Duathlete!

I learned about Humboldt Tri-Kids Triathlon on a local page a few weeks ago (intended for youth 7-18 with a junior [ages 7-10] and senior division) after a three-year COVID hiatus after thirty years running. Iver is energetic, fast, and competitive but has not participated in any real organized sports until this year. He has joined his school's running club but has yet to attend a meet. When I asked him if he wanted to participate in a weekend youth race, he said he was game (unfortunately, Kelvin was out of town)!  His friends Olivia and Sophia (excellent swimmers and athletes; their whole family is into races!) were competing in the full triathlon, but Iver wanted to stick with the run-bike-run two-sport event in the event's inaugural Duathlon as he is not super swim-confident yet.

On an exceptionally rainy Sunday (we certainly NEED the rain, but WHY did it have to pour down on this day?!), we got to the Arcata Community Pool around 7:30 a.m. to get oriented. Not really being a runner or triathlete myself (although I have completed two half-marathons, in 2007 and 2009 in Sacramento!), we were totally in the dark how these events are run but thankfully there were lots of volunteers (and other seasoned racers) to help!  We got Iver's bibs, pins, and he got "marked" (he was in Wave A) and his bike and helmet labeled.  He set up his bike and helmet in the "transition area" of racks near the high school, which were organized by age. Despite the poor weather, Iver did not complain at all (Niall, however, who got pushed around in a canopied stroller asked, after we used the bathroom before the race, "Are we done?! Can we go home now?!").

The kids got a little orientation on the course before they started the race, shortly after 9 a.m..

And the duathletes were off!

Iver was one of ten kids doing the youth duathlon, which consisted of a half-mile run, followed by a 4.7-mile bike ride, then concluding with another half-mile run. Here he is transitioning to the bike!  He was in about third place at this point (he told me later that he was only going at 40%, pacing and saving himself for the sprint finish, as his track coach has advised!). 

After the bike and back on foot, Iver and another seven-year-old boy came down the home stretch neck and neck, but Iver pulled ahead, sprinting to the finish line!

Tired...

... but triumphant!

(Niall promptly ripped petals off Iver's flower prize, causing tears, so we had to ask for a second one!)

There was apparently some confusion during the biking portion of the race (which was way out of the spectators' sight), where some kids were lost and stopped for a bit. We're not actually sure if Iver and the other leading child did an abbreviated course, as the course loop may not have been super-obviously marked, as they finished the bike portion quite well ahead of the other competitors; however, they obviously wouldn't have intentionally cut any corners, and I was still so proud of him for toughing out the conditions and finishing his very first race (*possibly* but debatably in first place). On the race results page, he was placed in second place with a time of 48:55. 

We watched Sophia and Olivia compete and finish (both first in their age group!) too!

It was a cold (55-degree) and rainy Sunday, not great for spectators nor racers, but the kids were real troopers and it was fun to cheer them on and be part of a local race in our tight-knit community!  We did NOT stay for any medals/award ceremonies, but rather headed home for a warm bath, dry clothes, and hot chocolate.  Iver was a bit miffed that his race t-shirt, which he looked at after the event, said "2021" (recycled from last year's COVID-cancelled event?!). Nevertheless, he is happy with himself and we are proud of him taking a leap to participate in a *new* activity and of his efforts despite adversity, which is what sports and competing (and life, is is not?!) is all about.  

Niall "marked" himself as a mock competitor! 

Maybe next year we could add the swim and cross our fingers for sun!