Endurance Sports Series
Half a century ago, on September 25, 1974, at 5:45 p.m., a new kind of race unfolded on Fiesta Island. That evening, forty-six athletes lined up for a 5.3-mile run, a 5-mile bike ride, and a 600-yard swim. The sequence — run, bike, swim — was conceived and directed by Don Shanahan, a Marine, attorney, and lifelong runner who first proposed the idea to the San Diego Track Club.Training Planners, Logs & Journals
In 1974, a small group gathered at Fiesta Island in San Diego to try something new. What they created was a race made up of three parts run, bike, and swim completed in sequence. It was simple, but it worked. At the center of that effort was Jack Johnstone.A bridge between sprint and long- course racing designed for athletes ready to go farther. This planner helps triathletes build endurance, refine strategy, and prepare for the leap toward half- distance events with structure and confidence.
The Golden Age of Endurance: 1971–1979
The first modern triathlon emerged from a decade of rapid change in endurance sports. Road racing expanded, masters athletes redefined lifelong competition, women and young athletes gained greater visibility, and volunteer-led events brought new participants to starting lines throughout San Diego.
Drawing from monthly newsletters, race results, photographs, interviews, and documented events, this series traces the people, ideas, and experiments that shaped the decade. Begin with The Golden Age of Endurance for the complete overview, followed by 1971: Before the Boom, the first installment in the year-by-year documentary series.
Production note: The year-by-year documentaries covering 1972 through 1979 are currently in production and will be added to this page as they are completed.