A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a “Wildcard” event I did back in July (The NAMHI). In August, it was Cristin’s husband Ethan’s turn to come up with a wildcard event for friends to join in. Ethan and a coworker had been taking their Friday lunch to go to the neighborhood pool for lap swimming. In addition, they had devised a scenic 12-mile bike loop which they would ride from work on other days. Add to the mix a nice trail system close to the pool, and the logic was simple: “Why not put everything together for a little sprint triathlon?” Ethan devised the course, with the pool as the transition area, and invited friends. As with any good event, there needed to be a post-race party, and what better post-race food than pizza? Once that was set, Cristin then came up with the name of the event: The Friends TRI for Pizza Pie. Brilliant. Where do I sign-up?
Eight friends participated, and to accommodate various swim skill levels, participants could swim anywhere up to 750m. Then there was the 12-mile bike loop and a 3-mile trail run—a perfect sprint distance!
Other than being really fun, one of my favorite things about this event was that of the eight participants, it was the very first triathlon for five of them! Doing the wildcard event with a small group of people who knew each other made the event less intimidating than doing a big event like triathlon for the first time. Also, the $4 entry into the pool was a pretty inexpensive entry fee!
The Montana Moves High Five is:
- Move More, Sit Less
- Find Balance in Life
- Move Better
- Play Outside
- Have Fun
This Wildcard went Five for Five! All eight of us finished the Friends TRI, earning some delicious pizza and cold beverages afterwards. We even got finishers medals! A good time was had by all, and I’m hoping this will be an annual event. Here are some pics!
Keep those Wildcard Challenges coming in!
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Montana Moves 