Maya's Lakeside TriKIds Race Report

I have never wanted our kids to participate in hockey for a variety of reasons, actually to many to name right now.. except for the cost. I always thought the cost of it would be too much. So we encouraged simple things like swimming- only need a bathing suit right? Biking- well every kid has to have a bike right? Running- all you need is shoes. Well add that up and you get triathlon, which actually adds up to alot of gear, entry fees, and cold hard cash. Now at Maya's age it isn't that obvious but it is there. For instance, Maya had a twelve inch bike. It was just to small, we felt bad for her trying to keep up with us. She was pedalling her little heart out and going no where. So we bought her a new bike... and of course we wanted to support our local bike guy, buy a bike that would last two kids and then some. So she got a Diamondback , on sale mind you. Then her entry fee, I went to register online last week for $35. It would not work but the website said race day registration so I didn't worry about it until Luke told me after he had registered her on race day for $50!!!!! We could not just say no after we were already there. But that makes me so mad.


The big debate for this race was to use a life jacket or not. Maya really feels more comfortable in one, although she can swim , so I wasn't making an issue. Then in transition some parents told us that the water was only chest deep so Maya made the decision to try without one. Then we got to the water and realised that basically they were starting from chest deep water and swimming/wading in- less then 20metres!!! Bummer so short! Maya was excited, and nervous. She kept on failing to the ground to fiddle with sand, and sticks. Once they called the kids to the water a little boy graped her hand cause he was scarred. By far the cutest thing ever.


They were off like a herd of turtles. Maya ran into transition and quickly got her helmet and shoes on, waiting ever so patiently for a volunteer to help her get her bike of the rack- which I asked them not to do and finally not wanting to wait for the closest volunteer to to finish help a little boy DRY HIS FEET she lifted her bike off the rack herself. She couldn't hear me with all the other parents screaming but thankfully she did fine and it didn't land on her. . I was amazed at her speed as she zoomed out of transition, running fast with her bike. .....then she was right back again, and out on the run. I really do not know what the distances were.. but it was short. Maya did the whole race with a smile on her face and dress shoes on her feet. We could not find her old Velcro shoes- key for fast transitions, and her new ones were at school so she wore a pair of dress shoes that had rubber shoes. Although Maya could have done the whole thing barefoot just fine. She says she didn't pass anybody on the bike or the run but she must have because she came in fourth female. We didn't realise this until we got home. It had been a long day and I was sure that the awards wouldn't be until all the ages had gone- 2 hours later so hopefully they didn't have awards five deep.

Before the race we were talking about just going out and having fun and Maya says- "it is OK if you don't place cause then there is always door prises! That's my girl!