BOULDER — Nikki Sides got choked up watching her son, Mitch, finish his first triathlon Saturday as one of almost 500 “IronKids” competing at the Boulder Reservoir.
“I’m so proud that he set a goal at the beginning of the summer, that he was going to do his first triathlon at the age of 12, and that he had the self-discipline to train and hit his goals,” she said.
Mitch said it felt good to see his hard work pay off.
“It was a blast,” Mitch said. “Being able to complete it and not having to stop at all, that just felt really good.”
The Boulder IronKids event is one of 12 across the country put on by the World Triathlon Corp., which owns the Ironman brand. Saturday’s event was held in conjunction with Sunday’s 70.3 Half-Ironman race. The hope is to inspire kids to exercise.
Last week, the annual report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said nine states had obesity rates of 30 percent or more in 2009, three more states than in 2008. As has been the case for years, Colorado remained the only state below 20 percent (18.6).
“We have to get back to the root of what inspires children, what makes them passionate,” said Michelle Payette, director of IronKids. “We can tell them Froot Loops are bad for them, we can tell them they’ve got to exercise more, but if they’re not inspired to do so, they’re not going to do it. You look around here and inspiration is all around. For the parents too. We see parents being inspired by their own children to get out and be healthy.”
Why do these kids train when so many kids think it looks too hard?
“I’m just kind of weird,” said Eli Hemming, who won the boys 15-year-old category.
But Taylor Harp, who won the girls 15-year-old category, takes pride in being different.
“I like that it’s unique — not a lot of people do it,” said Harp, who did her first triathlon at age 9. “It’s very challenging, and I like the physical challenge. I want to be able to do an Ironman when I’m older.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
