Our Wild Stories – Mac Brown and Kurt Spenser – Let’s Make Sure this Sports Still Fun!
by: Colleen
Our Wild Stories – Brandy Ramirez – Breaking free from the Box
by: Colleen
Our Wild Stories – Matt & Colleen share their Wildflower Story
by: Colleen
It’s Your Time to Thrive – Empowering Women
by: Colleen
Our Wild Stories – Mallory & Trevor
by: Colleen
Our Wild Stories – Julie & Drew
by: Colleen
Our Wild Stories Podcast – Mohamed Lahna
by: Colleen
Our Wild Stories Podcast – Journey Back
by: Colleen
Triathlete Magazine Gets Us
by: Chris
Wildflower 2025 Marks Triumphant Return to Lake San Antonio
by: Christy Fritts
A Note from your Wildflower Race Director
by: Colleen
Wings for Life World Run 2025 at Wildflower!
by: Colleen
Meet the Volunteers: The Cal Poly Crew and Their Legacy at Wildflower
by: Pierce Jalajas
Meet the Voices of Wildflower 2025
by: Pierce Jalajas
Get Race-Ready with TriDot: Four Expert-Led Clinics at Wildflower!
by: Pierce Jalajas
The Wildflower Experience Announces Full Race and Festival Line-Up for May 2–4, 2025
by: Pierce Jalajas
Championing Your Race Day at Wildflower: Coach Dorette’s Strategy for Success
by: Pierce Jalajas
Sports Basement: The Ultimate Packing List for Wildflower!
by: Christy Fritts
Strength in Every Stride: Wildflower’s Impact on the Challenged Athletes Foundation
by: Christy Fritts
How to Set Up a Smooth Transition at Wildflower
by: Will Paterson
Get Race-Ready with ROKA: Swim Clinics at Wildflower!
by: Christy Fritts
Race Update: Safety Tips to Help You Have a Strong (and Safe) Wildflower Weekend
by: Will Paterson
Racing with Heart: Paralympian Mohamed Lahna Returns to Wildflower
by: Christy Fritts
The Art of the Taper – Final Stretch to Race Day. By Dorette Franks, M.S., R.D., L.D.
by: Christy Fritts
Post-Race Relaxation: Exploring the Best Wineries in Paso Robles After Wildflower
by: Will Paterson
LA Tri Club Prepares for Wildflower 2025: Training, Community, and Camaraderie
by: Pierce Jalajas
How Jenny Emick Balances Motherhood and Racing (and Everything in Between)
by: Will Paterson
Why UCSB Triathlon Club is Going All In on Wildflower 2025
by: Will Paterson
Defying the Odds One Mile at a Time
by: Christy Fritts
Everything You Need to Know About the Rudy Project Transition Clinic and Shake Out Run at Wildflower
by: Pierce Jalajas
ROKA Wetsuit Giveaway Winner Barry Vince Returns to the Legendary Wildflower
by: Christy Fritts
Michele Porter’s Story: A Journey of Resilience and the Power of Community at Wildflower
by: Christy Fritts
Racing for More Than a Finish Line: The Pathman Duo Takes on Wildflower
by: Christy Fritts
Wild at Wildflower: Ian Murray’s 20-Race Legacy
by: Christy Fritts
Ambassador Highlight: Jennifer Temperley
by: Pierce Jalajas
Ambassador Highlight: Reed Thayer
by: Pierce Jalajas
Ambassador Highlight: Erica Knauff
by: Pierce Jalajas
Wildflower Experience Expands Legacy with New Sponsors and Charities for 2025
by: Pierce Jalajas
Exclusive Access to Rudy Project’s new Wingdream Helmet by Registering for Wildflower
by: Pierce Jalajas
Ambassador Highlight: Sam Clark
by: Pierce Jalajas
Ambassador Highlight: Scott DeFilippis
by: Pierce Jalajas
Betty Squad wins September Club/Team Challenge
by: Chris
Who is bringing Wildflower back?
by: Chris
We BELIEVE in CREDOTri – so what is it?
by: Colleen
Wildflower Weekend Yoga Retreat
by: Christy Fritts
Running Trails
by: Chris
Traveling + Camping Tips for Wildflower
by: Chris
Finally, My First Wildflower Experience
by: Chris
Ready to change your life forever? Go for a run!
by: Chris
Camping & Racing With My Tri Club
by: Christy Fritts
CBCG Professional Triathlete Andrew Langfield Gets It All Done
by: Chris
Ambassador: Marguerite Harris
by: Christy Fritts
The Classic Races: Timeless Wildflower
by: Christy Fritts
Sight Set on Triathlon
by: Christy Fritts
The Journey of Being Last
by: Christy Fritts
Kevin Jervis and Katherine Hoolihan Win 2018 Wildflower Experience Triathlon Collegiate Race
by: Christy Fritts
Rudy von Berg and Heather Jackson Win 2018 Wildflower Triathlon Experience Long Course Race
by: Christy Fritts
The Stage is Set for Another Classic Wildflower!
by: Christy Fritts
The Voices of Wildflower
by: Christy Fritts
Karen Aydelott Doesn’t Believe In Limits
by: Christy Fritts
Young and Determined
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete: Chad Crittenden
by: Christy Fritts
Action Wipes Returns to Its Roots at Wildflower
by: Christy Fritts
Green Beret, Pro Triathlete & Entrepreneur Will Wake You Up at Wildflower!
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete: Breezy Bochenek
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete – Amy Berkin Chavez
by: Christy Fritts
Wildflower, On a Dare…
by: Christy Fritts
The Wildflower Experience Announces Speed Hound as Official Swim Training Sponsor
by: Christy Fritts
“What Do I Eat on Race Day?” — Part 2
by: Christy Fritts
Wildflower Brings World-Class Triathletes Back to Battle for the Title of this Historic Race
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete – Maurice Van Galder
by: Christy Fritts
The Wildflower Triathlon Experience Announces Full Festival Line-Up for May 4-6th, 2018
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete: Moira Horan
by: Christy Fritts
“What Do I Eat on Race Day?”
by: Christy Fritts
Wildflower Experience Festival Entertainment Line-up
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete: Massimo “Mo” Morson, 10 yrs old
by: Christy Fritts
CLIF BAR® NAMED OFFICIAL ENERGY BAR OF WILDFLOWER EXPERIENCE
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete: Belen Ramirez
by: Christy Fritts
Driven to Live
by: Christy Fritts
It’s Time to TRI
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete: Cassidy Robinson
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete: Elizabeth Sugarman
by: Christy Fritts
Featured Athlete: Christine Scott
by: Christy Fritts
The “Woodstock” of Triathlons
by: Christy Fritts
Announcing Partnership with Firestone Walker Brewery
by: Christy Fritts
Ambassador – Jean Claude Constandse
by: Christy Fritts
Twice the Fun – Wildflower Squared
by: Christy Fritts
A Wildflower Family Affair
by: Christy Fritts
Wildflower Triathlon Experience Returns
by: Christy Fritts
Wildflower Family, Friends and Memories
by: Christy Fritts
by Dean Harper
First Wildflower winner – 1983
Wildflower will forever be my favorite race. Thirty three years ago was my first. I am hoping my last won’t be for another twenty or more years from now. I have ridden up Nasty Grade a dozen times or so, each time seemingly harder than the last. The Olympic course is mile for mile the toughest Olympic course around. There are no flats on the Olympic course, except in the swim. Memories of the race results fade over time. However, the weekend memories endure. They will last a lifetime.
I have competed at Wildflower with my daughter Shelley, and with my son Greg several times. Shelley was the 2nd collegiate woman three years ago and Greg was the 2nd collegiate male last year. Both wanted to snatch an overall victory for their Dad. I was incredibly proud of both and would have been whether they finished 1st or 151st. I am very thankful they have chosen a lifestyle that includes aerobic fitness and multi-sport. I am delighted to share the Wildflower tradition with my family.
In 2006 the collegiate champion – and still Olympic distance record holder – was Steve Sexton. He finished his PhD in Economics from UC Berkeley shortly thereafter. That same year Greg was 14 and won his age group. I barely knew Steve at the time, but my wife, Mary Ann, snapped a picture of them together. Fast forward to Christmas 2015, Shelley, Greg, Steve, and Wildflower age group record holder and good friend, Jason Campbell and I were all in Maui riding around the island together. Shelley had just graduated from Duke Nursing School, Steve is an Economics Professor at Duke and the two have been dating for over a year. Jason is a good friend who enjoys taking my soft age group records and turning them into something that will last. Greg was training for the collegiate season. One of our common connections – Wildflower. We all love the race.
The past couple of years I have been fortunate to share some of the Wildflower announcing duties with triathlon icon and friend Julie Moss. Julie is a former Wildflower champ.
And she has befriended my son Greg and his girlfriend Kristin, and is going to start them on their Pacific Crest Trail hike at the Mexican border a couple of days after this year’s Wildflower. Yet another Wildflower connection.
Then there is race director, Terry Davis. He and I have mused over the history of Wildflower and the incredible journey from its nascent 1983 beginning to a peak of over 7,000 participants. The Woodstock of triathlon.
I also blame Terry for getting me back into this sport after many years of raising a family and building a law practice. In late March of 2002, I received a phone call from Terry at work. I hadn’t spoken with Terry for years. “Hey Dean, we have our 20th year anniversary this year and we would love to have you compete as a two time former winner.” In a weak moment, I said “Ok.” I hadn’t competed in a triathlon for over a decade and bought a bike, trained hard for two months and managed to squeak in under five hours. However, Terry gave me number one and lined me up next to all of the top pros. I felt incredibly out of place as Chris Leigh, Chris McCormack and other top pros came up and introduced themselves.
That race back in 2002 was exciting and memorable. Largely because of Terry’s invitation, over the next nine years I’d compete in about seventy triathlons all over the world. Participating at Wildflower, absorbing the energy, and renewing friendships gave me the boost to rekindle my more competitive side for the next nine years.
In recent years I have been fortunate enough to coach the Cal Berkeley Triathlon Team. Ironically, Wildflower has become a year-end Cal Berkeley Tri tradition. Now another Wildflower connection and tradition.
So for me, Wildflower is about family, it’s about friends and it’s about memories. The great memories I have of Wildflower will last me a lifetime.