10 years ago this month, I raced my first The IRONMAN Group triathlon. It was one of the most transformative moments in my life because by doing something I thought was impossible, I rewired my subconscious and opened my mind to a lot of other things I was capable of. I’ve noticed since then that anytime I push myself outside of my comfort zone, an enormous personal growth spurt follows.
Even though that was such a powerful moment in my life, it was also obvious that the experience hadn’t been designed for me at all. At packet pickup, I was gifted a bag of men’s deodorant and coupons to men’s endurance brands. The next morning, as I stood in the sand nervously anticipating the start, I noticed that there was only a handful of women in the crowd. Finally, as I crossed the finish line, the announcer shouted out “Congratulations, Kelsey Myers of Portland, Oregon… You are an IRONMAN!” Despite the fact that I’m totally a woman.
I had the idea to start Tortis because I wanted to create a space where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered to push their limits. It could be in triathlon, or signing up for your first 5k, or starting a cold plunge practice, going solo to a crowded yoga class, or taking a trip to a foreign country.
It’s not about the race, it’s about creating opportunities for people to experience transformative growth. I originally called my idea the ‘Anthropologie of Endurance Sports’ before I landed on a name for it because I wanted people to feel the same hit of inspiration I get when I walk inside my favorite store at the mall. If that reference doesn’t make sense to you, you’ve probably never been a 30-something woman walking through the home section of Anthropologie.
My Ironman journey started with me not able to run more than a mile without stopping and a year and a half into launching Tortis, I know that I’ve got miles and miles of growth ahead of me. Stoked for what’s next!
