The Ultimate Triathlon

3/9/2014

Yesterday, Elliott took part in the ultimate triathlon: a one-mile run early in the morning (The Tiger Trot), an Upward basketball game mid-morning, and an afternoon of rock climbing with friends at a birthday party. Needless to say, he was ready for bed last night.

Both boys actually ran in the Tiger Trot. When we originally talked to them about the race, we tried to talk them into the shorter 1/2 mile run that started the event. When we did, Ian looked at me like I had been overcome with dementia and had forgotten the 2-mile run he did at the park a few weeks back. The one I bragged about for days. So we signed them both up for the mile.

A group of Elliott's friends started the race together. At one point Ian was with them, but when I looked over at the starting line as the race was getting ready to start, he was nowhere to be found. This set me off in a bit of a frantic search for him. The search was brief. I found him at the other end of the line, slightly hunched over with his hands out in a runner's starting position of sorts. Ian was in his own world, ready to dominate.

I have to admit, when they both took off on this mile run, I wondered if they'd return without the assistance of Hanover County Search and Rescue. I knew they could both run a mile, but I was afraid they'd attack it like they do the twenty yards of sidewalk in front of our house in one of their heated foot races and fall out in exhaustion after 100 yards. As it turned out, Elliott was among the first group of runners to return to the finish line. He finished 9th among the other 5-12 year olds. And not much later, mid-pack, along came Ian. We were incredibly proud of them both. It was a wonderful affirmation of the value of the time they spend outside running around like Labrador Retrievers.

Some highlights from Elliott's unconventional triathlon: