We recently connected with Ariana Luterman and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ariana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you share a story that illustrates an important or relevant lesson you learned in school

I learned one of my most important lessons in school when I wasn’t in a classroom at all.

It was my senior year of college. I was supposed to be thriving—on paper, I was. I had incredible opportunities left and right, leadership roles, good grades, and big post-grad plans. But behind the scenes, two of the most important people in my life passed away—back to back. And suddenly, none of it felt like enough. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t function. Life didn’t make sense anymore.

One day, I walked into my professor’s office—this brilliant, kind, wildly intimidating man—and I broke down. I told him everything. I expected him to give me deadlines or lecture me on professionalism. Instead, he said:
“You’re not a machine. You’re a person. You’re allowed to fall apart.”

That moment shifted something in me. It was the first time I realized that success isn’t just about what you produce—it’s about how you take care of yourself along the way.

Up until then, I believed that rest was weakness and perfection was the goal. But that conversation cracked me open. It was the first time I gave myself permission to slow down. To ask for help. To be human.

That lesson has followed me into everything I do now—especially as an endurance athlete. You can’t push forever. You have to learn when to surrender. And sometimes the strongest thing you can do is slow down.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m currently on a mission to break a world record: completing six full Ironman triathlons on six continents in twelve months, a journey I’ve titled Road to Six. But more than chasing records, I’m here to chase meaning — and to inspire others to reclaim theirs.

My path into this world has been anything but linear. I was a triathlete as a kid, racing my first at 7 years old, and founding a nonprofit for homeless youth at 12. I paused racing to pursue academics and service work, eventually moving to Australia to study childhood obesity and food science as a PhD candidate. But just months in, I became mysteriously and critically ill. For 12 months, I was mostly bedridden — unable to eat or walk, without being in pain. I lost everything that made me “me.”

Eventually, I found a diagnosis. Then a solution. Then… my fire again.

Ten months after finishing treatment, I completed my first full Ironman. Now I’m racing around the world — not just to break a record, but to show what’s possible when we stop waiting for perfect conditions and start choosing to live fully, even when it’s messy or hard or uncertain.

What sets my community apart is heart. It’s personal. I believe endurance sport can be a vehicle for recovery — physically, emotionally, spiritually. My followers know I’ll never ask them to do anything I’m not doing myself. I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all plans or hustle culture. I believe in rest, resilience, and building the kind of strength that lasts.

The thing I’m most proud of is the messages I get from people who say they saw one of my videos and finally signed up for that race they’ve been scared of. Or found the courage to leave a toxic job. Or started dreaming again. That’s what this is about.

If there’s one thing I’d want readers to know, it’s this: You don’t have to know your why — just that it exists. And if you’re brave enough to follow that whisper inside you, you might just end up somewhere beautiful.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building my audience on social media was never about chasing followers — it was about telling the truth.

I started sharing my story when I was coming out of the darkest season of my life. I didn’t wait until I had a perfect “after” photo. I showed the in-between. I talked about things like grief, body image, burnout, hormone imbalances, and starting over when it feels impossible. I paired that honesty with storytelling — through video, writing, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of my life as I began to rebuild it.

That’s what people connected with. Not just the finish lines, but the fight to get there.

For anyone starting out: My biggest advice is to stop waiting to be impressive and start being honest. People are craving real. You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to share the questions you’re asking and the journey you’re on. If you can tell a story that makes someone feel less alone — you’re already doing something powerful.

Also, consistency matters. I treat my content like a conversation, not a performance. I show up even when I’m not in peak form. Because life isn’t always highlight reels, and neither is endurance sport.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was this: rest is not weakness.

For most of my life, I wore burnout like a badge of honor. I believed that if I wasn’t training 7 days a week, posting daily, grinding nonstop — I was falling behind. I thought pushing harder made me stronger.

Then my body completely shut down.

After getting sick abroad, I couldn’t walk without pain. I couldn’t digest food. I couldn’t even sit in the sun. And suddenly, rest wasn’t optional — it was survival.

But what started as forced rest became a mirror. I had to ask myself: Who am I without the doing? Without the accolades? Without the hustle?
That time in stillness taught me more about strength than any finish line ever has.

I learned that true resilience isn’t about how much you can carry — it’s about knowing when to put something down. I had to unlearn the glorification of exhaustion and re-learn how to trust my body, honor my hormones, and actually listen.

Now, I build rest into my training. Into my business. Into my life. And ironically I’m stronger than I’ve ever been — mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.teamariana.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teamarianaluterman/

Image Credits

Donnie Zhou
Sarah Balduzzi
Tyler Robison