The Greenville Zoo was fairly small which made it a enjoyable however fast first vacation spot. (Mile markers across the zoo tell us the complete zoo was solely a few mile round.) We spent about an hour or so meandering alongside the paths, testing the animals and shaking out our legs after our drive.
We then made a brief 5 minute drive to the close by Kids’s Museum which was a three-story playtime heaven for our boys.
We simply spent two hours inside the museum and the boys had the very best time exploring, climbing, imagining, experimenting and taking part in. We took a few snack breaks throughout our time on the museum however finally we figured we should always get some lunch into our bellies and made our approach to our resort and figured we might eat the lunches we packed whereas getting our room organized earlier than heading out to discover Greenville. Sadly our room wasn’t prepared once we had been initially informed it might be, so we ended up consuming our lunches within the empty eating space and left our baggage our automobile within the parking storage whereas we explored Greenville for the following few hours. A straightforward sufficient pivot!
Our resort location was nice because it allowed us to by no means transfer our automobile and stroll up and down Most important Road, pop out and in of the assorted retailers, seize some candy treats, take a look at Falls Park alongside the Reedy River and luxuriate in time exterior.
Ultimately it was time for us to move to the YMCA in Simpsonville to choose up race packets for Chase and Ryder’s triathlon on Monday morning! Their race was the explanation for our go to to Greenville and packet pickup solely served to get our household much more excited for race day.
By the point we made it again to our resort, Rhett was prepared for some downtime, so Ryan took the massive youngsters out for pizza whereas I stayed again with Rhett and we labored on race day indicators for Chase and Ryder. All of us met again up once more for dessert at The Loopy Mason proper subsequent to our resort.
We selected this spot based mostly solely on comfort as a result of it was pouring exterior and we didn’t need to stroll far. The presentation was quite a lot of enjoyable however the ice cream wasn’t my favourite. We heard nice issues about Spill the Beans for ice cream and want we’d’ve had an opportunity to go there!
After dessert, we headed again to our resort and known as it an evening. We deliberately booked a suite-style room with a pull out sofa for the massive youngsters however Ryan and I had been suckers when the boys requested if we might have a household sleepover so all of us ended up staying in the identical room anyway since there have been two beds. This meant I mainly slept like a dolphin with solely half of my mind sleeping at a time and I wakened with a beautiful little headache. The subsequent day Rhett stated his favourite a part of our entire journey to Greenville was the resort and our sleepover so I determine my less-than-stellar sleep was value it!
Monday: Race Day!!!
Our household was up simply earlier than 6 a.m. on Monday as a result of it was RACE DAY! We ate breakfast on the resort after which made our approach to the YMCA to get the boys checked in, marked up and their bikes and sneakers arrange within the transition space.
There was positively a buzzing power throughout the occasion, as greater than 300 youngsters signed as much as take part!
Ryan discovered the YMCA Robust Youngsters Triathlon again in early August after Chase expressed curiosity in collaborating in a small triathlon. Our boys have been watching Ryan compete in triathlons for nearly three years and this undoubtedly piqued their curiosity within the sport. Sadly there should not many kids’s triathlons on the market so this one caught our eye and once we talked about it to the massive youngsters, they had been so psyched! Ryan, Chase and Ryder spent about half-hour each Saturday morning in August “coaching” (aka swimming, practising their transitions, going for a motorbike trip and/or a brief run up and down our avenue) and had been prepared for the actual deal on race day morning!
Ryder’s race, the KinderTri, was up first and he got down to full a 25 meter swim, one-mile bike and quarter mile run. I wasn’t certain how he’d deal with going first however he was all about it and easily appeared prepared.
The KinderTri allowed one grownup to accompany every participant to the pool entrance for the swim the place they waited in line by themselves to leap within the pool one by one, full their lap and run to transition the place a grown up might once more meet them and run together with them on the bike and run. This was all optionally available and most children did the bike and the run on their very own which is what Ryder opted to do as effectively.
I’ll attempt to chorus from gushing like loopy as I recap our boys’ first triathlons however my mama coronary heart was so full and so proud the entire time they had been on the market racing. I didn’t care one tiny bit about their place amongst finishers however simply hoped they’d have enjoyable and really feel robust and oh my gosh they did!
Ryder waved at us and confidently jumped into the water to swim is lap and Ryan then took off to transition one the place he met up with Ryder to assist him change and get arrange on his bike. Rhett, Chase and I then sprinted over to the bike begin and cheered like loopy as Ryder started his trip.
Rhett was such a superb sport all day lengthy and the largest cheerleader for his huge brothers… with the assistance of his two “Child Peppy” (aka Child Pepper) stuffed animals. He gave a agency “no” once we requested if he wished to do the triathlon and appeared very content material along with his essential function!
All of us stored our eyes peeled for Ryder whose one-mile bike flew by! Ryder completed the bike trying robust and later informed me the bike was his very favourite a part of the triathlon as a result of it was “so enjoyable to bike as quick as I might!” He then took off on his quarter mile run and the way in which he beamed and smiled so huge by the end line is one thing I’ll bear in mind without end.
It was pure pleasure and pure satisfaction and we celebrated with him huge time after he received his medal and completed his race! Ryder completed twelfth out of 100 contributors (youngsters ages 4-8) however most significantly he had a blast!
Chase’s junior triathlon was up subsequent and we waited about 45 minutes from the top of Ryder’s race till Chase’s race started. We visited the sponsor tents, watched the boys run round within the shade and chatted with different households till it was time for Chase’s group to line up.
The junior triathlon Chase participated in was open to youngsters ages 8 to fifteen so Ryan and I had been curious how they’d stagger the beginning with such various ranges of skills amongst contributors. I’ll take this second to provide a shout out to the race organizers as a result of they did an outstanding job. I can not think about the time, effort and planning that went into Monday’s race. Organizing an occasion for 300 youngsters might’ve simply felt chaotic however the entire day ran clean and felt enjoyable, upbeat and thrilling. The junior triathlon kicked off with the older youngsters starting the race and we had been instantly glad Chase began towards the again of the pack as a result of the youngsters within the race had been flying! (The successful 15-year-old ran his mile in beneath 5 minutes!) Chase, our true little extrovert, stated he had enjoyable speaking about “foolish stuff” by himself with the youthful youngsters whereas they waited for his or her flip and earlier than we knew it, Chase was within the pool swimming his 4 laps of freestyle as quick as he might.
As he began his remaining lap, Rhett and I ran off to see Chase start his bike (Ryan and Ryder ran forward to look at him at his first transition) and we cheered like loopy! Chase was clearly within the zone and really centered as he started his bike and, like Ryder, after the race he stated the bike was the very best a part of the race and probably the most enjoyable. The bike course was a double loop which was nice for spectators as we might cheer for our racers twice!
Quickly Chase was accomplished along with his four-mile bike and making his means into transition. Mother and father weren’t allowed within the transition space for the junior tri however the volunteers in transition had been wonderful and grabbed Chase’s bike for him as he approached his spot in transition. As soon as his helmet was off, Chase sprinted out of transition and started his one-mile run. He stated the toughest a part of the triathlon was the “center of the run” however he crushed his mile in simply over 8 minutes. (Aaand similar to that gone are the times Mother is quicker than Chase. Ha!)
Chase informed us after the race that when he noticed the end line, his mind stated, “ATTACK!” (if that isn’t simply the mindset of a 9-year-old!) after which he sprinted his coronary heart out and was so excited to have a medal put round his neck. He had the largest smile on his face after he was accomplished and the very very first thing he stated to me was, “That was superior.” The second factor he stated? “Can I’m going soar within the bounce home now?” Can I please have a few of his power!?
Chase completed forty eighth of 187 (youngsters ages 8-15) and we had been so extremely happy with him for carrying out his three fundamental targets: 1.) Have enjoyable 2.) Strive his finest and three.) End! Each boys stated they’d like to do the race subsequent yr so we’re taking that as a superb signal that they completely loved their first triathlon expertise!
As soon as the transition space opened again up, we collected the boys’ bikes and made our means again to our automobile earlier than driving the 2 hours again house. We spent a lot of the drive speaking in regards to the boys’ race and listening to Chase and Ryder share race experiences and recap their races with a lot pleasure and enthusiasm of their voices was one in all my favourite reminiscences from the complete day.
We spent the remainder of our Monday unpacking and getting organized for the week forward earlier than swimming within the lake and calling it an early evening.
As for this week, immediately is a BIG day!! Rhett begins 4-year-old preschool this morning so all three boys will formally be again to highschool now. Now I’m off to make breakfast and get today rockin’! I hope you’re all having a terrific week to this point!
