The New Wave: Dust Off the Bike, Embrace the Unknown, and Just TRI
There is a specific kind of electricity in the air at races right now. You can feel it standing on the sidelines of a local sprint, overhearing stories of “my first Tri” at your local coffee shop, or watching the massive, awe-inspiring energy of a full-distance IRONMAN.
It’s a fresh vibe, yet it carries the exact spirit that built this sport in the first place: Let’s just TRI.
It’s about grabbing that dusty bike from the back of the garage, answering a curiosity you’ve harbored since you first saw a multisport event growing up or heard about “TRI-athlon.” “What is that? Oh, it is Swim, Bike, and Run! Amazing!”—simply an "Oh!" that inspires a "TRI" for everyone, wherever it may take you! It’s an experiment in living out loud, an expression of discovery.
A Flashback to the Beginning
I was reminded of this recently when I overheard a conversation at a coffee shop of a new generation being nervous and at the same time excited to do his first super sprint with an old, dusted bike! Or when I saw an 18-year-old dusting off the exact same model and color of my 18th-first-birthday triathlon bike: she was ready to rack for her first 70.3 event race, while I was ready to rack for—well, I stopped counting multiple 70.3s in the PRO race. Connecting both ends always creates that spark that ignites new aspiration to train, race, and be part of this TRI. Good memories came back, and while I may have inspired her, she inspired me right back in my own journey.
Back then, turning 18 meant getting a birthday gift that truly mattered, and I chose a bike. I had no grand master plan, no high-stakes ambitions, and no deep "why" other than pure curiosity. I had just started experimenting with a PE class called Triathlon at North Carolina State University. Before long, I found my way to the NC State Triathlon Club—a community of fellow students who were just as clueless, curious, and excited as I was. That led to signing up for a relay (as a swimmer, the water wasn't new, but doing it this way certainly was), which somehow cascaded into extra credit hours, and more TRIs! The Wrightsville Beach Sprint, and—crazy enough—an Olympic distance race in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
I fell completely in love with the casual, open vibe and the incredible diversity of triathlon. It was a refreshing antidote to the hyper-rigorous, lane-locked world of competitive swimming. Just like that, without overthinking it, I embarked on my journey.
The New Wave is Here
Today, I see that exact same movement bubbling up everywhere.
New faces are stepping onto the scene, stepping past the fear of the unknown, and diving headfirst into the art of TRI-ing. This new wave isn't about rigid perfection; it’s about signing up, having fun, messing up, figuring it out, and finding your own path.
Sure, triathlon demands discipline, preparation, and grit. It teaches you how to push past barriers and overcome. But more than that, it feeds a craving for a better, more vibrant lifestyle. It gives structure, a sense of youth, and a childlike wonder back to our days.
It also opens up the map. Suddenly, you're discovering hidden backroads in your own state, exploring new corners of the country, and finding yourself packing a bike case to race abroad. Along the way, you aren't just logging miles—you’re building deep connections and truly experiencing life.
Make It Yours: Style, Expression, and Your Ohana
The best part of this new wave? Making it memorable.
Have fun with it. Join a team like Team Zoot and become part of a community of racers and rock a custom kit and express your personality through your gear, and simply be yourself out there on the course.
Triathlon isn’t just a sport; it’s a living, breathing community. In multisport, we quickly find our Ohana—that chosen family on the sidelines, racked beside us in transition, and cheering us across finish lines. Whether they are guiding you through your first open-water swim anxiety or sharing a post-race coffee, this community reminds you that you never truly race alone. They share your values, your try-outs, your ups and downs, that fulfilling moment crossing the finish line, the victory of overcoming the unknowns, the challenges, and that always-returning mantra that keeps us saying "never again"—until you're eventually searching for the next one to sign up for.
It is more than a sport; it becomes a way of living fully, showing yourself yes you can!, and embracing those unexpected race-day plot twists.
So, what are you waiting for?
Dust off the bike. Answer the curiosity. Find your Ohana.
Let’s TRI.