Biking best part of triathlon for some
Lauren Caslin, 11, of Upper St. Clair leads the peloton of riders during the cycling training sessions for the upcoming Kids Triathlon to be held at the Upper St. Clair Community and Recreation Center. Depending upon their age, cyclists will either cover one or two miles in the event, which also includes a 75 or 125-yard swim and one- or two-mile run. The competition will be held July 25.
Cadence Foreny, 8, of Upper St. Clair backs her bike out of the transition zone and prepares to ride one mile during a triathlon training session held at the Upper St. Clair Community and Recreation Center.
Cari Lackner congratulates North Rajakumar on a job well done after he completed the cycling training held at the Upper St. Clair Community and Recreation Center in preparation for an upcoming Kids Triathlon.
Freja Kile unfastens her helmet and prepares in the transition zone for the running portion of the triathlon.
Cari Lackner (front right) looks over a bicycle that a participant hopes to ride during an upcoming Kids Triathlon. Proper bike fit, helmet and correct air pressure in tires contribute to a better performance for participants in the cycling portion of a triathlon.
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series highlighting area youth triathlons this summer.
Freja Kile abides by the truism regarding the bicycle. When the 8-year-old Upper St. Clair resident falls off, she gets back on.
“I’m concerned about the elbows and knees,” explained Freja’s mother, Anna. “All [Freja] wants to do is get back up on the bike. She’s fallen before but she just gets up and keeps going.”
And while biking is Freja’s biggest challenge, she is looking forward to participating in her first Kids Triathlon, an athletic event that combines cycling with swimming and running. Freja is entered in one of the many competitions to be held locally during the summer months. She will compete in a race set for July 25 at the Community & Recreation Center, located in Boyce Mayview Park.
Contestants, ages 7-9, cover 75 yards in the pool, a mile on the bike and one kilometer on foot. Ages 10-12 double the distances, completing five pool lengths, two-mile bike and mile run.
A competent athlete, Freja is a member of the swim team. Plus, she plays travel soccer. “She is a good swimmer and can run forever,” remarked her mother, who signed her up for the triathlon because “it’s good to start kids in competition early.” Nevertheless, Freja is concerned about the cycling portion of a triathlon. Biking will be her biggest challenge. While she said that she is not afraid on a bike, Freja admitted it’s her least favorite segment of the triathlon.
“It freaks me out,” she said. “Hills are the hardest. You can come down too fast and going uphill is hard.”
To alleviate apprehension of competitors just like Freja, the C&RC center offered its second training session for those preparing for triathlons. The focus was on cycling. This Thursday, July 9, between 1-2 p.m. the center will offer training regarding running.
“In theory,” said Chris Biswick, “bicycling is the easiest portion of a triathlon because you can coast and get your heart rate down before you start running.
“Biking is the most fun,” added Cari Lackner, who leads the training sessions with Faith Gregorchick. Both are employees at C&RC. “It’s also the portion of the triathlon in which you can pick up time and momentum. You can have kids who are not strong swimmers and they come out of the water dead tired but they can catch their breath on the bike. Cycling can be helpful for them.”
Knowing how to operate one’s bike is most useful during a triathlon. To compete, a young athlete does not need to have a high-end bike. However, proper fit and a machine in good-working condition are imperative for a safe ride.
If the young athlete is capable of riding a high-end bike, then by all means saddle up, says Biswick. “But somebody on a $10 bike can do just as well if they can run and/or swim,” he noted.
Lori Poe agreed. She is the race director for the Kids Competing For Autism Speaks Youth Triathlon to be held at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 2 at Settlers Cabin Wave Pool. She also owns The Tandem Connection Bike Shop, located on the Montour Trail not far from the C&RC.
Poe noted much depends on the experience of the triathlete, their skill level and goals. If the athlete has participated in triathlons before, trains for triathlons and is able to operate a higher-end bike, then they would benefit. Such bikes are lighter and easier to move through the course and give the athlete the ability to change speeds according to the terrain. “On the other hand if they don’t have the skills to ride the higher-end bike it won’t make a difference in how they do in the race, it might actually hinder their performance and be unsafe,” Poe added. “The key is the ability of the rider.”
Lackner agreed that ability and knowledge are key. “A lot kids haven’t done a lot of biking to know how to properly use their equipment,” she said. “Some of them spin too much or work too hard because they don’t know how to shift gears properly.” Most young triathletes also don’t know how to ride standing up providing extra power, she added. “Using your legs and standing and learning how to use your gears when you need them is very helpful,” Lackner said.
Helpful also is being familiar with your route. During the training session, participants had an opportunity to ride the racecourse several times. Poe noted that triathletes can typically ride or walk any bike course prior to a race but encouraged particpants to practice riding their bikes in many different areas, not just around their neighborhood or on a trail. “Kids need to be comfortable and confident riding around curves, climing and descending hills.”
The course at Boyce Mayview Park features many twists and turns. Plus, there is a quarter-mile climb. So being able to ride the route proved beneficial to those attending the C&RC seminar.
“I’m used to practicing,” Freja said, “but I feel the training has helped me feel more confident and comfortable with the course. I know what to expect.”
North Rajakumar, 7, and his brother, Atlantic, 9, of Mt. Lebanon agreed, too, they learned plenty from the training session. “It was good,” said North, “but I need a bigger bike.”
Atlantic proudly boasted that he had ridden five miles with his dad two years ago and proclaimed himself fit and ready to race and ride because he practiced. He rides with his brother and that should help with the triathlon, he noted.
Her athleticism will help Freja achieve her goals. She wants to bike as fast as she can so she can start running. Of the cycling she said that she wanted to get that segment over with. “I’m glad the running is last because I can catch up [if I fall behind]. During the biking I can catch my breath.”
Lackner noted that the cycling comes at the right time in a triathlon. “It’s right after the swimming. So if you are not a strong swimmer, you can make up time.”