Main Street Winamac to host Winamac’s third annual Tri-Tender Triathlon with a Twist on September 26

Calling all adventure-seeking, competition-hungry, tenderloin enthusiasts — it’s time to lace up those trainers and save the date for Saturday, September 26 for the locally loved Tri-Tender Triathlon. Unlike other triathlons, this one is in a league of its own.

Tri-Tender is unique to Winamac for its incorporation of the local landscape, local fare, and plain and simple Pulaski County charm. The Tri-Tender is an all-level triathlon adventure, but it comes with a twist.

Like normal triathlons, the event is broken down into three distinct segments: running, biking, and kayaking. However, when signing up for the Tri-Tender, anticipate a racing experience like no other. Main Street Winamac, a community organization dedicated to showcasing downtown Winamac, has pushed for years to host this event and the unexpected additions that competitors have come to know and love.

Nathan P. Origer, executive director of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission, has envisioned hosting a triathlon in Winamac for some 15 years. When he first came to the job in 2011, Origer pushed for it to happen.

“We’ve had the Tippecanoe River here for millennia or longer, and the Panhandle Pathway was finally reaching the town from the south. I thought, ‘We have the river here, we have the trail now. It would be cool someday if somebody did a spin on a triathlon,’” said Origer.

Fast forward to 2024, when Main Street Winamac and the inaugural Tri-Tender first took to Pulaski County. The event continues to grow, with 2026 being the third annual iteration of the once merely fantasized idea.

One thing Origer recognized early in his tenure with Pulaski County was how locals and travelers flocked to One-Eyed Jack’s for its famous tenderloin sandwich. Origer wondered what it might look like to give locals a place to flock to by utilizing the downtown district, including part of the river and part of the trail, as well as incorporating a downtown attraction. With this, the Tri-Tender took its final form.

What makes the Tri-Tender different from other triathlons is what makes Winamac unique:  tenderloin sandwiches from One-Eyed Jack’s after a day enjoying the Tippecanoe River. While Main Street Winamac recognizes that a jumbo, breaded tenderloin sandwich on the back end of a nearly 10.6-mile race might not be high up on everyone’s list, it is a novelty worth investigating.

The race begins at the intersection of Main Street and Riverside Drive in Winamac proper. Competitors will take to their bike saddles and pedal 3.3 miles on the Panhandle Pathway, a paved and protected bike path, to start the race.

Transitioning to the next segment involves ditching bikes at the town park to take to the water. Instead of a swimming segment, however, Tri-Tender competitors will take to their kayaks, provided by Riverside Rentals, pulling themselves down 4.3 miles of the laid-back Tippecanoe River. The Tri-Tender is supported by the participation of local businesses and organizations, making things simple for participants.

“One-Eyed Jack’s donates the tender whites, and then participants just have to provide their own legs for the running component and their own bicycle for the biking component,” said Origer.

Competitors will re-emerge south of town with the help of local DNR public access points. This will position competitors just a stone’s throw from the Panhandle Pathway, where competitors will then take to their feet for the 3.03-mile run to the pathway’s trailhead. They will be greeted by event staff, friends, family, and their final feat: taking to the picnic tables for one of One-Eyed Jack’s own jumbo breaded pork-tenderloin sandwiches.

Registration for the event opens soon, and all proceeds go to Main Street Winamac, whose organizational mission is to uplift the WInamac community by building a vibrant downtown atmosphere through projects and events like the Tri-Tender.

The Tri-Tender welcomes competitors ages 14 and up with proper supervision.

“It’s 14 and 15 with both a parent-signed waiver and the parent has to be on-site for the duration of the event. 16 and 17-year-olds require a waiver, but the parent does not have to stay the whole time,” said Origer. “We want people to come support their kids, and we want this to be something people enjoy attending.” 

Competitors are encouraged to tackle the segments any way they see fit, as either an individual racer or by breaking off into teams of two, three or four. Individual entry costs $25 per person, while teams of four can expect a reduced rate of $80.

The locally loved Tri-Tender is back for the third year with hopes of growing and gaining recognition from out-of-towners, other counties, and thrill-seekers alike. This year’s theme is going all-American, honoring the country’s 250th birthday and encouraging racers to dress in a costume fit for a patriot.

Prizes will be awarded to top individual performers, top teams, and for best costume, though all pre-registered competitors will earn a T-shirt. Those looking to support family and friends competing will be able to purchase food while waiting for their loved ones to cross the finish line.

Registration will open soon, but in the meantime, all questions, comments, or concerns can be directed to Origer.

“We’re working on getting the official online registration form, but in the interim, anyone can reach out to me via email, and I can send them a regular paper copy so they can register,” said Origer, who can be reached at nporiger@pulaskionline.org.

Come ready, come hungry, and come dressed to impress for the Pulaski County CDC and Main Street Winamac’s Tri-Tender Third Annual Triathlon, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the east end of Main Street at the Memorial Swinging Bridge.