Finding Strength in Triathlon Community and Overcoming Challenges

Dina Grimaldi’s path to becoming an Ironman triathlete was anything but straightforward. As a former competitive swimmer, Dina never imagined she’d one day be crossing the finish line of a 140.6-mile race. But her journey into endurance sports allowed her the opportunity to find strength in triathlon. The sport not only transformed her as an athlete, it also led her to discover a passionate community and a new purpose as a coach.

Finding Her Stride: The Transition from Pool to Pavement

Dina’s story begins in the pool. “I grew up as a swimmer,” she recalls. “I was on swim teams when I was very young.” But it was her father’s newfound interest in triathlon that first piqued her curiosity about the sport.

“My dad had gotten into triathlon around the time I was in late high school, early college,” Dina explains. “So I was beginning to see the sport and got interested.”

Despite her swimming background, Dina initially struggled with running. “I sort of tried to force myself to pick up running even though I hated it,” she admits. It wasn’t until a friend shared advice about starting slowly and building up pace that Dina began to find her rhythm on land.

Taking the Plunge: From Sprint to Ironman

Dina’s triathlon journey began in 2012 with her first sprint distance race. “I might as well do a triathlon on a mountain bike with him,” she remembers thinking about racing alongside her father. “It turns out it’s not all that cool to be the first person out of the water, because it just means everybody and their mother will pass you on the bike.”

From there, Dina’s progression was steady and deliberate. She moved from sprint to Olympic distance in 2014, tackled her first half Ironman in 2015, and finally registered for Ironman Lake Placid in 2016, which she completed in 2017. This deliberate process allowed Dina to find strength in triathlon without burn out.

“I took my time,” Dina reflects. “A part of me asked, ‘Do I even want to do this?’ But, I think that goal of crossing an Ironman finish line was always there.”

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The Power of Community

Throughout the conversation, Dina repeatedly emphasizes the importance of community in her triathlon experience. “I don’t think it would be fun if you weren’t doing it with a group of people,” she says.

For Dina, the triathlon community provided not just support, but also motivation and learning opportunities. “If you go on a group bike ride, you get to observe how other people are riding,” she explains. “Somebody whips out a gel and you’re like, ‘What the heck’s that? I’ve been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.'”

From Athlete to Coach: Paying It Forward

Dina’s passion for the sport and desire to help others led her to become a certified triathlon coach in 2019. “I think that’s probably one of the catalysts that helped me want to become a coach,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh, I just want to help people use what I’ve learned and experienced. What is the best way to help others get to that same point?”

Today, Dina balances her coaching business with other roles in the endurance sports community, including working at Fleet Feet and coaching their training programs. This variety allows her to impact athletes at different stages of their journey.

Overcoming Personal Challenges

Dina’s triathlon journey hasn’t been without its challenges. She openly shares her struggles with disordered eating, particularly binge eating disorder. “I got into nutrition coaching because I struggled a lot with disordered eating,” she says about her decision to help athletes with nutrition in addition to being a triathlon coach.

“I felt like people were really uncomfortable around the conversation of food,” Dina recalls about trying to discuss her eating disorder. “So I would try to tell someone I was struggling, and it would be a conversation ender.”

This experience has fueled Dina’s commitment to being open about her own struggles and creating a safe space for others to discuss theirs. “I don’t want anyone to feel like that because that felt awful,” she explains. “This is why I want to be as open about it as possible.”

She also stresses the importance of being mindful of the comments we make about others’ eating habits. “The comments can be really damaging to anybody but athletes in particular in this case,” Dina warns. “You don’t know what people are going through just by what’s on their plate or how much working out you see them do.”

Lessons Learned and Advice for Newcomers

When asked what advice she’d give to someone starting their triathlon journey, Dina emphasizes the importance of finding a community. “Join a club or find resources or something,” she suggests. “Because that can be really helpful, and it can be really overwhelming to be like, ‘Okay, I want to do a race. Where do I start?'”

The Journey Continues

Today, Dina continues to evolve as an athlete, coach, and advocate. Her story shows us that the path to becoming an Ironman is about more than just physical training. This path will become a journey of self-discovery, community connection, and personal growth.

As Dina puts it, “I truly enjoy doing these races and seeing teammates and friends at races. That’s another reason why I took my time getting there, getting to that goal, because I really love this. I want to do this the rest of my life.”

For Dina Grimaldi, triathlon isn’t just a sport. She was able to find strength in triathlon and is excited to share with others every step of the way.

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