Omaha Triathlon gaining momentum

Kids, parents, amateurs and professionals alike participated in the second annual Omaha Triathlon this past weekend. Hosting a surprisingly hilly course, the race drew a total of over 700 athletes within the Olympic distance, sprint distance, aqua-bike and kids’ triathlon events. It was an inspiring weekend, even simply to witness hundreds of people pushing bikes and gear up the dirt path, against what still looked like a nighttime, starlit sky at 5am Sunday morning. Every participant’s reason behind the months of training, preparation, and exceptionally early hour was unique to them.

The sport of triathlon began in 1974 out of Mission Bay in Southern California, born from the combined strengths and ideas of Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan. Since then, growing numbers have been lured into the sport not only because of the variety of activity within the swim-bike-run sequence, but also by the relay option which has been growing in popularity. More choice gets more individuals participating who maybe otherwise wouldn’t.

This year's male and female winners of the Omaha Triathlon within the traditional Olympic distance event were Sam Holmes (Denver, Colorado), and professional triathlete Morgan Chaffin (Carbondale, Illinois) of the Snapple Triathlon Team. On the topic of triathlon as a family activity, Morgan offers her perspective:

“I think it's a great sport because the family can enjoy the different parts of a triathlon together. I coach swimming and often times see parents coming into swim and have their child swimming right next to them or mom's running while their child cycles. It's great too because kids’ triathlons are popping up all over and it's a sport you can participate in your entire life!”

This year's number of entries for the kids' event more than doubled from the past year. The growing participation lends to the idea of getting the entire family outside together; it can be done and can result in a fun day, even within groups of varied interests and abilities. It is worth noting however that particularly for younger kids, whose systems are still in developmental mode, the distance of high-impact activities such as running need to be carefully considered. Most often, kids' triathlon events will host 'age-appopriate' running distances, or a different sport to replace the running segment, such as kayaking. The primary goal for any kid choosing to experience a triathlon event should be to have fun. 

Give this welcoming race some good thought for next year, and contact race director USAT Alan Kohll ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) with any questions.