I thought ‘third places’ were dead in Miami until a triathlon proved me wrong | Opinion

I just completed my first sprint triathlon. What began as a personal challenge became something more. It answered a question I had been grappling with for months: Does community still exist?

About six months ago, I wrote about vanishing “third places” — gathering places outside of home and work — that served as a space for people to meet and build relationships. I had just moved to Miami and beyond church and my gym, third spaces felt out of reach.

Then I signed up for a sprint triathlon — a quarter-mile ocean swim, a 6.2 mile bike and a 1.5 mile run.

For three months, my life revolved around training: swimming, biking, running. Some days, I felt I was in over my head. Other days, I reminded myself: To do something you’ve never done before, you have to do things you don’t normally do.

The first thing I did was find a USA Triathlon coach to help with a training schedule and prepare me for race day. My coach, Mike, taught me more than I could’ve imagined about triathlons. That was helpful because I knew absolutely nothing about what this endeavor would entail — aside from running shoes, a bike and a swimsuit.

He also introduced me to a community I hadn’t realized I was missing. Over the course of three months, I met all kinds of people who were part of the Miami triathlon community. As an introvert, I find it difficult to strike up a conversation. But when you’re training for something, the awkwardness goes away. You’re forced to ask questions and meet new people.

Somewhere between the transition area and finish line, something happened. I didn’t just compete in a triathlon, I became part of a group of people defined by a commitment, They were showing up for themselves and each other — not just on race day, but well before it.

My coach says fitness communities “are the new nightclubs and bars.” Miami may be known for its nightlife, but the fitness community is alive and well, too. Head to Key Biscayne at sunrise and you’ll see runners and cyclists choosing early morning alarms over late nights.

Discipline, consistency and shared struggle create camaraderie, according to my coach, and I believe it. The connection extends past geographical boundaries, too. As Mike told me, the triathlon community welcomes people with “open arms… not only in Miami, but across the world.”

That mattered. As someone who has called Miami home for less than two years, making friends outside of work sometimes felt like a Sisyphean task. But once I committed to training and put my doubts aside, the sense of belonging soon followed.

This version of a third space is different from the traditional gathering place; it requires participation, not only presence. The neighborhood coffee shop requires little more than ordering a drink. But the triathlon community requires consistency, discipline and a willingness to show up, even on the bad days.

Some compete to end up on the podium, while others — like me — just want to reach the finish line. But the commitment to show up — that’s the common thread. A Tuesday evening run club in Brickell may not look like a third space, but that’s what it is.

As for the race itself, I placed second in my age group and received a medal. It’s an accomplishment I’m proud of. But the real reward wasn’t on the podium. It was learning that community hadn’t disappeared after all.

Mary Anna Mancuso is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Her email: mmancuso@miamiherald.com