Team Saunders Tri

On this National Mascot Day, we can’t help but celebrate with Chip! What a treat to hang with this cool dude at IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder over the weekend. Sko Buffs! 🦬

That has us wondering… if TST had a mascot, what would it be? We want to hear your ideas in the comments 👇🏽

Most Fun Team in Triathlon race-week checklist:

🌈 Sprinkles

🧡 Orange energy

🏔️ Good people

Let this be a reminder that it’s ok to take the race seriously. Just don’t forget to enjoy it.

Because everything is more fun with sprinkles!

This weekend in Boulder, we spent a lot of time talking with athletes. Genuine, fulfilling, authentic conversations.

Some were racing their first triathlon.

Some were chasing World Championship slots.

Others were somewhere in between.

These conversations all had the same theme:

Community. Belonging. Connection.

The more athletes we meet, the more convinced we become that triathlon doesn’t need more gatekeepers of knowledge or making you pay-to-belong.

It needs more people willing to extend a helping hand and say:

“You’re welcome here.”

That’s the kind of community we’re trying to build.

This is how Medal Monday makes us feel! 💪🏽

It was one of the best weekends of triathlon for our little team - even if everything didn’t go according to plan.

The friendships, the connections, the adrenaline, the scenery!

Boulder has our heart and we’re proud to be going home with memories, medals, and some fun new hardware.

Enjoy a few of our favorite TST snaps from race day.

And how about that pose from Tif in the swim? In hindsight, if she had known it was going to be such a demanding swim, she might have saved some of that energy for fighting the whitecaps. 😆

Wow! IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder… ❤️💙💛

It was A. DAY. for Team Saunders Tri! 🧡🌈

A spot on the podium for our relay team…and a trip to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship for Colin!

Proud of all we accomplished and so much more to say about the day soon.

Thanks to everyone for the love, texts, messages, shout outs. The support. The community. Truly the reason we love this sport.

Congratulations to everyone who endured all the challenges today.

Ironman 70.3 Boulder: Team Saunders Tri, Bib 4032, is racked and ready! Relay on tap for Tif-Syd-Cait… and Colin is tackling all of the course and the altitude solo.

We wouldn’t be the team we are without Super Sherpa Katy giving us all the good vibes and support all weekend long.

Looking forward to sharing the course and the orange energy with everyone tomorrow.

VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY

This wasn’t the first time we’ve heard or read something like this:

“I don’t want to feel like I don’t belong at the start line.”

Honestly, we think a lot more athletes feel this way than people realize.

Feeling like you don’t know what you’re doing, being afraid to ask questions, not feeling like you look like a triathlete or have the right gear…

Most triathletes have been in these shoes. But they do belong. You belong, too!

You belong because you’re willing to show up, learn, and try something hard.

Triathlon shouldn’t feel like a club you have to earn your way into.

Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong at the start line?

You belong here.

This response from our recent community survey stopped us in our tracks.

“I feel like I have to gain access to a special club.”

And we saw similar comments from other triathletes.

They told us they are intimidated when it comes to asking questions. They feel overwhelmed by all the information and influencer voices. They feel like they’re not good enough to belong…

We don’t think that’s how triathlon should work.

You don’t need permission to belong here. You don’t need the fastest bike, a coach, a certain finish time… and you don’t need to know everything before you start.

You just need to be willing to show up.

This sport is hard enough already.
Finding real community shouldn’t be.

Have you ever felt like triathlon was an exclusive club you had to earn your way into?