Boulder Kids Triathlon

Little kids as young as three years old wear floaties on their arms and get to walk through 40 yards of shallow water for the swim. With anxious parents hovering nearby in case of a fall, they dry off, put on helmets, and get on everything from Princess style bikes with glittery pink tassels and training wheels to tricycles and round a parking lot. The run for these pre-kindergarteners consists of a 60-yard out and back holding on to a parent’s hand
When needed. At the finish, 2008 elite winners Joanna Zeiger and Simon Thompson hand out green finishers’ yo-yos. By the time the 13-14 year old waves starts, some kids blitz through a 200-yard swim, a 4-mile bike and a 1-mile run with ferocity, others survive with unconquerable smiles.

Breaking out of the gate, a 3-year-old rides her tricycle out of T1.

The 13- and 14-year-old swim wave hits the Boulder Reservoir water with panache.

A pre-teen runs out of the water with purpose.

Mom helps her daughter with the chin strap. Some years in Hawaii, Jurgen Zack and Lori Bowden could have used similar help.

Local Boulder pro Brooke Davison stays at the side of her youngest of three children into T1.

Mom helps her young daughter get the bike rolling.

This 3-foot tall wunderkind doesn’t need any help rolling her bike to the takeoff point.

With a little help from mom, this three year old begins a wild ride to tri-glory.

Looks like Pre breaking out of the gate on the run.

Two young teens embrace the Joy of Running

The kid in Terminator shades and an electric red jersey bears down on the finish.

When you outsprint your rivals to the line, you are allowed to stick your tongue out.

The young lass in the cool shades gets an admiring glance

Rocky atop the steps at the Philadelphia Museum? Or an homage to Matt Reed winning his Olympic slot?

Mom and daughter walk away with that satisfied glow of a race well done.

Little brother supports his sister

Lachlan Reed, son of US Olympian Matt Reed and pro Kelly Reed, was second in the youngest pack. Here he is with dad Matt, mom Kelly, sister Peyton, and two of his regular babysitters from the University of Colorado.

Here Boulder Sports Medicine exec and coach Neal Henderson holds his daughter, who raced the triathlon but was still figuring out how to work her finisher’s yo-yo.

Sometimes a tough triathlete needs a little support after a hard day of swim-bike-run.

Dad makes sure his son rehydrates after the race.