Kids of steel

Kids test their mettle while braving the elements

These were not only kids of steel, these were kids of stainless steel. Two hundred and thirteen kids ranging in age from two to 17 swam, biked and ran on a day notable for its leaden grey skies and frequent rain showers. The 13th annual Kids of Steel triathlon took place in Picton on Sunday morning. For all but the youngest, this was a timed race, sanctioned by Triathlon Ontario where entrants could earn points that would contribute to their standing. In the three to five age category, the youngsters had to swim a distance of 20 metres, then bike over a 150-metre course and then run 250 metres. For some, it was an exhausting ordeal. But all of the youngsters put their hearts into it and crossed the finish line with big smiles on their faces. For the older children, the distances in each category became progressively longer, with the 14- to 17-year-olds having a 300-metre swim, an eight-kilometre bike ride and a 3-km run.

Greg Landucci (R) and his daughter Mazy get ready for the bike portion of the triathlon.

Race director Rick Szabo was pleased with the day’s events. “It was a fantastic day,” he said. “It started [Saturday] night with all the kids coming and checking their race numbers and getting their bikes checked over. We had a good contingent from the County, probably 80 per cent of the racers, but also strong support came from Peterborough, Stirling and Belleville. It was nice to see all our neighbouring communities come and support this event.” Szabo was also grateful for all of the volunteer support, without which the race could not occur. There were about two dozen volunteers on the bike course, and a similar number in the transition area where the bike portion began and ended. There were eight police officers helping out, as well as a large contingent of lifeguards in the pool. The main concern was to keep the racers safe, and to make sure everyone had fun. Shelley McFarland was one of the volunteers and has taken part in 12 of these races. Her son, Case, started at age five and now at age 17 this was his final Kids of Steel race. “I love seeing kids coming out and having fun,” said Shelley. “It’s not about winning, it’s about participating and crossing that finish line and just saying they did it.”

One of the entrants this year was Mazy Landucci, and this was a special occasion for the whole family. Mazy is 13 years old and has cerebral palsy.

This year, her two younger sisters—Ember and Phoebe—were taking part and Mazy’s parents, Misu Burns and Greg Landucci, asked the organizers if there was some way Mazy could participate too. “Mazy loves speed. She loves swimming, she loves biking, she loves all these activities,” said Burns. “She obviously couldn’t do it herself, so we asked if she would be able to participate with Greg doing the biking and running with her in a chariot, and they were open to it. It’s really exciting, and I’m happy. We’re always hoping to include Mazy in activities. It’s really hard for kids with special needs to do physical activities, so this is awesome.”

All of the kids who participated in the race received a medal, and there were special medals given out the top three finishers in each age category for boys and girls. In addition, two awards were presented to the kids who showed the most spirit. With her joyous smile and infectious enthusiasm, it was no surprise that Mazy was a spirit award winner.