Wanderlust 108: A new kind of triathlon

Local yoga teacher and founder of Jai Bhakti Yoga, Christina Andrini in City Park for her Tuesday community class (Photo by: Emilio Aleman)

Wanderlust 108, self-described as the world’s only mindful triathlon, will be transforming City Park this upcoming Saturday, April 1, 2017 into a platform focused on community building through healthy conscious living. Yoga and meditation are two words that are not commonly associated with a triathlon; however, along with a 5k run/walk, Wanderlust is changing that traditional perception with their simple mission: find your true north. Those that find themselves at Wanderlust will collectively be experiencing it for the first time as this is their debut in New Orleans.

I sat down with local yoga teacher and founder of Jai Bhakti Yoga, Christina Andrini to learn how an exponential gathering of yogis led to her own “north” with consequences that brought Wanderlust right to the Big Easy. With the yoga community growing in New Orleans and Yoga studios popping up all around the city, Christina explains how she saw an opportunity to organize a yoga sun-salutation pop-up in City Park for International Yoga Day on June 21 of last year.

Expecting only about a dozen participants, yogis came pouring in (eighty-five to be exact) and overflowing Popp Bandstand. Inspired and encouraged, Christina sent an email to Wanderlust expressing her desire to volunteer at their four-day festival in Statton, VT. To her astonishment, they reached out expressing their desire to bring Wanderlust to New Orleans and sought her help. As the local liaison, Christina provided them with several recommendations of parks around the city that could possible host the festival. She helped them connect with local yoga studios and people about participating, and she gave insight to when the best time of year for the festival to occur. As New Orleans’ yoga community grows organically, an inconspicuous email proves to never underestimate the power of one action. Wanderlust, however, will have many more actions than one.

Flyers for Wanderlust are hung around town (Photo by: Sarah Isabelle Prevot)

Combing a 5k run/walk, seventy-five minute yoga flow class for all levels, and a thirty minute guided meditation with a variety of events–ranging from essential oils and photography workshops; hoop, ariel, and acro yoga classes; informative lectures including how to make the perfect playlist to accompany and enhance your yoga practice; as well as thirty minute asana classes highlighting local yoga teacher and founder of Shanti Yoga Shala, Nathalie Croix, Wanderlust 108 promises to offer a unique festival experience.

Wanderlust 108//New Orleans is Saturday, April 1st from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Scout Island City Park (1 Palm Drive, New Orleans, LA 70124). Tickets range from $21-$45.08 with $1.08 of every ticket sold donated to No Kid Hungry and available through www.wanderlust.com. Learn more about Jai Bhakti Yoga on Facebook and Shanti Yoga Shala on Facebook. For more info about Wanderlust 108//New Orleans and other local participants and vendors visit their website.

*On a budget, then you may want to consider volunteering. Wanderlust relies on their volunteers, and they say thank you with free admission and a swag bag of goodies including a Wanderlust t-shirt, water bottle, and a $25 gift certificate to Adidas, etc…