A total of 803 kids will take part in this year’s ATB Financial Lloydminster Triathlon on June 16 at Bud Miller All Seasons Park where this runner is pictured going for broke on the final leg a year ago assisted by volunteers wearing orange. Geoff Lee File Photo
Swim, bike and run.
The next ATB Financial Lloydminster Triathlon will take place at Bud Miller All Seasons Park on June 16 involving kids from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
An extra individual age group has been added this year with 803 student-athletes from the public and Catholic school divisions taking part in partnership with the City of Lloydminster.
Race director and École St. Thomas interim principal, Anthony Bender, says numbers are up from a year ago in what was a comeback-year from the pandemic.
“The division is very similar to when we used to run it before COVID where about half of the people are individuals and the other half are teams,” explained Bender.
“There’s about 200 kids who are individuals and about 200 teams with 600 kids.”
The Bioclean Aquatic Centre is the venue for the swim, with the bike and runs on park paths over various distances for age groupers.
Bender says there is a slight tweak to one of the loops to eliminate congestion and confusion of kids having to run through the busy finish area by the pool more than once.
“We’re going to change that up so instead of coming past the finish line, they’re only going to go the finish line when they’re finished,” said Bender.
What hasn’t changed is the educational aspect of the triathlon.
“Maybe if you’re less confident to do it on your own, it teaches you teamwork because you have to work with two other people to accomplish it,” said Bender.
“I think what’s happened over the years is those students have become confident to do it themselves.”
Bender says the event is purposely timed to follow the track and field season when kids are out riding their bikes and practising their swimming before they head to the lake.
“The spinoff is parents are at the park with their kids practicing swimming. They’re out riding bikes with their kids in the park and the running is something they can also do,” said Bender.
“So it’s really about families and activities; they can do together and be outside and enjoy the weather.”
Being the race director is something Bender relishes with his background teaching phys-ed.
“It’s awesome. Teaching an active lifestyle is still part of my own personal routine. I think it’s important to be active and stay active to stay healthy,” he said.
What makes the triathlon work is having a reliable core of volunteers who stand out wearing orange shirts.
“We’ve got plenty of volunteers. They’re all in,” said Bender.
“It’s all about kids and having fun and activity and just enjoying being outside and being active.”
Every athlete that takes part receives a participation medal with gold, silver and bronze medals going to the top three in each category.
They also get to dive into donated snacks like pizzas and subs at the finish line thanks to sponsors in what is a city-wide supported event.
“We couldn’t do it without them. They obviously feel student activity is important too and teaching kids teamwork,” said Bender.
“It’s really an investment in the future.”
