The Golden Gate Tri Club is booming. With over 650 members, it’s the biggest it’s ever been in its 35-year history. And it’s not just triathletes–open water swimmers, trail runners, and cyclists are all joining too–along with a record number of athletes under 30.
The draw is simple: inclusivity. In every way.
“We have a huge range of athlete capabilities, from super beginners all the way to athletes who are winning races,” says club president Jaimie Zhu. “We try very hard to be inclusive not just in speed, but in gender identity, age, ability–making sure we have programming you can participate in.”
From fully-supported swims from Alcatraz and an annual club century ride, to Women Tri Together, a program designed to help women enter the sport, and lots of social meetups, GGTC has something for everyone–and someone for everyone to learn from.
“There’s a lot of knowledge to go around,” Jaimie says. “A lot of mentorship built into the club because we have this large range of skill levels and demographics.”
Jaimie gave us the lowdown on what makes the club such a hot ticket in Northern California, so you can bring a little of that magic to wherever you train – and show up to your next start line with confidence.
Designate a Central Social Workout
For GGTC, it’s Wednesday’s weekly track workout with coach Mario Fraioli. Athletes run hard and get faster. They also go to hang out and be there for vibes. Injured? You can still hang. Got gear to exchange? Bring it to the track workout.
Go Big on Swimming
Masters indoors twice a week. A weekly open-water workout at Aquatic Park. A designated swim director who can teach teammates all about the tides – how to read tide charts, clock currents, and stay safe swimming in San Francisco Bay. GGTC takes swimming seriously, and makes it fun.
They also partner with the Pacific Open Water Swim Co. to offer fully supported swims from Alcatraz.
If you’ve ever eyed swimming in the San Francisco Bay, GGTC’s got everything you need to make those dreams come true.
Share the Love
A group of 25 ambassadors is the club’s muscle. They help put on events, lead beginner open water swimmers, organize rides, and help make the GGTC’s workout and social schedule robust.
“There are endless ways to be involved in community,” Jaimie says. “People join this club to make friends. It did that for me as well.”
We’re proud to support GGTC and all the clubs dedicated to helping their members thrive in and out of the water.
