A New Way to Cross the Finish Line of a Triathlon

For 17 years, I have completed triathlons by myself.

This Saturday marks a new venture:  my first team triathlon - and we will be three generations deep.

Starting our team race by running into the water when the gun goes off, will be Jared's grandmother, Yvonne, who is a spry 64.  Grandma will swim 1/4 mile in the Gulf of Mexico, run to the transition, and hand the next element of our race off to her 11-year-old grandson, Jared. Jared will zip out of the transition to courageously take on his longest race distance yet:  a 15-mile bike along West Florida's Nature Coast on his new and first official road bike.  Upon Jared's return to the transition area, he will hand the last element - a 5k run along the Nature Coast - off to his 38-year-old mother (me!).  

I have crossed many finish lines and have a rack of medals hanging on my bedroom wall.

Yet this finish line already feels different from every one of the races those medals represent.  I will cross the finish line not on my own doing, but because of the hard work, stamina, and passion of a team - my family. 

Stepping up to any starting line can be the biggest and scariest thing a person has ever done.  I'd like it to become something my family takes on with enthusiasm and courage, even when fear lingers in the soul.  I care deeply about my team and I want my mom and son to feel encouraged by what happens on Saturday, not discouraged - no matter our finish time.

Because this one isn't about the time.

My mother has never competed in a triathlon or a competitive open water swim (which sometimes gets crazy if you are accidentally kicked in the stomach or become fearful of not being able to see the bottom), and my son has never cycled 15 miles straight without me next to him.  I admit it, I will have trouble watching him ride away and will probably cry - with a belly full of butterflies - as he leaves the transition area and takes on the open road alone.  He is an incredibly brave 11-year-old and I deeply admire him for it.  

As goes on any race day, there will be nerves we'll have to settle and unexpected challenges we'll have to overcome, but we are ready and excited to go the course together, cheer one another on, and try our best.

If all goes well (and a category 2 hurricane currently on the way doesn't cancel our race), we will earn our triathlon medals together.  

An invitation by my family to be a team means a lot - it has forced me to move forward at someone else's speed and wiped out the pressure of crossing the finish line under a certain time.  The involvement of others has breathed new life into my training - teaching me patience and reminding me of the adventure and complexities of first trying out the sport.  When Jared and I went for a ride last weekend, our average speed was about 10mph, half my usual pace.  On the ride, my need for speed would begin to creep in and as my legs burned to go faster, he would start pointing out cool cars and funny shapes in the clouds. 

What?  The sky?  Clouds?  A purple car? 

It was so different for me to be MOM on my bike and to be encouraging an 11-year-old on his first 15-mile ride.  I had stopped noticing the purple cars and clouds shaped like sharks.  It is clear that my son and his grandmother have helped reshape my reason for being a triathlete through an invitation to be a member of a team.  

I'm not sure if Jared will stick to the sport of triathlon or not, but what is most important is the sport carving out time for him and me - and now grandma.  In this process of being a triathlete, he is learning about caring for equipment and his health, building endurance, and most importantly, not to be so scared of a starting line, that he never takes the risk to try.

Wish our team, "Three Generations" luck this coming Saturday!  

And may you too, "tri" something new this weekend!  

Much Peace & Love,
Annette