Everything is Better Brown: 3rd Annual Brown Family and Friends Triathlon!

We did it again, folks! The 3rd Annual Brown Family and Friends Triathlon! It was soooo good to be back in Portland and see so many friends! A few years ago, Michael and I got the idea of putting on a family-friendly triathlon event for all our friends. Oaklyn had just barely turned one and we had wanted it to be something even she could "do", keeping the distances short enough for little kids, with longer options available for the older kids, so everyone comes away feeling challenged and accomplished.

So, back in 2013, we had fun testing out pretty much every possible swimming spot in the Portland area and thought over each location as to which had the best area to also include a bike and run route. Vancouver Lake became the clear winner and we have held this "race" there every year since. There is a beautiful sandy beach with warm water, a paved bike trail, and a big grassy field to run in. All the course and race-day logistics planning occurred in preparation for the first year's race and so each successive year has been a piece of cake to throw together. Making the finishers' medals has also been so much fun and I love seeing how excited the kids get when they get to wear them around their necks! This little triathlon has been a perfect way to bring so many of our friends and their families together to enjoy swimming, biking, and running in the great outdoors

We have tried to make it as "real" as possible for the kids to experience what a real triathlon is like, from body marking, to race numbers, to finishers' medals, an awards ceremony, etc. While at the same time, our whole goal is simply to HAVE FUN!! We try to walk the line of just enough organization to avoid chaos and low-key enough so each family can go at their own pace and do what works best for their kids.

Huge thanks to Holly for coming to take pictures for us!!!