Kids Triathlon

CakeFit21

My friend just posted on FB that her son, (age 7) wanted to start training for a kids triathlon happening in the middle of August. For his age group (7-8 year olds) it would be 100m swim/5k bike/1k run. Then a few minutes later she posted that she thought that 5k bike is an insane distance for a 7 year old. I don't have a 7 year old, mine is 3. So, I don't know if this is insane, but my thought is other 7 years olds have obviously completed this tri before. It's not the first year they've held the race and it is sponsored or sanctioned or whatever by USA Triathlon.

What do you guys think?

tasoconnor

5K is only about 3.1 miles...I know my 6,8,and 9 year olds have the energy...

tammyboone75

Where are you located? My kids are training for a triathlon right now as well.. One is 7 and the other is 9. I don't think a 5k for the bike portion is bad at all. Mine have biked 9 miles before without any problems. They usually ride their bikes while I'm running. They can easily do 3 miles.

josavage

I don't see a problem with a kid riding his bike 3.1 miles, especially if she takes him out for training before the race.

mbvenske

My 7 yr old has no problem doing 5K on a bike. And it doesn't take to long for him either. Maybe she doesn't realize that 5K is not 5 miles?

CakeFit21

I thought I was crazy, pushy, exercise mama when I saw that she thought it was an" insane" distance. Obviously, I'm not going to mention a thing to her about it, it's her kid. I was just wondering if I was way off base. There is a trail by our house that is three miles and I am certain she has told me that he has biked it before.

I'm reasonably sure that she knows it's 3.1 miles. She said she looked at the course map and I think the map freaked her out. To be honest, looking at courses on maps freaks me out too, but logic always wins. If you do the training you can do the distance.

katapple

I think my almost 5 year old could easily do that. He used to ride his bike with me when I did the couch to 5k program when he was 3 and could do 2 miles without getting tired.