Meet , , and 鈥� three content creators redefining what it means to be a triathlete in the digital era. With massive followings on TikTok and Instagram, they鈥檙e not just documenting workouts and race days 鈥� they鈥檙e inspiring a whole new generation to dive into the swim-bike-run life.

In this roundtable, we dig into the real impact of social media on the sport as Carolyn, Noel, and Nikki open up about the challenges and the perks of influencer life 鈥� and why they鈥檙e committed to showing the unserious side of the sport.

Triathlete: Let鈥檚 start from the top 鈥� why did you decide to share your triathlon journey on social media? Was it intentional or more organic?

Mulkey: It was super organic. I wasn鈥檛 planning to become an influencer. Around 2020, I was getting ready for a 100-mile bike ride and decided to do a simple 鈥済et ready with me鈥� video. I didn鈥檛 think anyone would care 鈥� but it blew up. It got like half a million likes overnight. That鈥檚 when I realized, 鈥淲ow, people are actually interested in this sport.鈥�

Hawkes: I鈥檝e been doing triathlons for maybe six years now, but I only started creating content properties in the last year and a half. At first, it was more just to hold myself accountable, but it evolved into this personal diary where I could look back on races and not take myself too seriously. My camera roll was full of me running, cycling, or swimming anyway, so I figured 鈥� why not make something out of it?

Carter: I started triathlon in 2016 and like Nikki, I was mainly documenting my journey for myself. It wasn鈥檛 until around 2022 that my account really started to grow. For me, it was pretty organic. When I started, there weren鈥檛 that many influencers in this space. I just posted race photos and then later made a reel that did really well, which got me more into content creation.

 

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Of the billions of accounts on social media, why do you think people are drawn to your content?

Mulkey: I don鈥檛 try to be anything I鈥檓 not. My videos aren鈥檛 overly edited 鈥� you can see the mess in the background of my vlogs sometimes. I鈥檓 an open book. I think people connect with that kind of raw honesty.

Hawkes: I can be quite spicy, and I think that stands out. Also, I鈥檓 really consistent with my branding. I always call my followers 鈥渓ittle beans,鈥� and I think people remember that, even if they don鈥檛 necessarily like me. It sticks with them, whether they鈥檙e rolling their eyes or laughing.

Carter: For me, it鈥檚 about being funny and making light of the sport. I also think the whole idea of being a 鈥渟low pro鈥� is unique. I鈥檓 not the fastest, but I still got my pro card, and I think that shows people that it鈥檚 possible, even if you鈥檙e not super fast. I like to make that goal feel attainable for others.

Is that the goal with your platform? To make the sport more approachable?

Hawkes: The internet can sometimes make triathlon feel way more complicated than it is, with all these crazy coaching plans and gear recommendations. My goal is to make it clear that you can be an average Joe and still take on those big races. Plus, I want to entertain people! I want to make you laugh and forget about your problems for a bit.

1 planned cafe stop and one impromptu one when we came across a charity bake sale Total cycle was about 119km by the time I got home

Carter: When I started triathlon, I was pretty young, and honestly, the sport was really intimidating. I didn鈥檛 see many women out there at my age doing this. So I try to create content that鈥檚 welcoming and helpful for people, especially women, who might be in the same spot I was in back then.

Mulkey: I鈥檝e been in this the longest, and at this point, I have realized that my end game is to just help people, whether it鈥檚 to build mental health awareness or to talk about sobriety 鈥� I鈥檓 open about having bipolar two disorder and my past addiction 鈥� and to inspire them to change their life. That wasn鈥檛 my intention setting out, but now it鈥檚 kind of morphed into that.

Let鈥檚 talk about content creation. How do you come up with fresh takes on swim, bike, and run?

Carter: A lot of times, I scroll through social media in the evenings to get inspired by trending audio or something funny I can make into content. But often, I鈥檒l just be on a ride or a run, and an idea will pop into my head. I鈥檒l jot it down in my notes app and then film it later. If I鈥檓 on a particularly beautiful ride, I鈥檒l make sure to grab clips. So, it鈥檚 a little chaotic, but it works!

Hawkes: Oh my gosh, my notes app is a complete mess! I write down anything that comes to mind, whether it鈥檚 something funny I hear or a meme I find. I don鈥檛 really have a strategy, but I鈥檒l try to create a storyline if I鈥檓 building up to a race.

Mulkey: Most of it鈥檚 off the cuff. You can probably tell. I used to be way more organized, especially when I was making a lot of money the first few years. But recently, after injuries and a less-exciting year, I鈥檝e just been posting whatever鈥檚 happening in my life. It鈥檚 second nature for me to just pull out my phone and film stuff.

Do you feel like you are actually influencing people to get into triathlon?

Carter: I do get messages from people who鈥檝e never done a triathlon and want to try it. They鈥檒l tell me I鈥檝e inspired them to do their first race, and that鈥檚 the ultimate reward. I鈥檒l also get recognized at races, which is pretty cool. It鈥檚 such a fun community.

Hawkes: I鈥檓 more on TikTok, and I find that there鈥檚 a different, younger audience over there. They鈥檙e new to triathlon, so I do get a lot of questions from followers. Like, 鈥淲hat shoes do I get?鈥� 鈥淲hat outfits do I wear?鈥� 鈥淗ow do I get into this?鈥�

Mulkey: People have told me my videos are the reason they started riding or signed up for a race. I never expected that kind of impact, and it鈥檚 been the coolest, most humbling part of it all.

 

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So let鈥檚 talk about the darker side of social media. Noel, as the OG of the group, can you speak to that?

Mulkey: When I first went viral, people didn鈥檛 know how to label me based on my voice or appearance. I posted this video on TikTok of me winning a race, and it got a ton of hate. People thought I was a trans woman competing in the women鈥檚 category. Every comment 鈥� thousands of them 鈥� were just hateful. I couldn鈥檛 read them. It was driving me nuts. But once I found a real community, the positive outweighed the negative. These days, when a reel goes viral, it鈥檚 shown to a new audience, which can bring fresh hate, but honestly, after six years, it doesn鈥檛 phase me anymore. I鈥檒l even clap back sometimes 鈥� I don鈥檛 mind saying something. But it doesn鈥檛 cut the way it used to.

How do you build up that resilience?

Mulkey: I鈥檝e trained myself not to give it that much mental energy. Comments help engagement anyway. And once I found my community, it was really cool 鈥� like, they鈥檒l defend me when trolls come in. I have a whole little army now.聽 There were times when things got stressful, especially when I was really busy with brands. But the negative comments are never going to make me want to walk away.

You each put it all out there, including the build-up to big races. So if you have a bad day out there, do you feel like you owe the world an explanation?

Carter: My first pro race was Santa Cruz 70.3 in 2022, and I just had a terrible race. I cramped, didn鈥檛 feel well, and it was just a mess. So many people were tracking me, and I knew I had to say what went wrong. But honestly, I posted about it, shared my mistakes, and everyone was super supportive. Most people get it 鈥� bad races happen, and there鈥檚 no shame in that.

Hawkes: I feel like I鈥檝e been pretty open about my journey, and I tell people that I鈥檓 not a pro, I鈥檓 just someone training while working a full-time job. That makes it feel more real, and people appreciate the honesty.

Mulkey: Back in the day, I used to be self-conscious 鈥� like, 鈥淥h no, this race went bad, what do I say?鈥� But now? I鈥檒l say exactly what happened. I don鈥檛 care. One of my best videos was after I did an 11.5-hour Ironman in Kona, which was really, really bad for me, and I was just honest. Turns out, people really connect with the tough days more than the good ones. I always tell people, don鈥檛 go silent after a bad race. Just be real. No one鈥檚 judging you the way you think they are.

What about when you put content out there and it doesn鈥檛 perform as well as you hoped? Do you take it personally?

Carter: Oh, definitely! I think it affects everyone. Instagram鈥檚 algorithm changes all the time, so one month reels are the thing, and the next it鈥檚 all about carousels. It鈥檚 hard not to take it personally when something doesn鈥檛 do well, especially if you put a lot of effort into it. But I try to remind myself that it鈥檚 not always about the content 鈥� it could just be the algorithm.

Hawkes: I do, yes. I try not to take it personally, but sometimes it鈥檚 hard not to. The algorithm is constantly changing, and it can be frustrating. I just try to make content that I enjoy creating and hope others enjoy it too. If it doesn鈥檛 do well, I remind myself that it鈥檚 just the algorithm, not necessarily the content. It does feel personal, though, sometimes.

Mulkey: It鈥檚 funny. The more time I spend on something, the worse it performs. I think we each have our own flavor, and if I try to be something I鈥檓 not, people are going to see through that. They won鈥檛 like it if it鈥檚 not what they鈥檙e used to.

OK, so spill a bit about the perks of being a triathlon influencer.

Mulkey: There have been so many! I鈥檝e gotten some awesome trips out of this. Ironman flew me out to Cairns, and I got to see the Great Barrier Reef. I remember being out there thinking, 鈥淭his is purely because of social media.鈥� It was my first time in Australia, and that was just wild.

I also got media credentials during the Ironman World Championships in 2022. Like, I had a mo-ped and could go along the course 鈥� apparently, even The New York Times had trouble getting that access. That was one of those 鈥渉ow did I end up here?鈥� moments.

Carter: I just literally got home last night from a Zwift event in Mallorca. It was a group of influencers plus people from the Zwift community, who paid to attend. We were there to hype up Zwift and the event. It was really an amazing trip.

Hawkes: I was invited to do Ironman 70.3 in Valencia in a couple of weeks, which is fun. I鈥檝e also done a campaign with for swimsuits made from recycled plastic. Fun collabs pop up here and there, and I try to grab them!

What鈥檚 the end game? Do you see yourself doing this for the long term and continuing to build your brand?

Hawkes: At first, it was just about having fun and creating content. But the more effort I put in, the more I realized there are opportunities to work with others. I think you start to see the benefits of partnerships, so now it鈥檚 definitely a mix of fun and building a business, so I鈥檓 curious to see where it takes me.

Carter: That鈥檚 a great question. I still don鈥檛 know. If it became a full-time thing, that would be incredible. But the thing is, the income can be inconsistent. Some months you get brand deals, and other months, it鈥檚 pretty quiet. So I鈥檓 not sure yet, but I鈥檓 also open to seeing where it goes.

Mulkey: It鈥檚 funny, since I鈥檝e been in this the longest of most folks in the triathlon space, I鈥檝e seen how much you can make as a content creator, and now I鈥檓 not making much at all. I probably need to find another way to make a living, but I grew up with social media, and I can鈥檛 imagine not being part of it. I don鈥檛 know what I鈥檇 do with my phone! If anything, maybe I would step back and take a week off here and there, nothing鈥檚 going to make me walk away. I鈥檓 here for good!

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A lot of runners use the extreme heat of summer to train for fast fall running. And, yes, it鈥檚 important to push yourself beyond your comfort zone, but there are cases where that may do more harm than good 鈥� like running in pollution.

If you live in the western part of the United States, the tail-end of summer is met with ashy, hazy sky from wildfires you likely can鈥檛 even see. As of this writing, there are 93 active large fires blazing on. And seeing a film of ash on your doormat might have you wondering, 鈥淪hould I be running in this?鈥�

But even on presumably clear days or in areas far away from fire 鈥� you might be wondering, what am I inhaling? We probed experts to help you take your health into your own hands. Here鈥檚 all about what鈥檚 up in the air 鈥� and what you can do about it.

The Dirt on Dirty Air

What, exactly, is hitting your lungs when you go for a run? 鈥淎ir pollution is like a recipe that varies by location, weather, season, and time of day,鈥� says Michael Koehle, the head of University of British Columbia鈥檚 Environmental Physiology Lab and a leading expert on exercise and air pollution. 鈥淭he recipe includes a mixture of various gases, like carbon monoxide or smog, and particles like dust and pollen.鈥澛�

Diesel exhaust, for example, can trigger asthma. Other pollutants, like ozone (a key component of smog), can be harmful to the cardiovascular system and can even cause cancer. 鈥淭he lungs are taking the air we breathe and transferring it on to our blood cells, which immediately goes to the heart to be pumped to the rest of the body,鈥� says Jason Way, a naturopathic doctor in the San Francisco area. 鈥淥ver a prolonged period of time, smog can decrease your ability to run at your full capacity.鈥�

Wildfire smoke can cause some of the same issues as other pollutants because it is made up of particulate matter, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and other chemicals and minerals. Although, according to the California Department of Public Health and the California Air Resources Board鈥檚 , the long-term health effects of cumulative exposure from multiple seasons hasn鈥檛 been studied enough to make definite health claims.聽

鈥淲e do know that when the air quality is bad, people with respiratory disease such as asthma are more likely to use their medications and have symptoms that make them seek health care. It can result in increased visits to the emergency department and being hospitalized,鈥� says Dr. Colleen Reid, assistant professor of geography at the University of Colorado, who researches the health effects of exposure to air pollution and wildfires. 鈥淭here is also some evidence that people with heart disease may also be affected.鈥�

Exercising outdoors in areas with increased air pollution is not advised, according to the World Health Organization, because the increased respiration also increases the amount of harmful particles coming into your lungs.聽

Pollution can also undo some of the benefits of exercise. For example, there is emerging evidence that aerobic exercise can have a . However, some studies (like one cited by Oiselle Volee team member Taisa Kushner, Ph.D., in ) show that those benefits are inhibited when people exercise outdoors in polluted areas.聽

And what about the masks we鈥檝e been wearing to keep each other safe from the virus? Dr. Reid explains that while the cloth and surgical masks are effective in slowing the spread of the virus because they catch many of the droplets we exhale, they鈥檙e not very effective in protecting us from the air we breathe, 鈥�and therefore do not help protect the wearer from the tiny particles in the air from the wildfires.鈥�

That鈥檚 not to say you must stick to indoor treadmill runs forever-more, especially if has left you without that option. These expert tips can help you determine the safety of your outdoor run.

4 Ways to Minimize Your Exposure to Air Pollution

Quality check.

provides air quality data in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Parks Service, NASA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and tribal, state, and local agencies. Visit their site to check the outdoor air quality index (AQI) in your area before you head out. If the AQI measures more than 150 (100 if you have asthma or other breathing issues), hit the gym or be extra alert for any symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, or throat irritation while you run.

Another similar option is the or . Dr. Reid explains that AQI may differ between apps and websites, depending on the monitoring systems and how they choose to calculate the exact AQI number. 鈥淏ut you can use the AQI category to give you a sense of whether the air quality is good for a run,鈥� she says.聽 If it鈥檚 listed as 鈥淕ood鈥� or 鈥淢oderate,鈥� it鈥檚 probably safe for a run, while 鈥淯nhealthy,鈥� 鈥淰ery Unhealthy,鈥� or 鈥淗azardous鈥� are probably better to hold off on.

Time it right.

Koehle says it鈥檚 key to be aware of when you run outside to be sure you鈥檙e breathing in the best air. 鈥淧ollution levels are higher during rush hour and in the heat of the day, so it鈥檚 better to go out early or in the late evening,鈥� he says. Ground level ozone is the result of a chemical reaction between pollutants and sunlight, which means that it will be at its worst if you try hitting the pavement in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is strongest.

Go green.

Some studies show that you may breathe in 100 times more pollutants running within a mile of the highway than you would in a more rural area. Avoid congested areas if you can, and run in a park or a quieter neighborhood with tree coverage whenever possible. Minimize your time near busy roads since pollution drops significantly once you鈥檙e as little as 200 yards away from the congestion. Or dedicate high pollution days to a fresh air trail run.聽

Eat right.

Loading up on foods rich in can help your body eliminate toxins picked up from pollution, Way says. Try sticking to leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes, bell peppers, oranges, berries, nuts, and seeds, and drink plenty of water.

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