kids triathlon Archives - Team Athletic Mentors

March 20th, 2025 by JoAnn Cranson

By: Kinley Polnasek

My name is Kinley Polnasek and I am 11 years old and currently in 5th grade at St. Joseph Elementary in Battle Creek. This is my second year participating with Team Athletic Mentors. I love all things sports and currently play basketball and soccer in addition to triathlons. I completed my first kids triathlon when I was 7 years old at the Cereal City Triathlon. No one in my family or extended family has ever participated in the sport so I thought it would be cool if I was the first one! While I was nervous at first, I loved how fast and competitive it was. The final sprint through the finish line is always my favorite part. It gives me the chance to really push myself and see how much more I have to give!

I am really proud of how I’ve finished each race I’ve competed in and how much I’ve improved on my weakest area, the swim. I’ve been working hard with a local swim club to gain more confidence, speed and endurance.

Out of all three disciplines, the run is probably my favorite. At a very young age I watched my parents compete in different run distances and then started joining in on the shorter ones. My dad is a big inspiration when it comes to running. He has completed six 100-mile races including the Western States 100. Since being involved in these ultra marathons, I’ve come across several women who I look up to and am inspired by, such as Courtney Dauwalter, Sally McRae and Des Linden. I’ve read their books and often find myself using their mantras. Courtney’s idea of the pain cave pushes me to my own limits and Des Linden’s mantra ‘Calm, calm, calm, relax, relax, relax’ is one I find myself repeating.

My main goal for this year is to bump up to a Sprint Triathlon for at least one of my races. The last couple of years I’ve done Super Sprints or Kid’s Events and I’m hoping to be able to push my training and get even more experience at the next level. I plan to race a few new triathlons this year including the new South Haven Tri. In between my soccer and basketball training, I plan to keep up with my running, start getting outside for biking and continue strength training with my mom at Athletic Mentors!

In five years I will be in the middle of my high school career. While I’m uncertain of what that might look like, I am certain that I will continue my athletic career. I would love to attend a college like University of Michigan or Notre Dame and compete at the next level. That is the dream!

Growing in Triathlon by Volunteering and Relay Racing

October 14th, 2023 by JoAnn Cranson

By: Brie Siems

My name is Brie Siems and I am 14 years old. I am a freshman at Hackett Prep. I enjoy being outdoors and have a passion for being active. I participate in many sports such as soccer, swimming, running, basketball, and skiing. I like triathlons because they include swimming and running. This past summer, I competed in many triathlons in addition to running in multiple 5k races in the area.

My brothers and I volunteered at the Kid’s MiTi triathlon in Grand Rapids this past August. I really enjoy volunteering at races. I watched so many kids arrive in the transition area to set up. They were so happy and excited. For some of them, this was their first kid’s triathlon ever. I was able to help set up the food table and mark the kids’ arms and legs. It was fun to see all of the kids gathered at the water start. I helped some kids get their socks on in transition and take their heavy bikes off of the rack for them. I was even able to hand out all of the medals to the kids when they finished. It wasn’t that long ago that I was one of those kids who was new to triathlons and learning the basics. Now, I am helping kids in the race. It’s a good thing to give back and encourage others who are new to triathlons.

I also had the opportunity to race in the MiTi Olympic Relay triathlon the next day with my two brothers, Kellen (14) and Sean (16). This triathlon is a 1500m swim, 40k bike and 10k run. I was encouraged to do the swim leg. The swim course looked very long and it was my first time swimming this distance with no break. It was also my first time racing in a wetsuit, which really does improve speed and comfort in the water. Luckily, I have been training on a swim team so I was ready! We all have strengths and weaknesses, but it was perfect because I was better at swimming. The race ended well with each of us getting a finisher medal and a 3rd place overall Olympic Relay medal. My brothers and I worked hard but also worked well together as a team.

Athletic Mentors provides great support and opportunities. In addition to helping with gear, it provides a network of people that help you out.

A 5th Grader’s Triathlete Story

Growing in Triathlon by Volunteering and Relay Racing