Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathalie Vazquez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nathalie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I never had an athletic muscle in my body. Then I went to cheer on my sister at her first multi-sport, a triathlon. Once I saw all skill levels and walks of life participating in the event, I told myself I should be able to do this. Alongside my husband, we signed up for our first triathlon and started training. When I took part in my first tri, I was so psyched! My husband had to remind me in the transition area that we were currently in a race, not a party! But that’s how I treat most things in my life, as a party. If you’re not having fun doing something, you shouldn’t be doing it. Well, I got hooked and since then, I completed ten triathlons and three half marathons, one of those during my first pregnancy.
After my last triathlon, my husband and I decided to start on our never-ending adventure, to expand our family. So we did and within two years, we had two super healthy kids! When my oldest was three and in preschool, she had a love for running, like most toddlers do! After search attempts, I had no luck finding events for little ones. Luckily someone in her class had included their child’s race bib in the class pet’s journal that went home each weekend. I look into the events and soon became a race coordinator in our home town since the closest one was about 30 miles north.
I was with that company for five years and decided I wanted to add a bit more for the kids participating. It was time for me to branch out and start fresh, and iTRI was born. Partnering up with my daughters’ swim teacher, we decided to start multi-sports events, not just for kids, but for the entire family!
Our events are meant to motivate families to lead a healthier lifestyle, together, and introduce kids to the disciplines often overlooked in today’s athletic world, such as running, cycling and swimming. After hosting several multi-sport events, I was very surprised to see how many kids do not know how to ride a bicycle, do not know about proper bike safety, or do not know how to swim confident enough for 25 meters. With our events, we want to give the kids the confidence they need to not only complete our races but confidence for their future endeavors.
We especially love to see when the entire family participates at our events. The kids go crazy, cheering on their parents at the sound of my horn! When grandma and grandpa are on the sidelines cheering both the kids and parents on, it’s a sight to see!
We have several plans for iTRI, to not only host family fun-filled events, but to host educational clinics to help kids and their parents become aware of proper bicycle safety, multi-sport tricks, nutrition and much more! We hope once things calm down and return to what used to be our normal routine, we can get back into the swing of things and get kids and their families Out, Active and Healthy, with iTRI!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Some challenges I have faced in setting up my events is searching for a park that would host my events. I got shot down several times from different parks who did not understand the programs or really didn’t see is as an asset. Once Tamiami Park gave me the green light, I was so excited and hit the ground running.
Finding community partners has also been challenging. I like to surround iTRI with businesses that share the same ideals as I do, such as providing a positive environment for our kids and encouraging them to lead a healthier lifestyle. I try to reach locally owned businesses in our community because I know how challenging it can be to have your own businesses and have it flourish.
Advertising has also been challenging, as I am a small business and the budget doesn’t allow for very large expenses.. In the past, I have been able to spread the word in schools via flyers and with new procedures in place, that has changed and I’ve had to find other means of marketing. Word of mouth is the best advertising for all, I believe. If you provide a high quality service, I believe people will come, and they have! 🙂
So, as you know, we’re impressed with iTRI Racing Series – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
iTRI provides events for the entire family. We have races that include running and multi-sport events: triathlons, aquathlons and duathlons; all for kids and adults ages 2-99! FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!
I am most proud of seeing my young athletes throughout the years flourish into confident little adults. I’ve seen it first hand with my two. Some would look at me prior to me sounding the horn with fear in their eyes, fear of the unknown of what lied 50 yards ahead. Others with determination flowing out of their eyes as they swayed back and forth, waiting for the horn to blow. Once they crossed that finish line, I’ve witnessed tears of joy, sighs of relief and pure confidence oozing out of them for realizing what they were just able to accomplish! The parents see it too, and the high fives and big hugs in the air is what I look forward to most!
I think what sets iTRI apart from others is what we are able to bring to each event. The work and detail we put into each event, each race, each stretch, each transition area, it doesn’t go unnoticed. Parents are pleased after each event and can’t wait for the next one. We care for our iTRI families. We care about our athletes. We care a lot. I wear my orange hair and blue tutu proudly! I do it for them, our iTRI families!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
The future of iTRI. I would like to team up with local businesses, such as athletic retail stores, (shoe stores and cycling stores), to show iTRI families we are creating a movement with the community, to keep our young ones doing just that, moving. We would like to start hosting clinics where we can help families get on the right path of healthy living and learning how to become better in these multi-sport disciplines (running, swimming cycling). Perhaps even have after-school clubs such as running and cycling. We need more bike safety information in our community, if there’s anything our current situation has taught us is that not many know how to rid eon the road in a safe matter – both cyclists and drivers.
Pricing:
- 5-Race Running Series – $45-$65 (includes all 5 races, race shirt and participation medal on 5th race; kids ages 2 and up)
- Triathlon events (Swim-Bike-Run) – $65-$85 (includes race shirt and participation medal; kids and adults ages 6 and up)
- Duathlon events (Run-Bike-Run) – $55-$75 (includes race shirt and participation medal; kids and adults ages 5 and up)
- Aquathon events (Run-Swim-Run) – $55-$75 (includes race shirt and participation medal; kids and adults ages 5 and up)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.itrikidsracing.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itrikidsracing/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itrikidsracing/
- Other: https://runsignup.com/Race/Info/FL/Miami/iTRIKidsRacingSeries2020?remMeAttempt=
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