This morning, Peyton came into the bed and snuggled/went back to sleep for a bit. I didn’t want to oversleep again, so I jumped out and started getting ready. Dave did, too. I got their clothes ready, and they slowly started to change as well. They knew it was race day. I didn’t have to prompt or ask Dave anything; he changed into swim clothes and headed down to load up the car with the bikes. We went to feed the kids before heading to check them in. I had coffee, which I hadn’t in quite some time. I was too nervous to eat anything, but the kids ate half a sandwich and their own hot dog croissant. Dave and I split a waffle, and I was done. Once we arrived in two cars, as I had to leave directly from the race, it was a bit hectic, since we didn’t know what quite to expect. We checked them in, and they got their markings done on their bodies. We headed to the staging area, where Dave took Brandon and his bike to set him up. I wasn’t allowed in the area, since Dave had the wrist bands on. I stayed with Peyton, then we switched kids. Dave didn’t come back to the same spot, instead, he headed over to the pool! We saw a baseball family who said hi to Brandon, and that’s how we knew that Dave was gone, since Coach Rick said he saw him going the other direction. We didn’t have to wait too long for Brandon, since we were a bit rushed. I stepped on his slipper, and it broke. I tried to fix it, but it didn’t stay. It got him to the staging area, then he was just going to run barefoot. While we were walking across the campus, Brandon ran into Grace! I don’t think he was nervous until after he saw her. She was there to watch her friend, Sophie, from school. Dave took Brandon over to the staging area, while Peyton and I looked from across the pool. We ran into one of Brandon’s FA families. We seem to cross paths with them quite often, at Happy Hollow, baseball camp, and a few other places. Soon, the wave was ushered down to the lanes.
Brandon was to go down on his own, since parents weren’t allowed beyond the gate. He’s in lane #2, the right side of the lane:
I was proud of him for making it through the swim. I was scared for him, too, and glad that the lifeguard as close by. I think he was looking at the other guy in the next lane. I didn’t finish filming, as I wanted to see him out of the pool. By this time, Peyton and I walked up the stairs to watch from on top. He struggled out of the pool; the volunteer tried to help him up, but it looked like he couldn’t muster the strength to get out. He later told me his foot got stuck on the ledge. I didn’t get to see him come out of the swim chute, as I had Peyton in tow. I then went to change Peyton’s gender, as I inadvertently signed her up as “MALE”. I was rushing over to the registration table, since I’d forgotten to do it when we first signed her in. I brushed past someone as I was wearing my big floppy hat which didn’t afford much peripheral vision. After I did, I heard, “Robyn!” I turned around to see Michelle and Mckayla! Ooops! I said a quick hello and then headed to the table.
Dave and I met up at the track, and I waited by the entrance to see him coming. I wasn’t sure what wave I was watching, but I thought I saw one of his classmates. Then, I started seeing numbers close to his and knew it was his heat. Finally, I saw him coming into the track. He made it through the bike part – four miles! He’d never ridden with other bikes in a cluster, and he was in charge of his own transition, as Dave wasn’t allowed in. Brandon had to secure his own helmet, as the volunteer asked Dave, “He can’t do it on his own?” So Dave just said, “Uh, ok,” and took off. We cheered him on from the gate, and watched as he ran/walked two laps.
He picked up one bracelet to signify one lap completed. Then, he needed a second. He walked through the finish…oh well. And I’d just started recording right after they announced his name.
Peyton was getting antsy, and she kept whining when it was her turn. We met up with Dave and Brandon in the food area. We stopped for the potty, then headed back to the pool for Peyton’s heat to start. We headed to watch Mckayla swim. Brandon was going to get food, but Dave came back and said nothing was open. I wanted Peyton to wait in the shade, since it was rather hot, in the 80’s at least. I congratulated Brandon, and he still had a smile on his face! I asked him how he felt, and he responded, “Good!” I asked him if he wanted to do it again, and he said, “Sure!” He enjoyed the gatorade and really said he did it for the food. Figures.
He stayed with me, while Dave brought Peyton over to the staging area. He ran into Leon and Tyler who were in the group after Peyton. Peyton had one half-lap to swim, so they walked around to the opposite side of the pool only to swim back to the parents. They were one of the last to walk out of the heat, and were in the middle of the pool. Because of the last name, both kids didn’t have full heats. Other heats had 28+ in the groups. But we had the last part of the alphabet, and whoever else was left over.
The younger kids, this wave, had lifeguards in the pool already in the lanes. She totally jumped the horn! I hadn’t realized that when she first started…Dave said the volunteer said, “Cheater!” jokingly to him.
From Dave’s perspective:
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It took Peyton and Dave quite a long time to find her bike. I estimated a minute, but Dave said it wasn’t that long. Video proof – 1:05 in the transition area. He came back over to us, and I told him he could’ve stayed in the area to help her back. He grabbed her towel and helmet, and he brought it all over to me, meaning we had to carry it! I told him to wait for her in the transition area so she could dump the bike and run. Brandon and I headed to the track, where I’d waited for him. Dave and she came running in, and he proceeded to follow her for the one lap.
It was a little over one lap, since she had to get to the finish line, and then go one lap from there. She got her bracelet, and then it was the homestretch:
Finisher!
We met up with Dave and Peyton at the end, and we saw Lucy! It was her! She was in the wave after Brandon, and she finished beforehand. And her brother, Matthieu, who is in Peyton’s class, said he finished either second or third, I couldn’t hear him as he is pretty shy and quiet. In fact, it’s the most I’ve ever really heard from him, and I volunteered in the class all year long.
Brandon was still hungry, so he got his second round of treats, and Peyton grabbed a bagel, muffin, and shaved ice. I didn’t mind whatever they ate, since they both earned it! The twins won awards for their age group, as did Tyler, we later found out from FB. I also heard Elise’s name, but I didn’t catch what place it was (later Michelle told me it was 4th).
We then headed out to get the bikes. Peyton and I had a baby shower to go to over an hour away. We both changed in the car, behind Dave’s cover. Luckily, the parking lot had thinned out enough. We got on the road by 1230 pm or so. I asked Peyton to eat her snacks, and then take a nap. No arguments there! Soon, she was out, but then I had a boring drive. I didn’t sing or talk or anything, since she was asleep. My mom called as I was getting off the offramp, and I asked her to meet me so she could help me carry my gift/purse, while I lugged Peyton in. Peyton woke up as we entered the golf course, and my mom took her in first, while I parked. The party was being held in the front room of the country club. When I arrived, Peyton and my mom weren’t there yet. She’d taken her potty. She had her nice dress on, but she still had her markings all over her body. She had markings on both backs of her hands, on her biceps, the inside of one arm, and finally her left calf. It was hard to hide in her sleeveless dress! We ate lunch, and watched Selina open her baby gifts. Peyton enjoyed two mini cupcakes, and then we packed up to head out. Before we left, we got into one big family photo. Luckily my uncle came in to take the picture so that all the girls could be in it. I asked my mom to hide Peyton’s markings with her hand. On the ride home, Peyton and I chit-chatted with one another, and she sang songs with me. We had a good time! She told me she wanted to do the triathlon next year, too! She was totally into it. She couldn’t pick an event that she liked more, though I don’t think it’d be the run. I told her next year, she’d have to race the distance that Mckayla did this year, since she’d be a year older.
We arrived home, and Dave wasn’t home yet. She showered up, and then he got home with Brandon after running a few errands. Peyton was excited to watch tv with Brandon, which is where I left them as I was headed to a birthday celebration with Thuy and the girls.
As I was leaving, I asked Brandon if he wanted to do the next tri in August. There’s one in July, but we’re just getting back from our trip. He said, “NO,” even though he’d wanted to do it right after he finished up when I told him it’d be the same distance as this year, but he’d be another year older. I told him it was a longer run, but the swim and biking distance was the same. Then, I said, “Okay, I’ll just sign Peyton up.” He told me, “OK, sign me up, I wanna beat her!” Michelle was already in the car watching the game, while Theresa and I pulled up. We picked the three seats with a straight view of the game. Bonnie arrived shortly thereafter, and finally the birthday girl. We had a nice dinner, cooking our food, while watching the game and chatting. We even had beer, with the exception of the birthday girl, who couldn’t drink. The game went to OT, and I asked Dave if the kids were up watching. He’d sent them to bed by 730 pm.
Here are the pictures…there’s one picture of the wall, but I see that Peyton was in the back corner of the photo at the edge of the wall:
