Some South and West Side kids just learning to bike and swim will join Kids Tri at Chicago Triathlon in August
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Life Time Chicago Triathlon will once again take over the Lakefront at the end of August, as athletes swim, bike, and run to the finish line. Getting a chance on the kids' course will be more than 40 mostly first-timers from East Garfield Park and Englewood.
CBS 2's Jackie Kostek takes us to their practice to find out what's behind the kids taking on this major feat.
On a picture perfect afternoon in Humboldt Park, 10-year-old Shalimar is doing something she's never done before.
"It's kind of hard for me, because I don't know how to ride a bike. So somebody's going to help me," she said.
Next month - she'll notch another first.
"We are going to do the triathlon," she said.
The fifth grader is among about 45 kids, mostly from the South and West sides, who are training for the Chicago Triathlon as part of the Live Grit Soars program. The idea was born from founder Gillian Fealy's own experience with the sport.
"My first triathlon, as somebody who would've never have called myself an athlete, and going through that whole experience; it sure it was great to cross the finish line, but really the bigger thing was the self-confidence, the grit – hence, the name," Fealy said.
Fealy wanted to bring that transformative experience to kids, who likely wouldn't otherwise have access to the sport. That often means she's not just training kids to swim, bike, and run fast; but teaching them to swim and bike.
"All I knew about swimming was the basics, staying on your back," said Lyric Jones.
Last summer, she spent the summer learning to swim before putting it all together on race day.
"I felt pretty good about myself. I felt proud," she said.
"It's inspiring to watch, going from very new to the water to showing us all up in the water," Fealy said.
It's powerful for the adults and the kids themselves.
"Knowing that you tried something, something that you may not have been exposed to, you've learned to do it, and I think just knowing that, wow, I tried this and I'm doing it, it makes you know that all things are possible," said Yolanda Fields, executive director of Breakthrough, an East Garfield Park organization that partners with Live Grit Soars.
Shalimar hasn't yet taken off on her own, but already she can taste the finish line.
"You're going to be really, really tired about it; but you're still going to be really excited, because then you made it. You did it," she said.
All it takes is a little grit to see it through.
Most of the kids will do the Kids Tri on Saturday, Aug. 27, but some of the older athletes will compete in the Super Sprint race that Sunday.
