Running the focus of final leg of triathlon
Mahesh Lakshiminara and Atlantic Rajakumar set the pace during the training run for the Kids Triathlon to be held July 25 at the Upper St. Clair Community and Recreation Center. Cari Lackner (center) led the session and is flanked by Ananya Tripathi and trailed by Ellie Blake, who assisted with the training and Lauren Caslin.
Maddy Navarra and sisters Jillian and Alexandra Fishell take a water break after completing the running course for the Kids Triathlon to be held July 25 at the Upper St. Clair Community and Recreation Center.
Cari Lackner congratulates Ananya Tripathi after she completes the running segment for the triathlon. Tripathi is training to compete in a Kids Triathlon to be held July 25 at the Upper St. Clair Community and Recreation Center.
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series regarding training for a triathlon.
Everyone knows how to run. Therefore young athletes should not be apprehensive approaching the footrace that occurs during the last leg of a triathlon.
“Athletes fear the run portion because it is last and they think it will be hard after swimming or biking,” said Lori Poe, who is the race director for the Kids Competing for Autism Speaks Youth Triathlon set for 7:30 a.m. Aug. 2 at Settlers Cabin Wave Pool. “But this leg of the triathlon requires the least amount of experience. If you don’t know how to swim, you can’t do the triathlon. If you are not comfortable on the bike you will have trouble going around the curves or getting up a hill. You can’t just stop on the bike or swim. But if you need to walk on the run, you are still going to make it to the finish,” explained Poe.
Cari Lackner concurred. The group exercise coordinator at the Upper St. Clair Community and Recreation Center (C&RC) noted that in a triathlon, you may not be an athlete, a swimmer or a cyclist but you can run. “Kids are always running around and playing all day,” she said. “This is the best event because it comes at the end for them.”
Running well in a triathlon, however, does require preparation.
“You can’t expect to run a mile if you have not done any training,” explained Lackner. “Running is the one aspect that requires training.”
“Truthfully,” added Poe, who is also the cross country and track coach at Chartiers Valley High School, “running is probably the easiest portion to train for a triathlon. You don’t have to have any equipment, except shoes, and you can practice just about anywhere.”
Last week, several young athletes practiced during a running seminar offered by the C&RC, which will host a Kids Triathlon July 25. They stretched then jogged the course to familiarize themselves with the terrain. Though ages 7-9 are only required to cover a distance of one-half mile, they challenged themselves to run the extra paved path, which includes a quarter-mile hill, that the older athletes will traverse during the triathlon.
“The hill was hard,” said Freja Kile, 8, of Upper St. Clair. “I thought I was going to pass out.”
“I’m one of the younger ones,” added Ananya Tripathi, also 8. “I don’t have to do the hill. But, it was very hard. I was gasping for breath.”
Ananya found the training seminar worthwhile because she found the course to be a little confusing, particularly where the age divisions separate. “I didn’t know where to go,” she said.
Thus, the session, which Lackner directed, proved beneficial. Assisted by former USC soccer standout Ellie Blake as well as Faith Gregorchick, an employee at the C&RC, Lackner offered tips for the athletes that will enable them to better compete during that segment of the triathlon.
“Know the course,” they stressed. “Run it before hand and practice the hill. Don’t stop in the middle of the hill because you lose momentum. It is harder to start up again. So keep moving.”
Poe agreed as did her daughters. Zoe and Hailey Poe regularly participate in triathlons during the summer months. They said it is important to jog the course before so it helps to know how fast to go out and how long the course is. Poe added, “It’s definitely a good idea for an athlete to view the running course before the race so it is not overwhelming to them.”
The strength of the triathlete will determine whether or not the distance is daunting. If running is your strongest suit, then you can catch up on that portion or pull away if you are in the lead, says Poe. And, according to her Zoe and Hailey, the distances are the right length for the age groups. “Challenging but not too hard,” they added.
The challenge is knowing how to tackle hills. According to Lackner and her assistants, runners should open up their stride when descending, run on the balls of your feet when ascending and pump your arms while climbing. And above all, “breathe” says Lackner. “Inhale and exhale,” she stressed while she jogged with her charges. “Pacing yourself and knowing to breathe in and out are very important.”
Maintaining a positive attitude is vital as well. During the running segment of a triathlon, athletes set their own pace. “Walk if you need to,” Poe said. Don’t give up though said Zoe and Hailey. “Keep trying hard. You will feel incredible when you finish,” they said.
Lackner knows for a fact that approach bears future fortunes. She ran alongside Ananya during the training session and encouraged her to finish. “She was able to push herself to the end,” Lackner said.
“Each child has one part they may have to master,” Lackner added regarding a triathlon. “Swimming can be taxing for some. Biking may be something a kid isn’t used to. They may know they are not a great biker or swimmer but, if kids can do anything, they can run.
“And doing a triathlon gives them such a sense of accomplishment,” Lackner continued. “With anything else, then maybe the next thing that comes along, well maybe, they will want to try it. They may be willing to try something new. They will feel strong because they have been empowered.”