Wildflower Blog

A Note from your Wildflower Race Director

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you for supporting us during our Wildflower Experience return. Your presence, enthusiasm, and encouragement made the occasion truly special. It means the world to us to have such an amazing community standing behind us.

I have taken the past couple weeks to really process all that was accomplished, and I am overwhelmed with how this Wildflower came together.  Through all the months of planning, challenges and anxiety over making sure this event means something, your support, many long-standing friendships and faith got me through.  I am filled with gratitude, humility and thankfulness all at once in so many ways.  When I woke up on Monday, I realized our Wildflower crew needed this as much, if not more, than the endurance community.

Gathering together as family, the Wildflower Family that is, was way more than I could have dreamed.  Whether you lent a hand behind the scenes, offered support on the forefront, or simply showed up when it mattered most, your contributions made a real difference. It’s not just the outcome that matters—it’s the heart, commitment, and spirit you brought to every step of the journey. Many of you shared in this sentiment with those on your teams and/or friends around the campfire.

As I stood at the start line this year, filled with emotion for months of work coming to life, I still looked out and saw all ages, all levels and so many stories shared with me about what it took them to get to the start line.  I too had my own story of what it took in the past 7 years to get to the start line of Wildflower Experience. A complete journey full of ups and downs, filled with perseverance, and surrounded by those supporting our family and the Wildflower brand for what it stood for, its historical reputation, but more so its evolution to what it would become hopefully for years to come.

I hope when you headed to Wildflower this year you were in for the adventure, to test yourselves on what some call a ‘throwback, tough as nails, course’, and to spend a weekend hanging with friends off the grid for a few days. I hope as you rode among the grapevines, along beautiful rolling hills, you had a chance to reflect on all things that got you into the sport to begin with. I hope the energy from the Cal Poly volunteers kept you going, and the atmosphere was undeniably something you can’t wait to return to.  As you came through the infamous long finish line lined with those cheering, you heard your name, bringing a sense of pride and accomplishment; I hope you felt what this weekend meant to our sport, our community and you personally.

We’re excited about what’s ahead and can’t wait to share more with you soon. Thank you for being a part of our journey!

Sincerely,

 

 

Colleen Bousman
Race Director – Wildflower Experience
See & Be Experience, owner

Interested in racing in 2026 – make sure to spread the word and tag us in any social media posts you make with #wildflowerexperience
Commit to bringing at least one additional new participant and one veteran racer that didn’t make it in 2025 so we can continue the Wildflower Experience for years to come. It takes a village to make it in this industry, and we are calling on you as the Wildflower Family to make it happen now!

Triathlon * Trail Runs * Open Water Swims * 5K/10K Runs * Clinics * Yoga * Festival

Experience Wildflower: A Weekend Like No Other!

Wildflower is not just a race, it’s a full weekend festival. From live music spanning bluegrass to rock, to gourmet food trucks, yoga, and wine tastings, this event celebrates local culture while drawing athletes and visitors from around the globe.

Learn More
May 1 - 3, 2026

At its heart are iconic endurance events, including four triathlons from long distance to sprint distance, a gravel triathlon, a 20K trail run, 5K and 10K fun runs, and an open water swim. With family-friendly attractions, a kid’s race, and the stunning backdrop of Lake San Antonio, Wildflower is a can’t-miss festival experience! Follow us on social media for the latest updates.

2025 Event Partners

We’re proud to partner with these great brands to bring you an incredible event experience. Whether you’re drenched in sweat, sitting around the campfire or immersed in music, you've worked hard to get there and deserve to have the best time possible.

Become a Partner

Your Company can partner with Wildflower Experience to help celebrate one of the hottest California Endurance Sports tradition for over 35 years. Connect with over thousands of athletes from all over world to promote your Brand to this highly engaged and loyal audience.