WW: Where the Kids Attempt a Beach Tryathlon

One of the things I love about camping at Martins Bay is the cool stuff that gets organised for the kids. Like the Beach triathlon, they held on our second day camping.

Don't be deceived by the gorgeous vista before you. It was blowing a howling gale.

The kids had to form a team of three, with each of them completing one leg: Swim, Kayak and Run. 

Our lot were keen as mustard and dragged their new best buddy Ryan in to help them.

Of course when the day dawned and the wind was blowing and the waves were up, our Fab had second thoughts and threatened to pull out.

No worries. Our keen runner Scrag stepped up and offered to take her place. Never mind that the youngest kid racing was 8. And he's 4. This is a team photo. Dash said, "Scrag needs to be in the team photo cos he's our backup runner..." BLESS.

I love how kids make friends so easily on a camping holiday. 

Kids everywhere, playing rugby on the beach, spotlight, games with sticks... 

camping at the beach is kid-paradise.

But I digress.

It was an anxious wait on the beach as we watched the individual athletes attempt the course. The wind and waves made swimming and kayaking difficult for the most seasoned athletes, let alone our bunch of novices.

Ryan's mum decided she'd better swim alongside him. He'd told us boldly, "I'm a great swimmer. I'm level five. I won some races..." But just as well his mum was there. The first wave hit sweet lil Ryan in his cute spectacled face... glug glug glug. Mum ended up dragging him round the course. Awwwwww.

Then it was up to Dash to do his thing with the kayak. He'd only ever paddled with dad in the double kayak, and never in conditions like this. But there's nothing like a bit of confidence and a "give it a go" attitude. 

And Dash sure did give it a go. He ended up crashing into the marker boat and had to be towed by a the support jetski... but once clear of the obstacle he was paddling for all he was worth...

Of course we were on the beach screaming madly...
not that he could hear us over the howling gale...

He finished 7th. Out of 10. A brilliant valiant effort.

The changeover... (oops... did they actually connect???)

and it was Fab's turn to do her thing. She stepped up so Scrag wasn't needed after all 

(much to his disappointment).

 So proud of my kids, and their new buddy. They were racing against kids who spend every summer at this beach, swimming in the ocean, paddling kayaks. They didn't quit in the face of rough weather, wind and waves.

That's the great thing about Triathlons. You TRY. And in the Trying, you Conquer.