Youth Triathlon Program Archives - Team Athletic Mentors

Training in Athletic Mentors Youth Triathlon Program

October 13th, 2021 by JoAnn Cranson

By: Sean Siems

Hello, my name is Sean Siems. I am 13 years old. I go to St. Augustine and I’m in the 8th grade. I started doing triathlons because my dad introduced them to me when I was around 9 or 10.

In the past, training wasn’t something I gave much thought to. We always just raced. All of that changed this year!

This year I had the opportunity to join the Youth Triathlon Team at Athletic Mentors. Our goal was to train for and race the Grand Rapids Triathlon super sprint distance and Athletic Mentors private race at Gull Lake. The coaches at Athletic Mentors set up a Youth Triathlon Program for us to follow and also held group training sessions at various locations depending on which discipline we were focusing on that day. We had coaches swim, bike and run with us in order to keep us safe in the water and on the road. They also encouraged us to do our best and helped push us along.

As it turns out, training for triathlons is just as fun as racing them. I have done five triathlons. The first three were the Shermanator. The fourth one was the Grand Rapids Triathlon. The last one was the AM triathlon at Gull Lake where we raced with adults. So far I am enjoying triathlons and I hope to keep doing more in the future and eventually do an Ironman.

June 18th, 2020 by JoAnn Cranson

By Jacob Florey

The Athletic Mentors Youth Triathlon Program is a great opportunity for kids who have never done a triathlon and for kids who have done a tri to improve their skills. In the program you learn about the rules of a triathlon, along with the equipment you’ll need. They teach you about proper Swimming, Biking, and Running techniques. The coaches train you for the Shermanator Triathlon specifically. The Shermanator is a great first triathlon because it is a fun laid back course with lots of volunteers making sure it is well marked. It also has a shorter distance for young athletes. Unfortunately the Shermanator Triathlon and Athletic Mentors Youth Triathlon Program will not occur in 2020 due to Covid-19, but we look forward to them in 2021!

You only need four items: Swim Goggles, a Bike, a Bike Helmet, and Running Shoes. Most people already have these four items.. You can get these items at varying prices but in the end a bike is a bike and a helmet is a helmet.

The coaches will teach you proper swimming techniques in the pool and open water. Once you have your swim stroke down they will teach you about sighting for buoys. Sighting helps ensure you’re going the right direction.

They then teach you about effective transitioning. Your transition is a very important part of a triathlon. Once you get out of the water you need to be able to get everything you need for your bike on quickly. Then when you are done on the bike, you need to be able to get ready for the run.

Biking was always my favorite part because of how fast you can go. But no matter how fast you go you have to be aware of your surroundings like cars, bikers, and even runners. This program teaches you about how to be safe while you are racing.

Training-wise; you will learn about bricks, bricks are teaching your body to transition between activities, like running after biking, or biking after swimming. Running after biking can be challenging because your legs will feel like bricks. One way to deal with this feeling is to practice.

Finally the coaches help you put it all together on race day. The coaches are at the race to help you and cheer you on. It’s honestly the best feeling once you finish the triathlon because all your hard work paid off. This program helped me train for future triathlons and taught me everything I needed to know. I’m very glad to have done the program because of how much I learned. If you want to learn more about Athletic Mentors Youth Tri-Coaching program, click on this link to learn more: Athletic Mentors Youth Tri Programs