This summer we are in search of triathlons that the kids can do while on this trip. Kaycen did his first one last year and is over the top when it comes to wanting to do another! I found one nearby and signed the kids up upon arriving to Gatlinburg. The kiddos all joined together to compete in a youth Triathlon separately within their own experience level. All three competitive legs of swimming, biking and running. Awards awarded to the overall winner and age group winner. There were three tiers. tadpoles for anyone new and young enough to possibly need assistance. The top two tiers were for athletes who may have some experience and would not be able to have any assistance from outside help. I loved that you didn’t have to enter the kids based on age but rather levels of experience you think your child could manage. Our 3- and 6-year-old were entered into the Tadpole category the ranged in ages 3-8, having never done one, we wanted to be available to them. This category allowed the youth to need to finish 25yd swim, 1/4 bike course and a 1/2-mile run. The middle tier age ranges from around 6-10. And the top tier, which we placed our 8-year-old, was ages 9-15. He wouldn’t qualify for the actual award being he most likely wouldn’t have anyone in his age group, but he would be acknowledged if he placed accordingly. This category required a finished race of 100yd swim, 3 miles bike ride and 1 mile run. The bike and run had a bit of elevation gain to add some challenge to the older kids.
Kaycen started first. Ready and pumped he jumped into the pool with full confidence. Though as he approached some other kids, he started to slow himself down. Blake of course ran over to where he was and told him to pass accordingly. He passed through and made it out to the bikes. You could see so many kids struggling up the hill climb, Kaycen getting stuck behind a group. Once he made it to the top, made the turn around, he blasted past them! He made his way back to the top with only one person in front! As he hoped off his bike, in transition, we proudly congratulated him, and as we asked a few questions, he was silent and in the zone! Off he went. Eventually passing the one person in front of him and placing first overrall and with the fastest time in each tier over all the kids in the age group. He was on cloud 9!
Rhett is our middle child, that holds the stero type middle child traits. He nonchalatly jumps into the pool, get on his bike, pushes his way along and then to be on the race in first place. You can tell he was slowing down. The tiredness was catching up. He started to lose focus and smacking the large lenghtly weeds/flowers that were dangling in the path and just playing around, while still running. He kept going back and forth between second and first. Having fun and not necessarily much care about the competition. Last stretch, something switched. You could tell he saw the end of the light as he started to really push it! Coming in second overall and landing first in his age group!
Raylee blasted into the water before they could even register her tracker into the system! She was full of smiles and having the time of her life! Her little legs were over it by the last .10 of her half mile, as they were locking up! But the moment she saw her brothers come on course to help motivate her, she pushed it to the end!
These kids made us so proud and we could not be so happy for them and what they accomplished! Well done kiddos! They had so much fun and that was what mattered the most! After 10 minutes after their race, they were begging to do it again!