Inside the Community Tim and Rinny Are Building Through Salty Bears
Tim O'Donnell and Mirinda Carfrae are creating a global community that brings athletes together through racing, learning, and training camps like the one we visited in Boulder.
Mel Sauve
Tim O’Donnell and Mirinda Carfrae are two of the most generous and well-loved athletes in our sport. And that generosity continues today as they look for ways to share their time, knowledge, and experience with athletes at every level of triathlon.
They’re doing this through Salty Bears Racing, a team they founded in 2023 following Carfrae’s retirement from professional racing. While Salty Bears offers personal coaching from Tim and Rinny themselves, it has also evolved into something much broader: a community open to athletes of all abilities, whether they are self-coached, working with another coach, or training under Salty Bears.
Members have opportunities to connect through team race experiences around the world, creating a sense of belonging and shared purpose, while also taking part in training and educational opportunities such as the camp currently being held in Boulder.
“The sport gave us so much,” Rinny shared. “I want to pay that forward, and I’ve found a real joy in coaching.”
“We really want to make ourselves accessible,” Tim added. Even with five world titles between the two of them, he explained that the goal is to provide real, boots-on-the-ground coaching while fostering an environment that feels more like a family than a traditional team.
The Activities of Camp
Camp kicked off with Ironman 70.3 Boulder, where some athletes raced individually while Salty Bears also fielded four relay teams, with the coaches joining in on the fun themselves. It’s true: they really are right in the middle of the action!
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From there, Sunday featured a shakeout run with run-form drills, followed by a BBQ hosted in Tim and Rinny’s own backyard.
Monday began with an outdoor pool swim that included on-deck technique instruction before athletes headed out for a ride along one of Boulder’s iconic cycling routes.
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This morning (Tuesday) started with an open-water swim at the Boulder Reservoir, where camaraderie, laughter, and joy seemed just as much a part of the experience as the hard efforts in the water.
And that is exactly what Tim and Rinny are trying to create.
“Of course we want to help athletes push themselves and achieve great things,” Rinny said. “But even more than that, we want triathlon to enrich their lives. That’s exactly what it did for us. Beyond swim, bike, and run, it gave us community, lifelong friendships, and many of the very best experiences of our lives.”
Beyond Training Camp
While camp isn’t over yet, Tim and Rinny already appear to be succeeding in their mission. Between the PRs on race day and the smiles, jokes, laughter, and cheers shared during camp workouts and over meals, the energy is contagious. We extend a thank you on behalf of the triathlon community for offering this gift back to the sport.
If you love training for triathlon and are looking to be inspired by two of the greatest athletes our sport has ever seen, while also becoming part of an incredible community of like-minded people, visit www.saltybearsracing.com to learn more.
