Inspired by the Ironman Triathlon in Kona on the Big Island, the Tinman Triathlon was started by four male athletes who wanted to experience doing a triathlon but could not spend months of full-time training.

Along with ten other friends, they participated in the triaerobic threesome of swim-bike-run combination in 1979. They were challenged, they competed hard, and they had fun!

While sipping a few cool ones after the race, they speculated that other athletes might enjoy doing this short yet demanding event with them. Thus the race and the non-profit Tinman Unlimited were established. There were 300 participants men and women in the first Tinman, 700 in the second, and thereafter a ceiling of 1,200 participants was set.

The primary objective of Tinman Unlimited is to create, plan, and organize a race that will challenge and inspire all participants and offer them safety, fun, and pride. It is not meant to be an "elite" race but a triathlon for every interested athlete.