Local Youth Athletes Impress at the Reston Kid's Triathlon

They came, they swam, they biked, they ran and they conquered.

All in a morning's work for the more than 200 local kids who competed in the third annual Reston Kid's Triathlon on Sunday morning. 

Proceeds from the event benefitted the Reston Association, specifically its summer camp programs, as well as the YMCA of Reston. 

Local children between the ages of 6-14 swam, biked and ran a course set throughout the South Lakes High School and Langston Hughes Middle School campuses.

Racers were divided into three divisions based on age: a 6-8 year old division, a 9-11 year old division and a 12-14 year old division. The distances of the different segments of the race varied based on age, with the oldest division enduring the longest distances to complete the race.

Race Coordinator Joe O'Gorman emphasized that the race was non-competitive, and that the goal was for kids to finish in a time that they were pleased with.

Participants kicked things off with a quick dip in Ridge Heights Pool, just across the street from the middle school.

From the pool, they grabbed a bike and began riding down Seahawk Dr. around the campuses. After completing the bike portion of the race, participants ditched their wheels and took off through campus toward the finish line behind the middle school.

O'Gorman said he was pleased with the event's turnout, not only in number of participants but in number of volunteers as well.

"We are very lucky to be able to get so many volunteers because we try not to accept parents as volunteers," O'Gorman said. "We want them to be able to watch and support their kids throughout the entire event."

The final participants completed the race by mid-morning, just in time to avoid the sweltering summer heat in Reston. In its third year, O'Gorman said this year's event may have been the best one yet.

"We had to make some adjustments this year," said O'Gorman, "but everything worked out very smoothly."