DIY Tri: Get Inspired to Put On Your Own Triathlon Adventure

With the race calendar in constant flux, triathletes have had to get creative when it comes to swimming, biking, and running. The upside of fewer races this season is that triathletes are released from the usual structure of a training plan and season, allowing them to explore new places, try new things, and swim, bike, and run in entirely different ways—like a DIY Catalina Island tri adventure

Two former professional triathletes, Chris Foster and Ben Collins took the concept of a self-supported tri—swimming, biking, and running with no race support, outside assistance, or even so much as a timer—a step further last year with their own DIY tri adventure on Catalina Island. They brought everything they’d need to swim, bike, and run in their own “event” on a small, rugged island about 25 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. They planned their own course and even brought specialized gear to bikepack their way out to their tri adventure base 10 miles away from the nearest town—where they would start, transition, finish, eat, and sleep over two days.

The logistical challenges of taking a boat, riding to a base camp with no running water, carrying everything for the tri and for sleeping and eating, and the unexpectedness of difficult, unforgiving, and unpredictable terrain made this an epic adventure—even if it wasn’t attached to a race or standard race distances. Check out the video above for the incredible sights and sounds of a Catalina Island DIY tri adventure.

Looking to create some adventure of your own? We can help! Sign up for our Hawaii From Home challenge to help give you the framework for your own DIY tri! Also, check out our reviews of the unique gear Chris and Ben used in their adventure.