just continually bashing herself... but sadly it doesn't stop.
Struggles with alcohol consumption, marital problems, internal conflict with her children (not being there and instead going on 5 hour bike rides every weekend, and then when she is actually home in body her mind is elsewhere), fat burner pill addiction, and even a lot of animosity for her chosen profession of being lawyer.
This book is ultimately overwhelmingly negative. Every bike ride, swim, even trying on wetsuits... are blown up into these over dramatic rants about how unhappy she is. It is super sad.
On top of that... the actual takeaways of becoming a triathlete are extremely minimal at best. She literally just throws down key phrases for the reader to "open source research" (aka Google) the workouts instead of providing them. She goes on about eating healthy, and then talks about drinking alcohol, eating pizza, and ice cream. It was just super conflicting... I say again - this book is a real drag.... just bursting with negative energy.
Meredith, I feel ya. But I think you just went way too far with "keeping it real" here. I was 330 lbs. at one point in my life and I've been right there with you on the weight-struggle train. But authoring such an abundance of negativity is not going to help or inspire folks in the manner I think you intended. You should have turned off the negativity faucet at around the 15-20% mark.
I hate to say it but this book is no good. I strongly recommend any man or woman to avoid this. You will not gain anything in the pursuit of doing a triathlon and if anything it'll pull you down.
As training books go, there are two things that really recommend this book — the author’s sense of reality and her sense of humor. I’ve read a number of books on working out, and they tend to be VERY SERIOUS INDEED, but Meredith Atwood tells it like it is and lags everything out. I found myself really enjoying this book. There are probably some more technical books out there, but I guarantee you this is the first to address some of the more specifically female issues — nutrition on your period, taking care of the area she dibs “The Queen”, the uncomfortable feeling of walking into a shop full of experts feeing kind of chubby and out of shape and asking about being fitted for a wetsuit - and being super happy you get the woman salesperson. For anyone thinking about attempting a Tri, or training for one, I recommend this book!
So much practical information from training through the big day. There were sections that felt less relevant to my life, but overall I loved her conversational tone and actual advice that I can start applying right away. A great book for anyone thinking about doing their first triathlon.
Another read to find triathlon motivation and guidance on training plans. This book was more autobiographical than I thought it was going to be but Meredith's journey is inspirational and most importantly relatable. It's refreshing to hear advice from someone who is closer to the same speed and size as you compared to the normal advice gurus (...super athletic men). This will deffo be my new Bible this year.
I just love this book so much. It has always been a dream of mine to do a triathlon and I'm getting closer to it. But this book isn't about doing a triathlon, even though it totally is, it's about turning your life around in the most important way: getting your body and mind in shape in the midst of and in honor of all of the challenges of parenting, being a wife, a friend and a career woman. It's about teamwork within your family, showing your family the importance and the determination required to stay in shape and to create a healthy life. I found myself in tears at parts and laughing out loud in others. I am completely and utterly inspired to keep moving even in the hottest month of summer in India. High five.
Overwhelmingly negative, rather than inspiring. Too much unhappiness, disharmony and selfishness that doesn’t seem to follow any arc towards self improvement or draw any life lessons towards the end. So many races finished. To what end?
I get that this was part of the attempt to “make it real” but…it’s not my reality. I was expecting a book about how the average person with little training or background (the “every woman”) might approach their first triathlon. But the assumed average here is a highly stressed, strung out individual. Guess I’m the wrong audience for this book, as I don’t feel this bad about anything in life.
Loved this book and was sad when it ended! It’s inspiring, funny, relatable, and informative. It’s the perfect read if you’re just stepping into a triathlon and don’t even know where to start. Would recommend it to women and men.
I tried a Joel Friel book as well, who seems to be the must-read triathlon expert, but couldn’t finish because it was so dry and boring in comparison.
I've wanted to do a triathlon for over 20 years but didn't have the means or the courage to start. I've started running in the last 5 months and developed the courage to start. I was afraid of the bike part because I didn't grow up riding and I'm worried I will get hit by a drunk or distracted driver. I was worried I was going to get clobbered in the swim so I wanted to listen to this book and hope I hear some good advice on how to get started.
Wow! She tells you just about everything you need to know to get started. I enjoyed hearing how she she started and her struggles in training. She wasn't in amazing shape when she started, she had also had two young children. that she was taking care of. She was a heavier woman who was out of shape but was able to overcome that anyways. Youd don't need to be in amazing shape to get started. It will come with time. I enjoyed hearing how honest she was about the anxiety she had in the water, handling a bike and how she overcame the open water swim. There were many people who go her there and the cycling instructor in her gym was a great support and coach. Find your people. She talks about how she juggles training with children, her marriage, the equipment you need, and advice on the kind of races to start with. I feel she covered just about everything to get started wiht triathlon training in the perspective of a woman.
When I read that she was racing in her first race, she didn't realize that she had to stop in this area for transition and wasn't able to stop her bike in time, hit a curb and flipped over her bike in front of the crowd, and still kept racing, that inspired me that its ok, I can do it because she still do it. You don't have to be perfect to get started.
Some of the dialogue in the book was cringy but I would give it a 4/5 book for being so helpful and relatable to the average person.
DNF. Two stars because I get it what she was trying to get at. This was recommended to me on a tri facebook group and it was free with Spotify premium so I went for it. I liked the idea of the “every woman.” However, maybe it was because it was an audio book but it felt discouraging listening to this. I made it to chapter 6 when I called it quits. The tone was like someone listing the reasons of why I shouldn’t get into this sport rather than why I should. Tri is hard. I get it! Now you are supposed to be encouraging me to go for it regardless. Also, some of the things she described made it sound like if you don’t buy into the gear you won’t be able to train properly. My facebook groups are so encouraging and give so many tips as to how to make it in this sport on a budget. I am not making lawyer money and have to fend for myself. Does that mean that if I don’t have two gym memberships because I have a long commute and one can be near work and another near home as she suggests that I won’t make it in this sport? Will I just be lazy and me and my fat body will give up? Whatever happened with work with what you have? I don’t know. This was just not for me. At least, not the way I personally get encouraged. I’ll keep looking.
If you are new to triathlon this book is an introduction into what the sport is all about, what to expect, and insight on how to balance it all and cross that finish line.
If you are a seasoned triathlete it can be a good refresher and maybe even pick up a new tip or trick that hasn’t come up yet during your own triathlon journey.
Atwood shares her struggles and successes along the way and doesn’t hold back. Whether or not you share the same struggles it is refreshing to learn that you are not alone in whatever you may be going through in order to get to your own triathlon finish line.
I liked this book a lot, I read it as I was training for my first triathlon. Tons of great, practical advice, and she really makes you feel like you could absolutely do a triathlon. That said, there are parts that were a little uncomfortable, especially her experience training for her first Iron Man. I kind of felt duped, like the whole book was, “You can do this!” and then, “But if you do this, it might screw up your relationships and your family life.” So I don’t know where I ended up at. I went with four because I really liked 90% of the book.
This is a great book for a beginner triathlete or someone curious about the sport. She is very thorough and mixes in a fair amount of humor (although the self-deprecation did feel a bit much at times). One of the topics in the book that I liked the most was in chapter 13 where she discusses the challenges navigating being a working wife and mom to young children in the midst of training. Her honesty is appreciated and not talked about enough in the endurance sports community.
Hovering between a 3.5 and a 4. I enjoyed this book and will return to the training sections frequently; however, I really did not enjoy all the negative talk about being fat. The first 1/4-1/3 of the book had good info, but also way too much 'i got so fat and lazy,' 'i'm fat and gross,' 'fat people don't wear these kinds of clothes' etc. talk that I found really off-putting. A lot of value judgements placed on different foods, as well.
This is the first triathlon training book I’ve read. It’s a good blend of memoir and informative. It was the perfect pace and level of detail for me since I’m just getting into triathlon. The author is super candid about her struggles which I appreciated. At the same time I did go with 4 stars because at times I felt like it was too self deprecating. I realize this was the author’s experiences and I’m happy she kept it real, just know what to expect and don’t let it steer you away!
Loved this one even though I've already done my first triathlon! I'm really grateful for the book I read before I did it, but this book would also have been a great place to start learning about triathlon. I loved Meredith's writing style, like talking to a supportive, encouraging, hilarious mom friend. I'll be recommending this to my girlfriends who I convinced to sign up for their first triathlons!
I laughed out loud at the craziness of this endeavor we put ourselves through, otherwise called "triathlon." As a lawyer, mother, and new triathlete (have I really earned that title yet?), I related to virtually all of Ms. Atwood's anecdotes and frustrations. My only reservation is that the book had to end and yet my training pain continues without a current antidote!
This book is great for any woman thinking about wanting to start into the sport of triathlon or just the motivation to get back into it! Meredith brings an honest humor to the sport and is a great motivator! It's like she is in my head, warring with my excuses and negative thoughts that set me back! Highly recommend!
I was going to give it a 4.5 ONLY because the kindle version is a little annoying but couldn't get the half so went with 5 because I really did enjoy the book. Made me laugh, encouraged me & honestly at times felt like I was reading about myself. I feel more confident going into my first tri.
I really enjoyed this book. I found it relatable and motivating as a casual, woman triathlete looking to get to the next level. One of the stories did make me cry.
Unfortunately I did not appreciate Atwood's negative talk about her body and shame about referring to her body parts by their actual names. In order to count as an "every woman" do I have to hate my body too?
This was a perfect book for me as someone very far from athletism currently and yet having made an audacious decision to do a sprint triathlon next year. The book offers a friendly, humorous nudge from a former relatable "everywoman" (who now does Iron Man events, ha!), as well as a wealth of information. I feel properly inspired and ready to build a plan.
Great book for any beginner or anyone even considering doing a triathlon. This is just the push I needed to sign up for the sprint triathlon I've been wanting to do. I went from. not knowing what a T1 and T2 are, to knowing so much more and feeling comfortable in signing up for my race. Thank you so much!
This book was so helpful & inspiring. I was in awe of Meredith’s determination throughout her entire journey. She never quit. I feel like I know her free reading the book. There was so much good insight & advice.