A few weeks ago, local area children on a mission to support Colin’s Hope gathered at Lake Pointe for the 2018 Colin’s Hope Kids Triathlon. LTL’s junior reporter, Aria Koberg, a fifth-grader at Lakeway Elementary, participated in the triathlon with her twin sister Allegra and her brother Trajan. Since Aria’s an aspiring writer, we asked her to share her experience with the Lake Travis community. Enjoy!
It was a hot and sticky morning on August 26, 2018, the day of the Colin’s Hope Kids Triathlon. This event is one of many throughout the year in memory of Colin Holst and his family’s goal to educate the world on water safety and drowning prevention.
Kids from all around Austin woke up excited to show off their skillz. And parents were excited too — talk about coaching from the sidelines!
The first event is the swim, and this is where kids really get pumped up. Let’s just say we like to bust out our favorite dance moves. Last year there was a lot of dabbing, but this year, it was a total floss-fest with some Fortnite fever. While the big kids shot through the water, some of the little ones doggie paddled and did their best just to make it out of the pool.
After the swim, athletes transitioned to their bikes. The elite wave of experienced, young triathletes already had their shoes clipped into their bikes. That’s what I call commitment! The range of bikes is hilarious, from fun, sparkly tassels to fancy carbon fiber.
Finally, athletes moved on to the run. Transition times are important, and I remembered last year, one kid forgot to take off his helmet and ran the rest of the race wearing it. Don’t tell anyone — it was my little brother, Trajan! (See photo above)
This year, some of the little ones were so excited that they ran back for high fives before crossing the finish line. Others were such good citizens, they ran in the skinny bike lane instead of the middle of the street that was blocked off for them.
At the end of the race, kids dashed to the sponsor booths to play games and collect prizes. There were so many sponsors, but one that always stands out is the Texas BEEF Team. The glares from the vegetarians (AKA my mom) were priceless.
The event is inspiring and fulfilling to kids and their parents, and makes you wanna say, “Booyah!”. It was the “Best Day Ever” — the theme of the event and what Colin used to say — I hope lots of other kids join next year!
Is there a local kid-friendly event you’d like to share? Let us know in the comment section on our Facebook page.
Images: Anu Koberg and Lynda Logan
