Recently my daughter, Hannah, competed in her first triathlon. She loved the entire experience from checking in to having her race number drawn on her arms to crossing the finish line. She was pretty nervous when we got there, but the race organizers were upbeat and helpful and showed us what to do and where to set up her bike in the transition area. We watched the younger kids compete first, and it was great to see 4 year olds running out the Long Island Sound to hop on their bikes (some with training wheels). Then came Hannah's age division, and you could sense the kid's excitement as they lined up to the starting line in the water. They swam, biked and ran the course with the crowd cheering them on and when they crossed the finish line, the announcer called each kid's name over the loud speaker before they were handed a finisher's medal. There were definitely kids in this race who were very competitive, but there were also kids like Hannah who were in it to try something new and have a good time. Her race was pretty challenging but also lots of fun, which is all that really matters. She can't wait to do it again. I'm just happy she's keeping active since fall sports are right around the corner and these races are a great way to stay conditioned through the off season. Here are some of the upcoming late summer, kid-friendly road races and triathlons in Fairfield County.

Southwest Cafe Sunset 5k
Saturday, August 2, 2014
This 5k race through Ridgefield benefits Sunrise Cottage, a residence for people with disabilities.