Tri Beginner‘s Luck

From PTSD to State Champion | Finding Purpose Through Endurance with Juanpablo Jimenez

What happens when you’re ready to quit the sport you once loved? And what if the answer isn’t more training, but more community?

Juan Pablo, known as "the People's Principal" in Plainfield, New Jersey, brings raw honesty to this conversation. He talks about the letter his family sent confronting him about buying bikes with rent money. He shares how cycling became his medicine after serving in the Navy and dealing with PTSD. And he explains the difference between a superhero and a villain in a way that will stop you in your tracks.

This episode covers the cost of triathlon, the balance between sport and family, why most endurance athletes are processing trauma, and what it means to train so others don't have to suffer the way you did. Juan Pablo completed sprint triathlons, XTERRA races, and two half Ironmans before injuries and financial realities brought him back to cycling full time. Now he races criteriums, hosts a Memorial Day weekend race around his school, and works with Coach David Lipscomb's CIS Collective to rebuild his foundation from the ground up.

Whether you're a beginner wondering if you can afford this sport or a veteran athlete struggling to find balance, this conversation will meet you where you are.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

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Questions or Feedback? We want to hear your story! Send your questions to tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com, and we may feature them on a future episode.

Let's tri this!

"That'll Never Work" to Sold Out in Months | Angi Klick's She Tris Story

What happens when someone tells you your idea will never work, and you build it anyway? What does it look like to create a space where trying matters more than finishing first?

 

Angi Klick didn't just start a triathlon event. She built a movement. After years of trying to convince other race directors that women needed their own welcoming space in the sport, she decided to do it herself. In 2016, while nine months pregnant, she directed the first She Tris Triathlon in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. A local timer told her it would never work. The event sold out before race day.

 

Now, 10 years later, She Tris has become a haven for first-timers, a celebration for returners, and proof that when you lead with community over competition, something powerful happens. Angi talks about surviving those early moments, managing rheumatoid arthritis while training for an Ironman, and why she never calls her events "races." She shares what it means to champion confidence in women who aren't sure they belong yet, and why the finish line is really just the starting line for what comes next.

 

This conversation is for anyone who's ever been told no and decided to build it anyway. It's for the beginner who thinks they need permission to start. And it's a reminder that belonging doesn't come before you try. It comes because you start.

 

Join the Tri Beginner’s Luck Community:

Enjoyed this episode? The best way to support the show is to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

• Follow us on Instagram: @TriBeginnersLuck
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Questions or Feedback? We want to hear your story! Send your questions to tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com, and we may feature them on a future episode.

Let’s tri this!

Choosing Family Over Podiums | Chelsea Sodaro’s Ironman World Champion Journey

What does it look like to chase greatness without losing yourself along the way? How did Chelsea Sodaro win the Ironman World Championship just 18 months after giving birth?

 

In this episode, the triathlon world champion shares her powerful story of motherhood, mindset, and elite training, revealing what happens when choosing family first becomes the very thing that elevates you to the top of your sport. From early struggles with fear in open water to stepping away from competition at the height of her career, this conversation redefines what success can look like in endurance sports and reminds us that being a triathlon beginner at any stage requires courage, curiosity, and a willingness to start again.

 

Along the way, Chelsea opens up about what it really takes to grow in triathlon, from developing mental toughness in chaotic swim starts to embracing the long, quiet work behind every race. Her path is anything but linear, shaped by risk, reinvention, and the ongoing balance between ambition and personal values. Whether you are training for your first race or finding your footing in a new season of life, her story offers something to hold onto.

 

At its core, this conversation is about more than performance. It is about choosing what matters, staying grounded in your values, and trusting that the unseen work is shaping something greater. Wherever you are in your triathlon journey, this is your reminder that every time you try, you are already winning.

 

Join the Tri Beginner’s Luck Community:

Enjoyed this episode? The best way to support the show is to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

• Follow us on Instagram: @TriBeginnersLuck
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Questions or Feedback? We want to hear your story! Send your questions to tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com, and we may feature them on a future episode.

Let’s tri this!

I Am Not Just Getting Fit, I Am an Athlete | Jini Thornton's Triathlon Mindset Shift

What if the thing that scares you most is actually the doorway to your next chapter? And what if beginning again at 56 is exactly where your triathlon journey is meant to start?

 

In this episode, we meet Jini Thornton, a CPA, financial planner, and triathlon beginner who is redefining what it means to be an athlete in her 50s. As a founder who has helped over 500 women plan the transfer of more than $188 million in assets, she understands preparation and long-term thinking. But stepping into triathlon required something entirely different: courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to be new again.

 

Jini's journey began with community. Through Atlanta Tri Sisters, she found women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond who were thriving in endurance sports. With their support, she faced one of her biggest fears: open water swimming. She slowly rewrote the story she had been telling herself. From pool-based races to sprint triathlons and now setting her sights on an Ironman 70.3 relay, her path proves that growth doesn't come from comfort.

 

This conversation is about mindset, legacy, and starting before you feel ready. It's about claiming the word "athlete," embracing discomfort, and allowing community to carry you when doubt creeps in. For any triathlon beginner wondering if it's too late or too hard, this story offers a different truth: You don't have to have it all figured out to begin. You just have to take the first step.

 

Join the Tri Beginner’s Luck Community:

Enjoyed this episode? The best way to support the show is to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Follow us on Instagram: @TriBeginnersLuck
Connect on Facebook: Tri Beginner’s Luck Page

Questions or Feedback? We want to hear your story! Send your questions to tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com, and we may feature them on a future episode.

 

Let’s tri this!

 

Spinal Fusion to Ironman 70.3 | Farrin Saba Reinvents Herself Through Triathlon

What happens when a Division I swimmer suffers a career-ending spinal injury and decides to try triathlon anyway? Twenty-two months after spinal fusion surgery, Farrin Saba crossed the finish line of Ironman 70.3 Maine.

 

In this episode of Tri Beginner’s Luck, you hear the story behind that moment. After a severe back injury required a double disc replacement and spinal fusion, Farrin’s future in sport was uncertain. What began as a way to reconnect with movement became a powerful journey of resilience, curiosity, and rediscovering what it means to be an athlete.

 

Along the way, Farrin discovered that triathlon is not just an individual sport. After volunteering to guide a visually impaired athlete, she found a deeper connection through the paratriathlon community, learning how communication, pacing, and trust transform racing into a team experience. She also shares her first winter triathlon at the national championships in Lake Placid, which included running on snow with spikes, fat-tire biking across icy terrain, and cross-country skiing. In true beginner’s luck fashion, that first attempt led to qualification for the Winter Triathlon World Championships in Italy.

 

Whether you are training for your first triathlon, navigating an injury comeback, or curious about the many ways people find their place in endurance sports, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful journeys begin when you start over.

 

Join the Tri Beginner’s Luck Community:

Enjoyed this episode? The best way to support the show is to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

• Follow us on Instagram: @TriBeginnersLuck
• Connect on Facebook: Tri Beginner’s Luck Page

 

Questions or Feedback? We want to hear your story! Send your questions to tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com, and we may feature them on a future episode.

 

Let’s tri this!

 

Women in Tri, The Blueprint: Changing the Race with Bianca Fernandez-Clark

Listeners meet Bianca Fernandez-Clark, a seven-time Ironman finisher, co-founder of Women in Tri UK, and a tireless advocate for inclusion in endurance sport. What begins as a conversation about one woman’s journey into triathlon quickly becomes something bigger. This is a story about learning to swim at 29, navigating start lines as a Black Latino woman, and transforming isolation into impact for hundreds of women who deserve to feel seen in triathlon.

Bianca did not grow up swimming or cycling. She entered the sport for her mental health and found herself in elite-focused spaces that did not always know what to do with a true beginner. Her first Ironman 70.3 was about making cutoffs rather than podiums. That experience as a beginner triathlete became the blueprint for change. After an unexpected opportunity to race at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, where she became the first Dominican athlete to compete, she realized that representation in triathlon matters more than most people understand. The visibility inspired others back home and clarified her mission moving forward.

That mission evolved into Women in Tri UK, a thriving community of more than 700 members. What began as financial support for first-timers has grown into mentorship, research, advocacy, and race partnerships that are shifting the landscape for women in triathlon. From pushing for larger swim caps to advocating for pregnancy deferrals and more inclusive race policies, the work is practical and powerful. This episode reminds us that triathlon is not only about splits and transitions. It is fundamentally about belonging.

If you have ever felt like the only one in the room or unsure of where you fit in the sport, this episode is for you. If you are a race director, coach, or teammate wondering how to build diversity and inclusion in triathlon, this conversation offers both heart and a blueprint. And if you are simply a beginner trying to figure it out one workout at a time, you will hear proof that your starting point can become someone else’s open door. Listen in, share with a training partner, and keep showing up. The sport grows stronger when more of us see ourselves at the start line.

Let’s tri this ! 

Remember to leave a review, share it with your friends, and follow Tri Beginner's luck on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  And send any questions or feedback you have to  tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com. 

From Beginner to State Champion: Andrew Gray's Rapid Rise in Triathlon

Andrew Gray's triathlon journey is proof that progress does not have to take decades. In just four years, he went from finishing 18th in his first sprint triathlon, navigating rough transitions and limited gear, to becoming a New Jersey state champion in both sprint and Olympic distance racing. A 2025 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Andrew now balances elite-level training with a demanding career on Wall Street. His days begin at 4 a.m. with focused workouts, continue through a 10-hour workday, and end with another intentional training session. Instead of chasing endless volume, he trains with precision, showing what is possible when discipline meets belief.

 

In this episode of Tri Beginner's Luck, Andrew shares why he is choosing to dominate as an elite age grouper rather than pursue a pro card, how the Roka Standard Racing team pushes him to grow, and what a tough race at Ironman 70.3 Florida taught him about resilience. He also reflects on access, representation in triathlon, and the financial realities that shape who gets to stay in endurance sports long term. Whether you are training for your first sprint triathlon or eyeing USA Triathlon Age Group Nationals, this conversation is a reminder that you do not need perfect circumstances to improve. You need clarity, commitment, and the courage to believe you belong at the front of your own race.

 

Let’s tri this ! 

 

Remember to leave a review, share it with your friends, and follow Tri Beginner's luck on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  And send any questions or feedback you have to  tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com. 

Shining Through the Storm: Starting Triathlon After 40 with Tammy Dotson

Triathlon has a way of meeting you exactly where you are and then asking you to grow. In this episode of Tri Beginner’s Luck, Tammy Dotson shares what it looked like to start triathlon after 40 with no swim experience and no idea what she was doing. Her first sprint swim took 47 minutes in frigid conditions, with Raynaud syndrome leaving her hands and feet numb throughout the race. What could have been a one-time attempt became the beginning of something bigger. She kept showing up, found community in groups like Trianimals and FastChix, progressed to the Olympic distance, and eventually qualified for the USA Triathlon National Championships, where she discovered just how powerful and supportive this sport can be.

 

Her journey to the 70.3 distance was not linear. A DNF at Ironman Gulf Coast after red-flag swim conditions could have ended her dream, but resilience carried her forward to finish Challenge Daytona. Along the way, she redefined success as arriving at the start line healthy and crossing the finish line strong. For Tammy, triathlon became less about podiums and more about discipline, consistency, and the quiet confidence that comes from doing hard things.

 

After a 2022 craniotomy for a brain tumor, wellness became nonnegotiable. Nutrition, recovery, and holistic care are now the foundation of her training and her life. Out of that season came her SHINE philosophy, Spread Hope, Inspiration, and Encouragement, and a commitment to help others believe it is never too late to begin. This conversation is a reminder that triathlon is not reserved for the fearless. It is built by people willing to start, even when the water feels cold and the path feels uncertain.

 

Let’s tri this! 

 

Remember to leave a review, share it with your friends, and follow Tri Beginner's luck on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  And send any questions or feedback you have to  tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com. 

From Service to Sport: A Mindful Path into Triathlon with Stuart Shine

Alignment is paramount. Mind. Body. Soul. Nutrition. This is Triathlon Zen.

 

In this episode of the Tri Beginner’s Luck Podcast, Stuart Shine, a Marine Corps veteran, endurance coach, and founder of Shine Collaborative Sports and Nutrition LLC, shares what it truly means to build a sustainable relationship with triathlon. His journey into the sport began during a military deployment in Australia, sparked by a long-held fascination with Ironman and guided by curiosity rather than perfection. From his first sprint triathlon to ultra marathons and coaching athletes across backgrounds and experience levels, Stuart reflects on how mindfulness, trust, and patience became central to both his leadership style and coaching philosophy.

 

Throughout the conversation, Stuart explores what beginner athletes often overlook, including the importance of proper fueling, learning to train by feel through rate of perceived exertion, and developing essential analog skills like bike handling before relying on technology. He explains why under-fueling early morning workouts can quietly undermine performance and long-term health, and how simple strategies, such as preparing fuel the night before, can lead to measurable improvements. He also speaks candidly about navigating hard training moments, honoring rest, and reframing dark patches in training as teachers rather than failures.

 

The conversation expands beyond training plans into identity, service, and representation in endurance sports, reminding listeners that joy and humanity belong alongside discipline and goals. Whether you are brand new to triathlon or returning to the start line with a fresh perspective, this episode is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and trust the process.

 

Let’s tri this ! 

 

Remember to leave a review, share it with your friends, and follow Tri Beginner's luck on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  And send any questions or feedback you have to  tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com. 

Friendship Is Fuel. Who Made Who Buy It? With Georgina “GeeTex” T. and Dr. RoJenia “RoJo” Jones

Friendship is fuel, and sometimes it sounds like, “Gee Tex made me buy it,” or “RoJo’s reviews,” and maybe even a little revenge. But ultimately, it is because the friendship fine print says so.

 

What starts as a running joke about gear purchases becomes a deeper conversation about trust, consistency, and choosing to keep showing up for yourself and for each other. In this episode of Tri Beginner’s Luck, Georgina “Gee” Tex and Dr. RoJenia “RoJo” Jones talk about the kind of friendship that quietly carries you through injuries, DNFs, deferred races, and the moments when belief wavers. 

 

They share how their friendship began at a Fast Chix training camp and became the foundation for everything that followed. From entering triathlon without a bike or confidence in the water, to navigating injury, strict nutrition changes, and the discipline required to stay in the sport long term, their paths were not linear. There were setbacks, self-doubt, and moments when the goal felt far away. And still, they kept going.

 

Ironman California became the place where all of that effort and belief converged. Along the way, we laugh about gear purchases, debate real food versus gels, and get real about what consistency actually looks like when you are balancing work, family, health, and big goals. This episode is for beginners, for those returning after a setback, and for anyone who needs a reminder that progress does not require perfection. It requires commitment, community, and the courage to try again.

 

Let’s tri this ! 

 

Remember to leave a review, share it with your friends, and follow Tri Beginner's luck on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  And send any questions or feedback you have to  tblpodbiz@tribeginnersluck.com.