The best inspiration is not to outdo others, but to outdo ourselves

I'm writing about what April's been up to again. She has just taken part in her first ever swimming gala. She has been swimming with the E group of the swim training scheme since January and only hasn't done a gala before because we were away when the last one took place. She was chosen to swim backstroke and front crawl, her breaststroke still has a few issues, although it is getting better.

Today was a day for standing by and watching, cheering very loudly and willing them on. The kids were out there competing again. They both really enjoyed these events last year and were very keen to take part in them again - even when faced with another dip in the lake! Once again we took a good sized cheering committee down to the Rother Valley to support them in their efforts, not quite as big a one as last year, but still. Daniel and I were there (of course), but also my Mum and Dad, so they were suitably yelled for as they raced.

This race seemed like a good way to round off the season, with races for children as well as for adults.  April was feeling brave enough to venture into another race involving swimming and I fancied something short and sweet to complete my year's multisport activity.  This race took place at a school in Loughborough, fine for us as we have family there.  We were able to go down the day before and be handily on the doorstep in the morning.  There was no rushing to get there as it took less than ten minutes from Daniel's Mum's house - great.

Today saw both kids again making their way in the world of multi-sport events.  April took part in her first ever duathlon, while Ryan faced his second scootathon.  We were quite a long from home at Stanford Hall, but very near to where Daniel's Mum lives, so the kids had the added bonus of having Grandma and Derek there to support them on their big day.  It was a full morning of racing with adult races going off before the children.  We arrived rather too early in the end and that put the only blot on an otherwise good morning out - they were hanging around waiting

First Run

Racking the Bike

Second Run

This event was a race with a bit of a difference as it was a joint effort between the junior and senior members of the tri club.  The idea was mainly to have some fun and to bring everybody together in a social setting.  The race comprised of the short course duathlon, minus the second run and was called the Junior Senior Relay.  The idea was that children would be paired with their adult counterparts, the children would complete a run and then the adults would complete the cycle section.  April and I went intending to race as team Pendery, Daniel and Ryan came along too

Today marked an important event in the lives of both of our children, they completed their very first multisport events!  April has been saying that she wanted to do a triathlon since she was five years old, something about being like her mad mummy and Ryan was adamant that he wanted to take part too when he heard about the scootathon.  The children's races were the start of the weekend of racing organised by pacesetter events at the Rother Valley Country Park - The Rother Valley Triathlon Festival.  We all travelled down there nice and early to make sure we had time to get o

The Run

Getting out

Scooting