for as long as I can remember, outdoor activity and exercise have been a huge part of my dad's life. he swam competitively in college, ran the Boston marathon when I was a toddler, led us on hikes and backpacking expeditions when I was a kid, and continues to participate in triathlons and Masters swim meets now in his 60s. during previous Geigerpalooza reunions, he has organized various family athletic events including a run/walk through a local nature preserve, and a hike up a nearby mountain with arrangements to paraglide back down to the base. when we were tossing around ideas for this summer's get-together, he mentioned it would be fun for those so inclined to participate in a local sprint triathlon (1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 5K/3 mile run) and those otherwise inclined to spectate. for various reasons, we realized that that wasn't going to pan out, so next he thought of holding our own mini triathlon suitable for even the youngest members to join. and it was the cutest thing ever!
walking down to the lakefront
the water was pretty chilly and the "beach" was quite rocky -- but they gallantly went in!
Mom and I stayed ashore to watch the little ones (and to be honest, I was perfectly happy staying dry myself!)
the sun finally came out from behind the clouds
then it was time to come out of the water and switch to biking mode! Dad, Kelli, and Kira have all done actual triathlons so they were giving helpful pointers on the transition process.
"we have to put socks on our WET FEET?!?!" (also, MAJOR points to Mom for taking Cece on a special Grammie/Cece date the day before to get a new pair of sneakers since we left both of her pairs in Pittsburgh...)
and then they were off! Elizabeth didn't have a bike and so I just assumed I would be keeping her with me, but she headed off down the path with Kira and Patrick and by the time I finished taking photos at the "start line", they were nowhere to be found. in the video below, you can see they got a bit creative with the modes of transportation -- biking, running, walking, and even piggy-back riding. Dad led the pack on an out-and-back course down the paved trail. when the girls finished the bike portion, they ran back down the path to meet up with us, and whoever crossed the white line first was declared the official winner.
James ran the whole way with the girls on their bikes, now heading back to the start of the bike course and getting ready to run right back down the same path!
yes, we all had matching Geigerpalooza shirts for the first time ever
then it was back to the house so the designated dinner crew could start cooking. a certain daughter was out of sorts about coming in a very close second after her younger sister. she was a good sport but just stayed quiet when we came back to the house.
after dinner, Dad pulled from his abundant stash of race medals for our very own award ceremony. the look on Greta's face when she realized she was also getting a medal was so sweet to see. and what do you know, we all won First in our particular category! we all went to bed that night feeling like champions. and that, my friends, is a very good way to end the day.
didn't realize *quite* how gray the underside of my hair is -- oh my!
slow-mo cheering to the Chariots of Fire theme song
I could totally see the Martin clan doing a family triathlon!! And the memories are so worth it. Did it take us a ridiculous amount of time to pack up the cars with baby swim stuff, towels, shoes, sunscreen, towels, bikes, snacks, and then figure out who was going in which car, and then unload all the stuff and haul it down to the waterfront? Yes, but since we were all together it was just part of the adventure. (Also major props to my younger siblings who are fully grown and lean hard into the fun aunt/uncle role to help with the toddler crew!)
good morning, Kate. Coming back to read this later, but I wanted to reach out and ask you for your email address so I can share my story link with you. ;)
it's about time for a good old airing of the grievances. while we have ever so much for which to give thanks, sometimes we need the catharsis of enumerating our woes, big and small. (you can read the 2023 edition here.) _________________________________________ first up, potty training. I buckled down and trained Greta and Cecilia both around age 2 1/2, and it went fairly well (I'm a big fan of waiting until the kid is practically ready to train themselves). Elizabeth turned 2 1/2 near the end of the school year, and logically it seemed like a great time to buckle down -- we wouldn't be driving around to after school sports and activities and we'd have more time at home. I kept waiting for the day when I'd wake up full of excitement and motivation to strip off the diaper and chase a naked toddler around the house. and ... shockingly ... that day never came. then we were preparing for our trip to Seattle in July and it definitely didn't seem like the right time...
1) Color Run. the first annual Color Run for school took place on a Saturday morning in late August and it was so much fun! our school opened in Fall 2020, and I am continually amazed at how much the school community has grown since then. over the last year in particular, there have been an explosion of events for families outside of school (spearheaded by volunteers), and I just love how these programs foster a sense of common purpose and boost school spirit. the Color Run was sponsored by the school's cross-country team, and dovetailed with the Back-to-School Breakfast hosted by the parent volunteer group. Greta had no interest in running the 1-mile course (they had two courses designated, one that went up a hill and along a trail for a bit, and one that was flatter and suitable for strollers or walkers). so she volunteered to help as a color-sprayer! she was stationed at the beginning of the race, and then also was tasked with guarding the water balloons at the end of th...
1) Zoo. we picked a scorcher of a day to go to the zoo with friends! I can't actually remember if we went to the zoo at all last year (when Victoria was a newborn). in any case, Elizabeth was definitely far more interested in pointing out the animals than she had been the last time. striking their best explorer pose Greta is as tall as an adult female black rhino! she was obsessed with the anteater our friends headed home and we decided to circle back to see a few animals we'd missed the first time around. we ended up getting caught in torrential downpours and had to seek shelter by the cheetah enclosure for a while. but I'm glad we came back because we got to see the funniest shenanigans between the baby gorilla and his dad playing chase! another good place to wait out the rain -- hanging out with the sea lions. 2) Around home. Victoria and Elizabeth are having so much fun playing together (well, at some point it devolves into fighting and scratching, but still! they...
Ummm okay, I want to be just like your dad when I am a grandparent - SO MUCH FUN!!
ReplyDeleteI could totally see the Martin clan doing a family triathlon!! And the memories are so worth it. Did it take us a ridiculous amount of time to pack up the cars with baby swim stuff, towels, shoes, sunscreen, towels, bikes, snacks, and then figure out who was going in which car, and then unload all the stuff and haul it down to the waterfront? Yes, but since we were all together it was just part of the adventure. (Also major props to my younger siblings who are fully grown and lean hard into the fun aunt/uncle role to help with the toddler crew!)
Deletegood morning, Kate. Coming back to read this later, but I wanted to reach out and ask you for your email address so I can share my story link with you. ;)
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