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TRIATHLON

Mums doing it for themselves and their kids

Friday 28 October 2011, 6:31PM

By Hutt City Council

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Lower Hutt mothers Liz Whiteside and Antonia Haythornthwaite.
Lower Hutt mothers Liz Whiteside and Antonia Haythornthwaite. Credit: Hutt City Council

LOWER HUTT

Lower Hutt mothers Liz Whiteside and Antonia Haythornthwaite have taken up the challenge to compete in this year’s Hutt City Tri on Sunday 6 November.

The event features a 4km run/walk, 18km cycle and 300m swim.

The duo is looking forward to competing in their first triathlon as a team with Liz tackling the run and swim and Antonia set for the bike leg.

As a regular runner the 4km run stage doesn’t faze Liz but the 300m swim is going to test her new swimming skills.

“Before deciding to enter the triathlon I couldn’t swim but I didn’t want that to stop us taking part.

“I taught myself to swim at Huia Pool by slowing building my skills until I could do a length.

"You get motivated once you've done it and after a while it becomes addictive.”

Liz’s advice to other mums thinking about competing in the Hutt City Tri is to “just give it a go”.

“It's always good to have things like this on the calendar so you can forget the washing and concentrate on yourself!"

I hope it’s going to be the start of more of these events for Antonia and I and it's great to show the kids how to be active."

Antonia is also keen to use her entry in the triathlon as an example to her children.

“Doing things like this that are challenging but not completely out of reach, which I think is a great lesson for our children.

“It's about setting yourself a bit of a challenge … and leading by example"

For more information about the Hutt City Tri and registration visit www.huttcitytri.co.nz