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Maria and Daniel McHugh will be experienced competitors of sorts when they participate July 11 in their first triathlon.
The Onalaska siblings have staged mock competitions for weeks in their yard and driveway.
“It’s just helping us get in better shape and stronger,” said Maria, 9, who attends Blessed Sacrament School. “It gets us to practice against each other and we see who wins.”
The McHughs are among more than 100 area youngsters who will compete in the first La Crosse Area Family YMCA/Dahl Auto-motive Kids Tri, featuring 5- to 14-year-olds swimming, biking and running age-appropriate distances.
“Kids’ tris are becoming popular across the nation; however ,there is not one that is local,” said Jamie Klonowski, special events coordinator for the local YMCA. “A bunch of parents suggested we start one in the Coulee Region.”
The event aims to give kids something to train for and build their confidence, Klonowski said.
Maria is looking forward to the 75-yard swim for her age group because she is on the La Crosse Country Club swim team and spends a lot of time in the water. The quarter-mile run, however, has her nervous.
“I don’t think I have ever run that far in a race,” she said.
Six-year-old Daniel, who attends Cathedral School, isn’t nervous and expects the bicycle portion of the race to be a breeze.
Braden Nissen, 8, a Sand Lake Elementary student, has been training with his dad for the competition. They run and bike often near their town of Onalaska home, he said.
He has found swimming and biking to be his preferred sports and is nervous about running a quarter-mile because it’s “a really long thing.” and could be “really hard.”
Upon completion of the triathlon, Nissen will be rewarded by getting to make a donation — in his name — to the Coulee Region Humane Society.
Klonowski said training for the event has been up to the participants.
“Some kids could just come and pull it off,” she said.
“A lot of adults go through three or four months of training, but kids, especially if they are in gym class and get outside on a regular basis, should be fine.”
Registration for the event is required by July 8 to allow YMCA staff to prepare necessary materials. To register go to
www.laxymca.org or stop by either YMCA location.
If you goWHAT: La Crosse Area Family YMCA/Dahl Automotive Kids Tri
WHEN: 8 a.m. July 11
WHERE: La Crosse Area Family YMCA North, Onalaska
REGISTRATION: Required by July 8; fill out a form at
www.laxymca.org or visit either local YMCA location.
COST: $15 through July 3; $20 from July 4 through 8.
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