Following in the foot steps of momma, my kids tried their first TRI this weekend.
When I registered online, I asked for assistance for the 3-year-old. Someone emailed back and asked if she was disabled. I replied no - and the anonymous event coordinator said she didn't qualify for assistance. However, the event coordinator assured me there were "hundreds of certified helpers" and "race support" throughout the course. Parents were not allowed on the course.
Wouldn't you know it - when the three 3-olds-took off in the water, there were only three life guards. The announcer told the kids to swim to the right. Ariana just looked confused (she is really smart, but doesn't have the difference between left and right down yet). After seeing Ariana nearly get trampled by the 4-year-olds, I called for a lifeguard to guide to help her at least go in the right direction. She made it through the swim, got to her bike, and again, there was no assistance. So Momma busted into the course and ran aside Little Miss as she biked ΒΌ mile, and helped her navigate to the end, where Little Miss pounded out a .10 mile run. (Yes - we have a Mongolian sprinter on our hands!). She took 3rd place in the 3-year-division, earning a Timex triathlete watch for kids.
After all that, we went back to cheer on Maddy, who was now LOST. Gene was teaching spin, so I was on my own with the girls, not imagining Maddy would actually disappear. After 30 minutes of searching, I saw her ... covered in sand. Maddy had spent the last 2 hours playing in the sand because the event was taking so long.
Like all the other races, hers started late when they couldn't get the chip timer laptop to work. The organizers also waited until athletes from each age division completely finished the course before starting each new wave.
Maddy is 10, so we assumed she would be in the 7-10 age category - right?
Well, we guessed wrong. Because she turns 11 in November, she was placed in the 11-14 age category. This means Madison, who did NOT do any training for the triathlon, suddenly had all her distances doubled. She was now facing a 300 meter swim, 7 mile bike ride and 1 mile run.
Again, parents weren't allowed in the transition area. So we cheered Maddy from beyond the fences. I was thrilled to see her doing so well, but my heart sank when I saw her peel out of the transition area on her bike ... BAREFOOT!
I panicked and yelled to the "helpers" - telling them my kid was shoeless. They smiled and waved and said "she's a kid, she'll be fine." We caught up to Maddy after she completed two laps on the road. She was already 3 miles into the bike portion. Fortunately, she had enough common sense to stop at the side of the road and we helped her get her shoes on.
Like her sister, she finished with a bang. Smiling all the way through the finish line.
She never once complained about the "'double-distance." Maddy's already set for her next tri, and so is Little Miss!
When I registered online, I asked for assistance for the 3-year-old. Someone emailed back and asked if she was disabled. I replied no - and the anonymous event coordinator said she didn't qualify for assistance. However, the event coordinator assured me there were "hundreds of certified helpers" and "race support" throughout the course. Parents were not allowed on the course.
Wouldn't you know it - when the three 3-olds-took off in the water, there were only three life guards. The announcer told the kids to swim to the right. Ariana just looked confused (she is really smart, but doesn't have the difference between left and right down yet). After seeing Ariana nearly get trampled by the 4-year-olds, I called for a lifeguard to guide to help her at least go in the right direction. She made it through the swim, got to her bike, and again, there was no assistance. So Momma busted into the course and ran aside Little Miss as she biked ΒΌ mile, and helped her navigate to the end, where Little Miss pounded out a .10 mile run. (Yes - we have a Mongolian sprinter on our hands!). She took 3rd place in the 3-year-division, earning a Timex triathlete watch for kids.
After all that, we went back to cheer on Maddy, who was now LOST. Gene was teaching spin, so I was on my own with the girls, not imagining Maddy would actually disappear. After 30 minutes of searching, I saw her ... covered in sand. Maddy had spent the last 2 hours playing in the sand because the event was taking so long.
Like all the other races, hers started late when they couldn't get the chip timer laptop to work. The organizers also waited until athletes from each age division completely finished the course before starting each new wave.
Maddy is 10, so we assumed she would be in the 7-10 age category - right?
Well, we guessed wrong. Because she turns 11 in November, she was placed in the 11-14 age category. This means Madison, who did NOT do any training for the triathlon, suddenly had all her distances doubled. She was now facing a 300 meter swim, 7 mile bike ride and 1 mile run.
Again, parents weren't allowed in the transition area. So we cheered Maddy from beyond the fences. I was thrilled to see her doing so well, but my heart sank when I saw her peel out of the transition area on her bike ... BAREFOOT!
I panicked and yelled to the "helpers" - telling them my kid was shoeless. They smiled and waved and said "she's a kid, she'll be fine." We caught up to Maddy after she completed two laps on the road. She was already 3 miles into the bike portion. Fortunately, she had enough common sense to stop at the side of the road and we helped her get her shoes on.
Like her sister, she finished with a bang. Smiling all the way through the finish line.
She never once complained about the "'double-distance." Maddy's already set for her next tri, and so is Little Miss!
posted by QT on Duty at 8:51 PM
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