Our Wild Stories

A story of survival, resilience, and finding your way back Featuring: Madeline Reinach, UC Davis Triathlete Hosted By: Colleen Bousman, Wildflower Experience Race Director/Owner In this powerful and deeply personal episode, we sit down with Madeline Reinach, a UC Davis triathlete whose journey back to the start line is nothing short of extraordinary. After a devastating bike accident on May 2, 202...

Featuring: Libby Hodge, Cal Poly Triathlon Team, Alumni Hosted By: Colleen Bousman, Wildflower Experience Race Director/Owner In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with a senior from California Polytechnic State University who ran down the finish chute at Wildflower Triathlon in her cap and gown — just one month before graduation. Through reflective and emotional questions, she shares what that m...

Featuring: Barb Campbell - Director, Coaching Excellence Program, and Dan Caskie - Director of Growth Programs, both at Tri Dot, Predictive Fitness. Hosted by Colleen Bousman, Wildflower Experience Race Director/Owner. Description: We sit down with Barb Campbell and Coach Dan Caskie to explore how TriDot helps athletes find their finish line. We dive into data-driven training for time-crunched ath...

Hooked in Our 20s: How Collegiate Racing Builds a Generation of Triathletes In this fun-filled episode, I sit down with student-athletes from University of California, Santa Barbara to talk about why the 20–29 age group is exploding in triathlon — and why collegiate racing is at the center of it. From the moment they first found the sport to what makes team culture so addictive, this conversation...

Featuring: Jen Temperley and Robin White of Fly Health + Wellness Hosted By: Colleen Bousman, Wildflower Experience Race Director/Owner Podcast Description Most of the women who find Fly Health + Wellness already "know" a lot about health, they've read the articles, tried the diets, joined the challenges, but are often stagnant or stuck. We get at the root of ‘WHY’ they are stuck and how to get un...

Featuring: Jonathan Pascual Hosted By: Colleen Bousman Podcast Description When Jonathan was diagnosed with a brain tumor, he discovered resilience. He shares how athletes have a different mindset, how you live and push limits differently and how this helped him learn to turn suffering into strength. When a battle he hadn’t expected came before him again he added to this mindset – “I determine how...

Featuring: Mike Buenting, Rudy Project and Matt Miller, Base Performance This Happier Camper Chat from Wildflower 2025 is packed with unbelievable excitement and insight into the evolution of triathlon. There isn’t a topic these two don’t touch! Hear about Mike’s first Wildflower, Matt guiding blind and Down syndrome athletes, collegiate racing, and the incredible story of a dinner with the Gill f...

Featuring:  Ali Rush, Owner 15C Wine Shop, Shift Studio & Advanced Sommelier Hosted by:  Pepper Daniels, AGM Radio and Wildflower Announcer 8 years   This episode is perfectly timed for Harvest on the Central Coast.   Ali’s first Wildflower was in 1999 with the Women’s Water Polo team for 4 years. When she graduated, she followed the path of many volunteers to try their first race… one race wa...

Featuring: Mac Brown and Kurt Spenser, RŌKA Multisport Hosted by: EZF Media for See & Be Productions Mac and Kurt share about what it feels like as they both return to Wildflower after more than a decade away from the event. Kurt previously raced with the Stanford team as a collegiate swimmer, and Mac’s last Wildflower was when he had just gotten married and was starting a family. Kurt sat in...

Featuring: Brandy Ramirez, Director of TriDot Pool School & TriDot Certified Coach Hosted by Julie Moss, Wildflower Announcer & Hall of Fame Triathlete First 10 Min - The question many ask: The first part of the episode explains how TriDot coaching is still personalized by giving coaches time with their athlete. Second 10 Min - Breaking Free from the box & the Power of Movement with Tr...

Colleen and Matt Bousman have been all-in on Wildflower for decades — from running burrito stands in the early days to mapping out entire race courses with drones. This episode dives into how their shared dedication and creativity keep the Wildflower spirit alive year after year. Hear how the race has evolved, how technology now plays a role in shaping each course, and what it really takes behind...

Featuring: Mallory Kilmer and Trevor Franklin Hosted by: Matt Miller, Legacy Wildflower Triathlon Finisher, Base Performance “The Hills are different here in California” shares Mallory after her race, but she got pretty excited for the rest of the hills when she made it up Lynch Hill right out of transitions without stopping. Hear about how she and Trevor trained in Central Park and the along the...

Featuring: Drew Shellemberger, Elite Triathlon Development Group, U23 Project Podium graduate Hosted by: Julie Moss, retired Professional Triathlete, Wildflower Announcer Project Podium is an elite development program leading athletes to be successful racing later in life. After feeling it was time to launch at age 23, he soon realized he needed a reset. He took time to reset his expectations, opt...

Our Wild Stories - A Sports & Human-Interest Podcast. Mohamed Lahna was born without a right femur, but that never stopped him from chasing his dreams. Growing up in Morocco, he overcame challenges in school where he wasn’t even allowed to participate in PE, and went on to compete in his first triathlon in 2008—on crutches. With the support of his parents and his own determination, Mohamed fou...

Our Wild Stories: A Sports & Human-Interest Podcast Colleen Bousman is the owner and producer of the Wildflower Experience and has produced some of the greatest running and triathlon events across the United States — including Wildflower Triathlons, Nike Women’s Marathon, Nike Human Race, The Giant Race, Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, Scott Tinley’s Adventures, Triathlon at Pacific Grove, and...