Wanderlust 108 – Los Angeles hosted the world’s first mindful triathlon including a 5K, large scale yoga class and guided meditation on the beaches of Santa Monica.
Running shoes – check. Yoga mat – check. Sunscreen, reusable water bottle, and bike lock – check, check. I quickly scanned this small list through my mind as I hopped on my beach cruiser and began pedaling toward the ocean. Nothing else mattered at this point because I was ready to spend my day at the most talked about event of the weekend: Wanderlust 108. For those who may not know exactly what this is, Wanderlust 108 is a “mindful triathlon” that includes a 90 minute outdoor yoga sesh, 5K beach run, and a guided meditation.
As I approached the Santa Monica Pier, slowly cruising the winding bike path along the beach, I began to see from a distance what all the hype was about. The colorful deck was full of yogis and runner enthusiasts. Local food and craft vendors lined up side by side. Participants collected their swag. Others fueled before the race.
I made my way to the front of the stage to find the perfect spot to lay down my Manduka mat with its matching towel to begin the first segment of my triathlon. I was so excited about this: Outside in California weather with background beats by DJ Drez and yoga lead by MC Yogi and Tiffany Cruikshank/Yoga Medicine…who wouldn’t be!
DJ Drez and MC Yogi sure did know how to get this yoga party started with a lot of giggles, smiles, and groovin’ to the music. Before yoga began, MC Yogi walked out on stage with his fun, unique, hip hop flare making a welcoming statement that resonated with me, “Yoga is Medicine. It heals ourselves and our community.” He couldn’t have been more right about that. Just looking around at all the smiling faces was enough for confirmation.
After I danced my butt off (with yoga in between), there was a small break before the 5K beach run. I decided to take a journey around the deck to visit all the vendors, get my flash tat from the Athleta booth, and snag a few yoga photos under the “Wanderlust 108” archway. Then we made our way out to the beach for the run.
I planted my feet in the California sand ready to take on this 5K. As I looked around, there were seasoned athletes mixed with others that just wanted to have fun in the sun. But it was easy to see the common denominator that threaded us all together…we were all here on a journey to find our true north.
In the final leg of the triathlon, I grounded myself in meditation reminiscing in the afterglow of the sun-kissed day. I realized it was symbolic of what we all live for. An endeavor that lead us towards a more mindful and meaningful life while meeting others along the way to share the memories with…that is Wanderlust.
by Tiffany Palazzini
Tiffany Palazzini is on the Surfrider Executive Committee team as an earth lover & tree hugger recycling one butt at a time.