Fun Photos

We don't just do triathlons around here.

- Jacob swinging on the dock

- Chad and Meegan came by with a boat and took the kids out for rides. Molly and Jacob in the tube.

- Me trying not to crush Molly

- Zoë on the run

- Sean and Levon

- Kate and Jacob getting bounced

- Erin and Zoë and Molly

- On the tour ferryboat. The big twins and the little twins.

-  Zoë having a bit of a tantrum. Her parents wouldn't provide her with limitless potato chips - the horror!

- Two strong men digging up the garden

- Kate takes the 5 cousins out for a canoe around the Island

The Inspiration

First of all, I wasn't really dejected in that post-race photo. Just tired.
And I was being facetious about the grudge match - I'm much too smart to even pretend to challenge Kate or Beth to any kind of race!

This morning mom gave me the "what am I, chopped liver?", so I'd better complete the triathlon posts asap.

A year ago mom decided to start training for her first triathlon. And despite injuring her achilles a week before the big day, she not only completed the race but also came away with the first place plaque for the 60+ age group.

Don also completed the tri-the-tri, and with such ease that he may be tempted into the longer distance races next year. Sucker!

Here's the swim start. Mom's in the dark blue and light blue professional-looking tri suit at the water's edge.

-  Mom emerging from the swim.

- And heading out on the bike. Still smiling.

- Note the young woman who mom's beating. She actually started the swim 6 minutes before mom!

 - Don sprinting to the finish. Sean clapping in the foreground.

- Still grinning despite running on a painful ankle. She finished ahead of 85 people - yay mom!!

The Grudge Match

I've come close to beating Kate on the road this year, so was this my chance to take her down in triathlon? And racing Beth too - a chance to avenge decades of ending up on the losing end of the stick.

It's too bad I didn't spend any time this year learning to swim. I'm pretty sure Kate and Beth were finished the bike course by the time I came sputtering out of the water. Ah well, there's always next year, as they say in Leaf Land.


- On the bright side, I did defend my title as The Whitest Man

- Kate and Beth looking confident before the swim

- Kate heading out on her bike

- And off on the run

- With Beth hot on her heels

- Mary and Mom - part of our large cheering section

- Who's Molly cheering for?

- All 5 cousins having fun

- Kate wins our family MVP award. And knocks another 2 minutes off her PB. Another 10 minutes and she'll be a contendah

- Beth wins our Most Improved Award, knocking about 8 minutes off her time from 2 years ago





- And what do I win? How about the I Survived Another Year Without Drowning Award

- I did set a PB by 4 minutes, but check out the dejected look in this photo. Dude, it's only a race.

Big Kids of Steel

While the 4-5 year olds race was giggles and fun, game faces were on for the big twins' 8-9 year olds race.

- Happy family before the race. Don didn't look this calm before his own race the next day!

- Sean exits the water with an enormous lead. You would almost think that he's one of the best swimmers in Canada

- Beth and I watching the girls' swim. Is that Erin with another gigantic lead? Me wondering if I'm the only one with these genes who can't swim.

- You want game face? Don't mess with Erin.

- Sean cruising to victory








- Whole family celebrating in the rain

Triathlon Weekend - Molly & Jacob's Kids of Steel Race

Tons of great photos thanks to Ryner and my mom. So, I'll break the weekend into a few parts.
Here's the Kids of Steel event on the Friday. Molly & Jacob did their first triathlons.


- Here they are devising some pre-race strategies

- These events always bring out the crazy fans - Uncle Don

- Getting ready for the race, while the fans stay dry

- Sean and Erin tell the little twins how to kick some triathlon butt

- Last minute cap adjustment from Mama

- Zoë spent the weekend saying "where's my triathlon" - here with Aunt Beth

- Me telling Molly "at least you can swim - I may well drown in my triathlon"

- Jacob in the swim. He's in the middle of the photo, with his chin just above the surface.

- Jacob getting some directions on how to get from the beach to his bike

- Pushing his bike through the transition area

- Molly running into future rival Mary-Grace in the water

- Molly pushing up the transition hill

- Jacob sprinting toward the finish line

- Finisher's medal around his neck and cowbell in his hand - ready to cheer Molly to the end

- Molly powering to the finish line

- The little triathletes with a proud Katie