After competing in swim events since childhood and winning a swim scholarship in college, Loren, 37, was burned out. “It took so much time, was so repetitive that after 15 years of doing it, I needed a break,” she says.

Years later, after moving to L.A. from her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, she was running with a friend who suggested she try competing in triathlons. “He knew of my swimming background and told me I probably wouldn’t even have to train to be the first girl out of the water.”

She gave it a shot, doing a half-mile swim, an 18-mile bike ride and a 5K run, and found she really enjoyed it. Now, besides triathlons, Loren competes in ocean races  two to three miles long  including one race that consisted of laps around the Long Beach Marina – an experience she describes as disgusting because the dirty water left a layer of motor oil on her face. “With every breath, I could smell the fumes,” she says.

Other swims have been more pleasant, including the annual two-mile race in the South Bay between Hermosa and Manhattan Beach piers, where last year she came in seventh woman in a race with 1,000 swimmers.

“Being an athlete has made me more disciplined in everything I do,” Loren says. “Nothing feels better than knowing with each workout, you’ll be stronger.”