And the Story Goes ...

Once upon a time there were two sisters who took a look at their increasing size and decided they needed to get some exercise. They hadn't ridden bikes since they were kids, and swimming seemed like a good option for two ladies with such natural buoyancy. Running would be the necessary evil, and they knew they could always walk. So they made a pact to participate in a triathlon, and gave themselves six months to learn to do those three sports. The first Homegrown Triathlon for Regular People was held at Springhill Recreation Center in 1994. There were 13 participants -- 7 of whom were attempting to complete the entire course. Most of the participants were family members or lifelong friends who had been cajoled into joining Hana and Lani. The next year the event was moved to a location with safer roads, the Reston Community Center, and there were close to 20 participants. The "regular people" that year included a couple of grandmothers. The Homegrown Triathlon has continued to grow each year, and has stayed at its new home in Reston. The triathlon starts in an indoor swimming pool, with a lifeguard. The swimmers go straight from the pool (except for those who use the locker rooms to change, brush their hair, etc.) to their bikes, which are being watched outside by a volunteer reading the Sunday New York Times. The bike route is a double loop on wide roads with all right turns. The run begins and ends at a nearby park. After the race, there is a potluck picnic. All the participants mill around eating and congratulating those who are still completing the course, trying to get back before all the brownies are gone. There are always a few true athletes who participate, raising the level of competition, but most of the participants are regular people who are doing their first triathlon, or who only do this particular event.