USA Triathlon has announced the dates for the third annual National Triathlon Week, a nationwide US initiative to celebrate the sport of triathlon and all its constituency groups. The largely social-media-based #TriWeek campaign seeks to bring the multisport community together from June 24-30 – not only to swim, bike and run, but also to share experiences, inspiring stories, advice and support.
The complete schedule, along with ideas for how to participate – some of which can take as little as five minutes – are available on the official landing page for National Triathlon Week: usatriathlon.org/triweek.
Throughout the week, athletes are encouraged to get involved and celebrate the sport by posting on social media with the hashtag #TriWeek.
The emphasis of the week is on celebration, education and participation in the multisport lifestyle. A different theme will be featured every day, starting with a spotlight on each discipline of triathlon:
- Monday, June 24: Swim Day
- Tuesday, June 25: Bike Day
- Wednesday, June 26: Run Day
- Thursday, June 27: Time to Tri Day
- Friday, June 28: Member Appreciation Day
- Saturday, June 29, and Sunday, June 30: Race Weekend
Themed video and editorial content will be published on USA Triathlon’s website and social channels each day. Featured videos will highlight 86-year-old triathlon star Molly Hayes, as well as elite paratriathlete Amy Dixon and her guide (and age-group legend) Kirsten Sass.
New for 2019, ‘Time to Tri Day’ is an opportunity for experienced triathletes to offer their beginner-friendly advice, motivation and resources to first-timers both on social media and in their communities. Time to Tri is an industry-wide initiative, launched by USA Triathlon and IRONMAN last year and housed at mytimetotri.com, that aims to grow triathlon participation in the United States by the end of 2020.
The week culminates with Race Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, when first-timers and experienced triathletes alike are encouraged to complete a race, register for their next event or simply volunteer to staff an on-course aid station.
Individuals will be invited to participate in #TriWeek in a variety of ways, from amateur and elite athletes sharing stories and photos on social media to certified coaches, officials and race directors offering their expertise. USA Triathlon will also suggest training activities that fit that day’s theme.
Prize packs will be awarded to select participants who share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #TriWeek, with one prize pack awarded for each day of the week. In addition, triathletes can enter to win a USA Triathlon Lifetime Membership by sharing how the sport has helped them reach a personal goal. Submissions must either be emailed to marketing[at]usatriathlon.org or shared on social media using the hashtags #TriWeek and #WhatsYourFinishLine. All award winners will be announced on Monday, July 1.
“National Triathlon Week is an opportunity for triathletes, coaches, clubs, race directors, officials and industry members to share their collective knowledge and passion for the sport – not only with each other, but with aspiring triathletes as well,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO. “We look forward to sharing unique and engaging content during this week-long celebration of our sport, and we encourage the wider multisport community to get involved.”
During National Triathlon Week in 2018, social posts about #TriWeek garnered more than 11 million impressions. Triathletes from across the country engaged on social media, including former NFL quarterback Brett Favre and wife Deanna Favre, former MLB outfielder Eric Byrnes and US Senator (then-Congresswoman) Kyrsten Sinema.
Eric Byrnes, now an MLB Network analyst and IRONMAN triathlete, will serve as an official National Triathlon Week Ambassador for the second consecutive year. He completed a ‘Triathlon Across America’ in 2018 — swimming, biking and running a total of 3,200 miles to raise money and awareness for the Let Them Play Foundation, which supports youth physical education and after-school programs. This year, Byrnes will launch a documentary about his journey.
