Triathlon #2

Getting marked up for the race




A scraped up face and shredded inner lip didn't slow this kid down for one second! He's such a trooper!


transition station all set up


standing around waiting because the race was an hour delayed!


10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...


...1, GO!






Blurry picture of Jared, out in front of the rest of the swimmers by 2-3 body lengths!


I swear I took a picture of him getting out of the water, but I guess I didn't press it down all the way... Whoever thought I could juggle trying to photograph two kids in the water, AND be helpful in the transitions was pretty silly... *grin*

Connor getting out of the water (he beat about half the kids out of the water)


They had to change the bike course last minute, so the kids had to run their bikes to and from the transition area to the mount/dismount area. This is Jared running his bike from the dismount area back to the bike "parking" area so he can do the run portion


Connor coming back (Dan hung out in the dismount area to help make sure Connor knew what to do since he was so much younger than most of the other kids)


Jared made it to the finish line just before Dan and I made it over there (pout!), but here is Connor


Jared was 9th overall for the 6-8 year old bracket, 2nd place male (missed out on 1st place male by 18 seconds!). Connor was 24th overall, 13th place male (3rd place six year old male).

Jared said he passed a lot of people during the swim and the run, but a lot of people passed him during the bike (he didn't feel comfortable riding really fast with so many other kids so close to him). Connor said he got a side ache and walked most of the run portion, but when he saw the finish line he started running again. Both boys had a GREAT time, and Dan and Emily and I had such a good time cheering them on! I wish I could have gotten more pictures of the biking/running, and better pictures of the swimming and finish-line. Next time I need to just assign photographers throughout the course to help me out. LOL

We made a family outing of the whole thing by staying in a hotel near the race location the night before. The kids enjoyed the hotel pool and getting to eat our meals out (something we rarely do!). It was a great weekend.

Triathlon

My friend Kaci's daughter, Elly (Jared's age), participated in her first kid triathalon a couple of weeks ago, and I thought it was something Jared and Connor would really enjoy getting to do, so I researched kid triathalons for our area, and found one for the following weekend. Connor was one year too young for the youth tri, but could do the "Splash and Dash" (swim/run) event.

These goggles make me laugh, but they're the only ones he's willing wear right now!


Jared did NOT want to wear the cap, but finally consented, as long as we left his ears out


The boys testing out the water prior to the start of their races (the ducks swimming around in the race area made me laugh!)


The Splash and Dash event was first. They put the three participants in shallow water so they could walk if they needed/wanted.


Connor was pretty bummed because he really wanted to SWIM, so he walked a little bit, and then went out a bit deeper and did his best to swim. I was REALLY proud of him for SWIMMING, even though his hands kept hitting the bottom. LOL


He got out of the water and started running towards the transition area where he was supposed to get shoes on


Blew right past the transition area and headed straight for the finish line, barefoot, still wearing his cap and goggles!!! hahahahaha!


He finished!


The swim portion of Jared's kid tri was OVER by the time I got back down the hill from Connor's finish, so I didn't get any pictures of him (POUT!). I got there just in time to see him out of the water and heading to the transtion area


Out of 21 kids (ages 7-10), Jared was the third one out of the water (hot on heels of the two kids in front of him), but we lost a TON of time battling his shoes. After we finally got them on his feet, he took off for the bike portion


The bike path took him up and around where we couldn't see him, so I snapped an additional picture when he got back. LOL


Just arriving at the bottom of the hill leading to the finish line


He finished!


Jared came in 9th out of 21 kids, less than a minute and a half behind the first place kid (we spent AT LEAST a minute fighting with his shoes, so I'm pretty positive he'd have been in the top few if we'd been a little more coordinated with the shoes!). It was a great first experience for the boys, and we learned a few things for next time. I am SOOO proud of my little athletes for participating and doing their best.