Traverse City Triathalon

DD2 and I left around 10 to make the four and a half hour drive to Traverse City for her to compete in her first triathalon on Sunday. What a big adventure we had! We ended up leaving 2 hours later than planned. This should have been the forewarning to me that this would not be a smooth trip. Along with the fact that I saw soooooo many crows on the way there (a harbinger of bad things happening for me when I see them).

After we finally got on the road, we decided to stop in Bay City to see one of her best friends and her mom. We ate at a place that has amazing Caesar Salads, Tommy V's. I knew where we were going except that the place had moved. Sign number 2. Lunch was a blast and the food was so good. We finally got on the road around 3. We weren't a mile down the street when DD2 remembers that she left her running shoes at home. Sign number 3. She called her friend that we just ate lunch with and borrowed a pair of her shoes, 2 sizes too big but it's her feet. I was just going to get her another pair, but no. Back in the car almost to TC when she looks at me and says, "Mom, you're gonna kill me...I forgot my quick release in my car at home". This little thing hooks the front wheel to the bike. Sign number 4. No problem, go on my phone and find a bike shop. Closed. Ok how about Walmart? Drive another 45 minutes to Walmart, thankfully in TC. No part, Toys R Us? No part. MC Sporting goods? No part. Gander Mountain? No part. (Lost track of how many signs this was). No problem, let's go and get your packet since it is now after 7 and we have to be there before 8 to do this. Where do we need to go? McClains BIKE SHOP! Told you, no problem. Got the part, got the packet.

Off to the hotel right? No. "uh, mom?" "yes?" "I forgot my bike helmet, can we go to Meijer and get a cheap one?" "Sure". So we head off to Meijer. Helmet in hand we arrive at our hotel. Open the back of the van, there is her helmet! You just have to laugh at this point right? RIGHT?? We eat the food I had packed for lunch for dinner and go to bed.

We get to Bower's Harbor on time and get her with her gear to the transition area. She is watching everyone around her pump up their tires so she goes to the bike shop station and asks them to pump up hers. As she is wheeling her bike away, her tube inside the tire blows. Great, what sign are we on again? They replace it for free, and pump it up and it blows again. Third times a charm right? Yes, we got the bike back to the transition area no problem. Here she is getting ready.


I told her not to worry, all the bad stuff was already over and now she could just concentrate on her races. Pre swim, swim and finish of the swim part.

She was third out of the swim, which was, as you can see in Bower's Harbor, part of lake Michigan inside the Traverse City Bay area.

After they exit from swimming the 750 open water swim they run to the transition area, clean off their feet and change into biking clothes like this

Then off they go on the 12 point something mile bike race ( this was the sprint race too!!)

I was watching her go and saw her roommate Betsy, who lives in TC. She had come to watch too and brought a sign her mom had made.

This was so sweet of her. Now we just had to wait for her to get finished with the bike part, and head back to transition to drop off her bike and begin the run. Here she comes down the hill heading into transition again. GO KELSEY!! I'm pretty much the proudest person alive at this time, I'm pretty sure!

Dropping off the bike heading out.

Still smiling, not too bad!

They ran half a 5k. They finished up in the park with a 0.8mile loop around the park. Here she is starting into the park, almost done!

They wore a chip on their ankles that will provide all the times. We didn't stay to find out.
There were volunteers at the end of the race to remove the chips.

She is already planning on how to improve for the next one. OK, I need a checklist if we are going to keep doing this!

She was tired but happy! I was tired and so very proud. We really did have a great time. Next stop? Higgins Lake with those same friends we met for lunch. I have to go off with PTM in about 20 minutes so will share more later.