After completing the swimming and biking portions, boys and girls go on a run.
As they round the turn toward the finish line near Seymour High School’s Bulleit Stadium, the look of determination on their face stands out to organizer Kendra Zumhingst.
“People always ask me, ‘Why do you do this to yourself?’ because it’s a lot of work for one person,” she said of the Boys and Girls Club of Seymour Youth Triathlon. “But man, when you see them round that football curve and they find everything they’ve got to race to the finish line, that to me is one of those moments that it just never gets old. It makes it all worth it.
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“The heart of ‘Oh my gosh! It’s over’ and that last push of digging deep and finishing strong, you’ve never seen so many kids runs so fast,” she said. “It’s a sprint when they make that turn to where the finish line is.”
People lined up on both sides of the finish line chute cheering and clapping helps, too.
“Everybody loves a good cheering section,” Zumhingst said.
For the seventh year, boys and girls ages 6 to 14 will have an opportunity to participate in the youth triathlon. It’s set to start at 8:30 a.m. June 29 at Seymour High School. The cost to participate is $35.
The Seymour Aquatic Center is used for swimming, and biking and running both start in the parking lot and use the streets surrounding the high school.
The distances are 100 yards of swimming, 2 miles of biking and a half-mile run for 6- to 10-year-olds, while they are 200 yards, 4 miles and 1 mile, respectively, for 11- to 14-year-olds.
Awards will be presented to the top two boys and girls in each age category, and all finishers will receive a goody bag.
To help kids be prepared to compete, practice swims and rides along the bike course will be offered at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
Zumhingst said she needs 40 volunteers on race day to help keep the kids safe. They will stand on the roadway to make sure vehicles don’t intercept the participants’ path.
Volunteers need to be high school age and up.
“If there is any of them that need their volunteer hours, I would be happy to sign their papers for that,” Zumhingst said.
Over the years, she said it has been interesting to see the progression of competitors and how many siblings get involved.
One girl was born the same year her older sibling was participating, and last year was the first time she was eligible to compete herself.
“That span of time happened to where she was literally just born to being able to compete, so that’s one of those things that was like, ‘Whoa! That’s cool,’” Zumhingst said.
Even those who have aged out of the youth triathlon have found ways to be involved.
“We’re getting to the point now where basically everybody who was there at the beginning is too old now, but they are coming back to volunteer for us,” she said. “They still help out, so we’re excited.”
There also is a Seymour native who lives in Arizona but has made it a point to schedule a family vacation to her hometown so her children can participate.
“For me, it’s what kids look forward to,” Zumhingst said. “When I see people out, it’s ‘You’re the triathlon lady.’ ‘Yep, you’re exactly right.’”
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What: Seventh annual Boys and Girls Club of Seymour Youth Triathlon
When: 8:30 a.m. June 29 (prerace meeting for athletes at 8 a.m.)
Where: Starts and ends at Seymour High School
Who: Boys and girls ages 6 through 14
Cost: $35
Register: Online at bgcyouthtriathlon.com or day of the race at 7:30 a.m.
Help out: To volunteer at the event, call Kendra Zumhingst at 812-528-8093
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