group of others to practice or participate. Most, if not all of the preparation for a triathlon, can be done at home or near a person’s home. From a parent’s perspective, this can save lots of time carpooling back and forth to team practices and games. Since it comprises three sports, triathlon doesn’t require or favor a particular skill set like some single sports do. This helps to level the playing field, and can make children less intimidated to participate when they recognize the wide range of strengths and weaknesses in the three triathlon disciplines. A child who struggles in the swim may be a strong runner, and vice versa.
Another advantage of youth triathlon is that most youth events are designed to be completed without a great deal of preparation by an active child. For athletes ages 10 and under, USA Triathlon recommends race distances of no more than a 100-meter swim, a 3-kilometer bike and a 1-kilometer run. For ages 11 to 15, the maximum recommended distances are a 400-meter swim, a 10-kilometer bike and a 3-kilometer run. For the junior division, USA Triathlon recommends race distances of no more than 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run. Thus, for children who participate in other activities which involve running, the physical demands to complete a youth triathlon shouldn’t be a major obstacle. Most active youth will have the endurance required to complete the race distances, while sedentary children should aim to gradually increase their training so that they are able to complete the race distance in each discipline prior to the race. Of course, it is also important that your child knows how to swim and is comfortably able to complete the distance of the swim leg of the race. While many youth triathlons include a pool swim or a very shallow open water swim, the ability to swim the course independently and comfortably is essential.
Most importantly, the focus of youth triathlon should not be on competition. Rather, the focus should be on learning proper technique and skills, developing healthy exercise habits and having fun. With the proper focus, participation in youth triathlon can lead to a lifelong passion for the
multisport life and healthy living!
Bill Hauser is a USA Triathlon Level II certified coach and the founder and head coach of Mid-Atlantic Multisport. He also served as the head triathlon coach for the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training Program. Based in suburban Philadelphia, Pa., Mid-Atlantic Multisport (www. midatlanticmultisport. com) provides individualized endurance coaching services, training camps and clinics for athletes of all ages and abilities. You may contact Coach Bill at bhauser@
midatlanticmultisport.com.
Regular exercise can help you live a longer, more productive life. It will also help to boost your self-confidence!
USA TRIATHLON YOUTH GUIDE
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