Open triathlon practice encourages Memphians to ‘just tri it’
New triathletes test the waters in Hyde Lake during an open triathlon practice event at Shelby Farms on Friday, July 11, 2026. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
As the sun set at Shelby Farms Park on Friday, July 10, Gerald Emerson and his 5-year-old son G.K. Jr. gave their best freestyle, pedaled with pace and took it home stride by stride — and side by side. Alongside his dad, G.K. tri’d his first triathlon.
Emerson, who is set to complete 40 triathlons this year, said he wanted to get his youngest son introduced to the sport he loves.
“I’m here just to have fun and to run alongside him,” Emerson said, referring to his son. “I always say if you can run a 5K, you can run a triathlon. It’s not as intimidating as you might think.”
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Wallis Rogin
Wallis Rogin was born and raised in Memphis and is headed into her second year at Northwestern University studying journalism, history and data science. As a reporter and editor at The Daily Northwestern, Wallis covers city news, local politics and produces the paper's podcasts.
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