PALM HARBOR, Fla. — The YMCA of the Suncoast hosted its annual Swim Bike Run for Freedom triathlon for kids in Palm Harbor, giving children ages 4 and up the chance to get off their screens and get active.
The event at the Palm Harbor YMCA takes kids through three legs — swimming, a bike path, and a run — and draws enthusiastic crowds of parents and grandparents cheering from the sidelines.
The competition brought out the competitive spirit in even the youngest participants.
"I tried to beat someone," one young competitor said. "Yeah, and I pulled ahead of someone and then they pulled ahead of me."
One parent said the event is about more than just exercise.
"I think it's critical for their development, for how they interact with other people and how they view themselves, their self-esteem, and they, they're so capable," the mom said.
Christian Engle, president and CEO of the YMCA of the Suncoast, said the event is designed to give parents a chance to inspire their children and watch them accomplish something remarkable.
"Get grandparents out here to cheer their kids on. Their kids are doing something that they know as parents, most of them they couldn't do. So I think to see their children achieve something and just give them the confidence to know that they could run a quarter mile or a half," Engle said.
The kids themselves made clear they needed no convincing.
"Why did you want to do it?" Tampa Bay 28 reporter Blake Phillips asked one 5-year-old. "Because triathlons are fun," the child said. "Because you get to ride on a bike and you can go super fast."
The triathlon is an annual event. More information about upcoming events at the YMCA of the Suncoast's website.
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