XTERRA Saipan

Xterra visited Saipan again this year. This was the triathlons 6th year here on Saipan. We have been so lucky to be a part of such a fabulous event each year. The race brings professional (and amateur) athletes from all over the world (this year 14 different countries were represented).
The race entails a 1.5 km ocean swim (strong currents, low tides and hugh waves have added to the fun), 30 km bike (includes extreme single-track mountain biking with unforgiving uphills and steep/rocky/slippery down-hills) and ends with an exhausting, steep, hot and incredibly beautiful jungle/beach 12 km run.
Some years I have been on a team and done the run part of the race. I love the trail run and even when I don't participate in the race, I still run the trail pre/post race just for the fun of it.
Nate has completed the full course 4 different years. Our fist year here he was the mountain biker on a team and one year he was off-island (in Hawaii for work).
During the race (during the time between the swim and run when the races are off biking), Xterra holds a kids 'mt. bike race'. It is great fun for the kids and gives them something to do while waiting in the hot sun for the racers. This year, Tayah, Max and Sera all participated in the kids race. They all did great...Sera Ann was the only two year old!
Nate taking some time before his ocean swim...
It was so nice to have Uncle Nick here with us this year. I know that Nate loved having his brother there to cheer him on...(and the kids and I loved his company during the long race!)
Nate coming off the bike and starting out on his run. 

XTERRA Saipan cont.

Sera Ann giving it her all during her strenuous XTERRA bike race. As you can see, Uncle Nick is having a hard time keeping up!
Sera Ann coming into the finish. Go Sera Go!
Max and Tayah coming around the corner into the home stretch. Max later told me that he had had a lead on Tayah til she passed him during a bumpy part of the trail. Leave it to those two (inseparable) to be next to eachother in a race of about 25 kids!
Max giving me his pre-race smile... 

XTERRA Saipan cont.

All the kids who participated in the XTERRA kids bike race received XTERRA medals - here are Tayah, Max and Sera Ann showing off their medals.
Nate with his fan club after the race.
And he is off for the long, grueling, HOT, exhausting (but oh so fun!) trail run...
Nate coming in on the bike...still smiling??? 

Sera Ann's Idea of Potty Training!

Grami, this one is for you! As you can see, Sera just loves her new underwear - she just isn't sure what to do with it!
"It goes on my head right? You can't possibly mean that I am supposed to wear this on my bottom, in lieu of my diaper?"
Well Mom, thanks for the underwear - I will try to put it to good use - as you can see, I am in for an exhausting next few months of toilet training!
Would be nice to have her trained b/f our trip home this summer. Let's hope that the next time you see her, she is wearing these undies where they are supposed to be worn!