Shaler Area's young marathon runners tackle the challenge of a triathlon

With the Pittsburgh Kids Marathon in their rearview mirrors, some Shaler Area Elementary students are gearing up for their next challenge.

The students, under the training of fourth grade reading teacher and coach Kelly Himes, are preparing to participate in Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh’s youth triathlon July 19 at North Park.

It will come after fourth, fifth and sixth grade students from her school ran the 1-mile race on May 3, which combined with 25.2 miles over their weeks of training since March totaled a full marathon distance of 26.2 miles.

Himes, a Shaler native who now lives in Richland, is in her 18th year at the school, where she has overseen the Kids of Steel program for four years. She runs half marathons and competes in triathlons herself.

“This is what I love to do,” she said. “This is my passion.”

Participation has grown from 40 students in the first year to 100 last year. While it was going to be capped at 100 this year, they ended up with 112, from which about 70 ran in the kids marathon, which preceded the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon on May 4.

“It was amazing running with them,” Himes said. “We had so many kids run their first marathon — and to experience the city, the view from the bridge, all of the spectators cheering them on, it was surreal as a coach to be part of it.”

Fourth grader Nat Lutz, 10, said it was “super fun.” He ran the kids marathon with his mom, Darcy.

“Running across the Warhol Bridge, seeing all the buildings and the beauty of Pittsburgh, I enjoyed it so much,” he said. “I was feeling so happy but also tired at the same time.”

After running this year, fourth grader Akhlidin Kimsanov said he’ll definitely do it again next year.

“I just thought it would be something fun, and I like running,” he said. It was, but, “I got really tired,” he said.

Fifth grader Trudy Hartman, 11, had run the kids marathon twice before, so this year she did the 5K before it to try something new.

She added running to her activities that include ballet and acro dance.

“It looked fun, and I wanted to get a bit more exercise,” she said.

Himes’ efforts at getting kids interested in running at the elementary school are rippling into higher grades, where participation in track and cross country running has been increasing.

“We make it fun for the kids,” Himes said. “They love to compete. It’s motivating them to continue.”

Two years ago, there were only six students, all boys, on the cross country team, said Rachel Webb, an eighth grade English teacher who is the head cross country coach and a track coach at the middle school. Last fall, there were 20, including six girls.

“She starts the interest here,” Webb said of Himes. “If the kids hated running or if this was a bad experience for them, they wouldn’t want to continue on.”

Webb came to a training session May 12 to talk with the sixth graders about what they can do next year in middle school. While cross country is in the fall, they start conditioning in July.

Her message was, “You don’t have to stop running. You can keep doing this if it brings you joy.”

After seven Shaler students did a summer triathlon last year, interest in doing one has grown this year, Himes said. She wasn’t yet sure how many of this year’s marathon runners will do the triathlon, which they’re preparing for as a group for the first time.

For her students, between ages 10 and 12, the triathlon will include swimming 100 meters, biking 2.4 miles and running 1 mile.

For the kids, the idea of running laps after getting out of the pool is a big deal, she said.

“It’s a huge challenge,” she said. “The fact they’re wanting to get outside of their comfort zone and accept the challenge is meaningful.”

Because he swims, bikes and runs, Lutz said he’s thinking about doing the triathlon. He’s also thinking about doing track in middle and high school.

He encourages other kids to give running a try.

“If you need exercise to do, if any of your games get boring, run a few laps around the block,” he said.

Kids of Steel is perfect for anyone, not just athletes, Himes said.

“The look on their faces when they cross the finish line, you can’t compare it to anything else,” she said.