Discovery Walk Festival April 28-29

This year's Discovery Walk Festival was more fun than I have had in the past at this event. In 2004 I did my first 1/2 marathon as a part of this festival & I enjoyed myself, but not as much as I did this year.

This year I scoped out that they had an award that you could get called a Try-Athlon. By walking, biking and swimming during the event weekend you would get a special award. Right up my alley with what my goals are for this year.

So the first challenge was to look at the schedule and figure out how I could do all three things during the weekend. They had the biking on Saturday morning & the swimming Saturday afternoon... That worked well. The walking could be done Friday eve, Saturday am, or Sunday am...

I chose the Friday afternoon Mayor's walk. My workout buddy said she would like to come along as well, so we chose the 5k (just 3.1 miles) they also offered a 10k (we would have to work up to that for her...)

The most fun of all of this was that S came along as well & enjoyed herself thoroughly... We were even asked to carry flags at the beginning of the walk and she really liked that as well... (This is an international walking festival, so they had flags from all different nations at the beginning of the walk).

It was a nice sunny day with a gentle breeze as we walked along the Vancouver waterfront. It was fun to chat and people watch as we walked along together. S surprised us keeping up really well as well as enjoying herself.

We finished up in no time & got a little finishers award & that was the end of Friday's event.

Saturday I headed over and started the bike event towards the tail end of the time they allowed you to start. (generous start time of anywhere between 9 - 1). I followed the map they gave me and the markings on the ground and rode the 25k - just over 15 miles. It was a really scenic route through the old Vancouver Fort area, out to Vancouver lake and back. I really enjoyed doing this and it had a really neat cycling pin and medal to go with it!

I put the bike back in the car (in the parking garage across the street) grabbed my swim stuff & caught a shuttle over to the pool where the swim was.

I didn't realize how short of a distance you had to do... It was only 300 meters (six complete laps down/back). I finished that in no time & was drying off and getting my Try-Athlon patch.

It was really a fun time & I hope to complete it again in the future. Perhaps doing the 50K on the bike & the 10K of the mayor's walk.

I am also excited to see that S has the ability and the interest in completing short events with me. :o)