Invitation to Join Me

You are invited to watch me do the Hopkins Royal Triathlon. This is the third time I’ve done the triathlon. It’s really meaningful to me if you can support me by being present and cheering for me. The triathlon takes place the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.

All three disciplines have meaning for me. 

1. I grew up swimming both in Minnesota lakes and rivers in Kerala, India. I would visit the latter every few summers and my grandparents lived on the river. I love the water, and later in adulthood swimming laps has become a favorite summer activity. 
2. I grew up biking around my neighborhood, and the only time I’ve gotten stitches was falling off my bike when I was 5 and again when I was 34 years old. I take risks with biking! As an adult, I’ve commuted and traveled extensively and it’s the most important part of my mental and physical health — it gets me outside and it gets me moving! I love to share touring and commuting with others, as they are also great for simple living and contribute to quieter streets (like many in my family, I am sensitive to loud noises!) and cleaner air. They also have lower carbon emissions or something as compared to cars. 🙂
3. And running: this was the sport that I really embraced as a teenager. I ran cross country and track, and I found running to be a great way to both relax and develop mental and physical discipline. It’s how I learned to focus. In high school, I was miserable and felt isolated. It was challenging to navigate being a brown kid in a very white suburb. Running was the healthiest way I coped with my misery. In 2007, I got Lyme disease on a bike trip to the Boundary Waters, and since then running has been difficult because of my knee issues. But I found I can do it if I tread lightly and limit my running.

Racing is a chance to set a goal and test my limits, and also an excuse to do these activities with others and celebrate together. I enjoy the community we share around these simple activities. It’s a healthy way to celebrate being alive and vibrant. Ultimately I want my life to serve all living beings. This race will help me maintain physical fitness and serve my emotional and spiritual well-being.

After the race, there will be free food and everybody is welcome to eat the food. The race starts at about 8:15 am and I expect to finish around 9:45 am. You can either leave then or you can stay and celebrate for a while. There will be vegan food options! I am also considering hosting an after-party.

If instead you’d like to join me and do the triathlon with me, you’re welcome to! Here are the details of the triathlon.

Here’s the Facebook event if you’d like to invite your friends to watch, too.

I enjoyed last year’s triathlon so I’m doing it again! Thanks to everybody who competed with me and celebrated with me.

I’ll also be inviting people to run in Eagan and swim in Lake Nokomis with me this summer. I’ll get back to you about that.