Registering for a triathlon is exciting and a little scary, especially the first one. But if you’ve done one, you know the feeling of crossing the finish line is special. For any parents out there, I would argue that vibe is exponentially higher when your family is right there with you. At least that’s how it felt when my wife and I did the Pumpkinman triathlon this past Labor Day with our three kids. The training to get to that point is another story and the actual race was not all rainbows and laughter, but it was absolutely worth it — and we’re already planning to register next year.
All five of us are comfortable in the water; the kids are on a swim team, and my wife and I grew up swimming. But going for a swim in open water is different than in a pool and can be a bit disorienting the first time. Even a little scary. At least that’s the case for me, when thinking about my kids on their own out there.
To be clear, the triathlon is laser-focused on safety, with dozens of lifeguards in boats and on boards throughout the swim course. Also, my kids have the confidence and ability to complete the swim portion of a sprint-distance triathlon without issue. It’s me who was worried, which is why we chose this particular race. It offers a “Family and Friends” wave, meaning we could all start at the same time.
When we hit the water, my 14-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son were, as expected, immediately competing with each other and took off with my wife nearby. But my son’s twin sister was a bit more tentative. The swim portion of a triathlon is chaotic, as swimmers of varying abilities are pulling, kicking, and flailing in a huge, disorganized swarm. Keeping an eye on her, it was clear something was up. So we paused, treaded for a moment, and she confirmed the crowded vibe wasn’t her favorite.
After talking it through, we resumed, at an easy pace and a bit outside the pack. But when we got back to shore, she was beaming with excitement at having pushed through, which lit me up at the same time. Next up was the bike.
We all agreed to meet in the transition area and start biking at the same time, which we did. But almost immediately, my older daughter and son were behaving, well, as only siblings can. During training rides, I would always have the kids in front of me, and generally, the roads were quiet enough to allow some side-by-side riding. However, that doesn’t work during a race and two of my little wingnuts quickly devolved into bickering about who was going to lead, whose tire was too close to the other, and so on.
My son was chomping at the bit, while his older sister was looking to ease into the ride. So, I cut him loose. The race is highly organized, with loads of signage, an army of volunteers, and of course, all the other participants. Needless to say, he was fine.
At that point, I hung back with my oldest daughter while my younger daughter took up a pace behind us with my wife. I am fully aware that moments like riding 15 miles in a triathlon, while one of my kids happily chatters away, are rare. I can also tell you, moments like that are as good as it gets for me.
There were complaints, there were struggles, but ultimately, we all crossed the triathlon finish line with smiles on our faces. When it comes to “family bonding,” training for a race — of any kind — and competing together is worth the effort. The kids get to see their parents working hard, the parents get to realize just how out of shape they really are, and everyone comes together for a healthy challenge. I HIGHLY recommend it.
