The Youth Indoor Tri 2024

By: Ben Knutson, a NCC student who is completing an internship with the Y. 

The Youth Indoor Triathlon is an event held at the YMCA that challenges kids in biking, running, and swimming where every kid is tasked to do each of these activities in a row, with short breaks in between. This year we witnessed incredible endurance and talent from the participants. We take pride in this event and are grateful to have the opportunity to give kids a platform to improve and succeed.

The annual event began roughly 7 years ago, in 2017. This first triathlon held 9 kids, a quaint but promising turnout. Over the years, the number of participants for this event progressively increased. Present day, we held 18 participants, a considerable amount since our temporary break in 2022 due to Covid. When speaking with Tyler, the Health and Wellness Team Leader for the Merrimack YMCA Wellness department, he stated he’s “most proud of the fact I’ve been able to grow the event into something kids and families really love coming to.” He proceeded to praise the honorable work from the all-volunteer team that supports the event. Tyler’s passion for the event is palpable, and this appreciation for the event resonates with the participants, along with their families.

One of many parents at the event, Allan, spoke with us about the Triathlon and his love for the event. Allan leads a healthy lifestyle and he strives to establish the importance of this to his children. The YMCA has been an excellent outlet for Allan and his two kids, Eli and Lexy. He describes the Y as a place for his kids to “learn to push their bodies without the context of sports.” This appreciation for fitness has clearly been communicated to his two children. When speaking on the event, Lexy described it as “awesome”, whilst Eli gave some thoughtful advice, telling others to “work hard even though you are tired.”

Allan went on to explain his lengthy history with the Y, recounting the times he visited as a child and when he even learned to swim at a Y located in New Jersey. Furthermore, he explained how his kids frequent group classes at the Y and how the Kids Stop was great for maintaining his workout routine when they were younger. Allan cares for his kids and he is grateful to have somewhere that embraces that, stating he likes that “it’s a family place.” He essentially grew up at the Y and he aims to provide the same environment for his kids as they grow, even going as far as bringing them to the same swim lessons he took many years ago.

Allan had an incredibly positive experience at this year’s Triathlon. Watching his kids work hard towards an incredible goal brought a smile to his face that he couldn’t wipe off. When speaking with us, he explained how much he was looking forward to the event and that he is “just really happy to see it.” We are happy to hear how much positivity and hard work this event garnered and we eagerly look forward to our next event!

Make sure to visit our Facebook Page to see more photos of our Young Triathletes!