The Eagle River Triathlon is Sunday, June 3, 2018, and it’s a great opportunity to start the summer spending time outdoors with your kids. The triathlon also kicks off a series of summer physical activity events, including the Mayor’s Marathon Kid’s Mile on June 21 and the Anchorage RunFest Kids 2K on August 18.
The Eagle River Tri is a sprint distance triathlon. It has an untimed event for kids ages 6 to 12, as well as timed events for adults and children 13 and older. The intent of the event is to promote a safe and fun introduction to the triathlon, as well as a competitive race for more experienced elite athletes.
Local athlete Liane Nagata has participated in the Eagle River Tri with her daughters, Lauren (20) and Madalyn (15) when they were younger. She said it was the perfect introduction to triathlons for her daughters, as they later completed the Gold Nugget Triathlon in Anchorage.
“The event is fun to watch, and once they did it one time, they were ready to do it again,” Nagata said. “They enjoyed it and the organization (of the event) makes it fun and definitely safe for even the littlest kids.”
The entry fees are $30.00 for kids and $108.00 for adults. The online registration deadline is June 1, 2018, or until the event sells out. There is no race-day registration, except for the kids’ race. The kids’ race, however, has a limit of 250 participants.
The sprint distance for adults is a 500-yard pool swim (10 laps/20 lengths), followed by a 20K (12.4 miles) bike and a 5K (3.1 miles) run. The kids have a choice of a long course or a short course. The long course includes a 100-yard (two lap) swim, a 2-mile bike, and .8 mile run. The short course includes a 50-yard (one lap) swim, a 2-mile bike, and .8 mile run.
Race director Kristin Folmar says 150-225 kids typically turn out for the Eagle River Tri, which she calls a low-key, no-pressure event.
“If a kid swims one lap in the pool and wants to get out, that’s an option,” she said. “It is meant to be a fun, safe, positive experience and an event for the whole family. It is a community event, and the kids get to see the adults participate first. The kids get to warm up with pre-game events sponsored by Healthy Futures and Chain Reaction Cycles.”
For more information about the Eagle River Tri, visit the kid’s page on the website. Families who are interested in signing up for other summer events can learn more online. Information about the Mayor’s Marathon Kid’s Mile on June 21 can be found here. Learn more about the Anchorage RunFest Kids 2K on August 18 at this website. Plan ahead for these fun events!
Photograph courtesy of Matias Saari, Healthy Futures program