Triathlon season is ramping up. Some of you may have already heard the delightful buzz of an alarmclock at 4 a.m. race morning this year, but for others the A race day is still months away. If your athlete is participating in a full-distance event or has uped their distance this year I'd hope you'd have already had The Talk.

The Talk is vital. If you haven't had it, stop what you are doing and have it now.

The Talk means sitting down, calmly, at the beginning of season and saying: What do you need from me this season. OK. Here is what I need from you.

Triathlon training is hard on everyone and if you don't communicate your needs early and often you have only yourself to blame when you're PO'ed. This is not a chat you can have when you're ticked off/tired and expect productive results. If you're tired/crabby, acknowledge that and give fair warning. If one of your needs is not being met, calmly, address that.

Examples: Athlete: I need for you to be understanding that I will need to be gone a lot on weekends to train and when I am home I may be tired and crabby. Partner: OK. I need you to understand that sometimes you'll have to miss/cut short a training session because its great-aunt-sally's 80'th birthday and we have to go or I need you to help me with yard work or I just need a little together time.

Athletes ask a lot of their partners/families/friends when they are in season. It's not unfair to expect to have to give back a little in return. It doesn't make you nasty for asking that the needs of others be acknowledged, too.

Nevermind who actually crosses the finish line, Triathlon is a team sport.