Message from Rachel Schmidt (President) 11/10/2025
Now that we’ve reached the end of 2025 race season, it’s time to announce new board members and look ahead to next year! Our last President, Patrick Mickler, left some huge shoes to fill, but I am very excited to take over and help make the club the best it can be.
I am a relatively new Landsharks member myself, but I have already seen what this club can do. Since joining, I went from being “barely a runner” to a full-blown triathlete, completing my first sprint, Olympic, and half-iron distances as well as my first marathon. We welcomed many new members who had never swum, never biked, or never run, and cheered them across a triathlon finish line. We raced each other on Zwift, tried new bike and run routes, and hosted 12 very popular open-water swims. We held informative and interactive clinics with some of our sponsors on bike maintenance, race rules, transition hints, injury prevention, and more. We held social events – no workouts! – just for fun. We watched members, old and new, hit the podium and qualify for World Championships. We took home a club award from the local half-Ironman. It’s been a fantastic year!
And there is a ton to look forward to in 2026! Specific to triathlons, we love the local Shelbyville Tri Series that will start on March 1. The 3-race supersprint series is a fantastic intro to the sport, with a very casual and supportive atmosphere. Then in July we will have Tri Louisville, with sprint and Olympic distance options, and the return of the much-loved Norton COOL Kids Triathlon, which the Landsharks supply lots of volunteers for! (Nearby cities also host great tri races over the summer.) Then in August it’s the main event: Ironman 70.3 Louisville, where we will host a party, with food, right on the finish line! And many Landsharks who don’t race these events will be there to cheer. Our personalized gear is easy to spot, so you’ll definitely hear “Go Landsharks!” at least once in your race!
SWIM: Keep an eye on the calendar or our Facebook group for our 2026 open-water swim dates. These are usually twice a month in the summer, alternating Saturdays and Sundays, at 6:30 AM on Deam Lake. We’ll have buoys set up and a kayaker on duty for safety. (Please note that while your friends and family can join many of our events, our permit and insurance require club membership to attend the open-water swims.)
BIKE: While we’ll mostly stick to virtual rides in the winter and during bad weather, expect to see group rides once or twice a week when it warms up. Our bike director loves to hear opinions on routes and times. Outside of race season, these are typically no-drop rides, so if you aren’t confident on the bike yet, don’t worry – we’ve all been there! The course will be shared ahead of time, and the leader will frequently pull off to a safe area to wait for everyone to regroup. Once big races get nearer, we will have different pace and route options.
RUN: Our sponsor Norton Sports Health hosts group runs leading up to the Kentucky Derby Marathon (which many of our members do), so our runs will coincide with these. After that, we will host our own group runs, or meet up before local races to snag a group photo. Since paces vary, many of these are run-your-own-pace, but the chances of finding someone to run with you are high.
SOCIALS: About once a month, we’ll have a purely social event. Local restaurants, breweries, orchards, etc. are all possible, and your social co-chairs would love to hear what you want to do! Sometimes these follow events put on by our sponsors, like a bike clinic.
SPONSORS: Be sure to support our sponsors! Many of them will provide a discount to club members.
Triathlon can still be incredibly fun on your own, but add in the support, encouragement, and enthusiasm of the Louisville Landsharks, and it’s easily one of the best groups I’ve ever been a part of. I am very grateful to have been given such a warm welcome into the club, and I can’t wait to do the same for our newest members. I look forward to serving as President!
– Rachel
