As Los Angeles prepares for the 2028 Olympic Games, 120 miles south lies the birthplace of Triathlon — Fiesta Island, San Diego, September 25, 1974. Half a century later, the full story is finally being told by its originator in first person, in real time, Don Shanahan.
Wednesday September 25, 1974 at 5:45 pm, 46 runners became the world's first triathletes on Fiesta Island.
Wednesday September 25, 1974 at 5:45 pm, 46 runners became the world's first triathletes on Fiesta Island.
About the Stories
Hidden in Plain Sightand The First Triathlon Course are unlike any other work on triathlon. They are at once a history, a biography, and a study in endurance, a vivid chronicle of the sport’s evolution from Don Shanahan and Jack Johnstone’s beginnings and the early multi-sport experiments of the 1970s to The First Triathlon™ in 1974 and triathlon’s Olympic debut in Sydney, Australia, in 2000.
What makes these book trulys distinctive is their grounding in firsthand testimony from the originator of that inaugural race. Each chapter explores a different dimension of triathlon — its origins, its scientific foundations, and its social and cultural evolution, ultimately revealing the human story behind the balance of work, life, training, and racing. Hidden in Plain Sight’s special section features an in-depth conversation with Don Shanahan, giving readers the rare opportunity to experience a personal Question-and-Answer session with the man who started it all.
The First Triathlon Course is a story narrative from interviews with the Johnstone family, along with records, newsletters, and materials that have been preserved over time. These sources allow a continuous storied experience in the life of Jack Johnstone, teacher, family man, designer of the first triathlon course.
Don Shanahan, Marine Corp Judge Advocate General. Courtesy of Don Shanahan.
Dr. Bill Phillips, Don Shanahan, and Jack Johnstone. Courtesy of the Johnstone Family collection.
Don Shanahan, Providence College cross country and lifetime runner. Courtesy of Don Shanahan.
Jack Johnstone, All-American Swimmer, West Chester State, PA, and a Math teacher, took 6th Place, First Triathlon, exiting the swim. Courtesy of the Johnstone Family collection.
Don Shanahan, Assistant US Attorney and San Diego City Attorney. Courtesy of Don Shanahan.
Triathlon Magazine 1998 Hall of Fame. Bill Phillips, Don Shanahan, Tom Warren, Jack Johnstone, Dave Pain. Photo by Rich Cruise
Eyewitness & Legacy
“Jack won countless swimming trophies, yet they stayed in boxes. The only award he ever displayed was the Hall of Fame trophy from Triathlete magazine in 1986.”
— Betty Johnstone, wife of Jack Johnstone, Volunteer at the First Triathlon
“Paying your dues matters. The very first triathlon in 1974 wasn’t free; it cost a dollar. One dollar doesn’t sound like much, but it turned a workout into a race. It meant framework, results, and bragging rights… That first dollar proved it was real.”
— Bob Babbitt, Co-founder, Challenged Athletes Foundation & Competitor Magazine · IRONMAN® & USA Triathlon® Hall of Famer · Media Host / Author
About the Website
The book is the foundation. The website extends the story. Coming soon:
Visuals: maps, photographs, and course reconstructions.
Video: interviews, testimonies, and anniversary coverage.
Archives: a living extension of the appendices, including complete race results.
Newsletters: the San Diego Track Club bulletins that first announced and recorded the triathlon.
The site is designed as both companion and archive — making the origins of triathlon visible, accessible, and lasting.