Training with Kids Question

Some good ideas here already.

If she can swim and swims in your lane I don't see a problem.  Don't tell the person at the desk that she's 11.  What they don't know won't hurt them.  The age limit is probably because kids mess around in the lap pool and they don't want that happening.  Edit: Ok, ask them the reason for the age limit first.  If it's for insurance purposes or something then I'd respect it, if not, then no.

Maybe she could ride her bike while you run.

Maybe you could do some of your run workouts on an out and back or loop course so she could run her pace, and you could run yours and then run one or two loops together at her pace.

Maybe do your big bike workouts before she gets up in the morning, and then go on a ride at her pace later.

Figure something out, cause her desire to train and be with you guys is precious.  I only wish my kids were into any of this at all.  And really, what's more important?  Your sprint, or spending time with your daughter before she grows up and is gone?

We had discussed training with her at her pace & distance on the bike and run, and then going out and doing our own training as well.  The workouts with her would simply be our warm ups.   The swim is the biggest concern at this point.  I will ask the management when we next go.  DH and I usually share a lane though, so we'll work this one out somehow.

As for the desire to spend time with us or to do a tri, I think it's both.  She did a kid's race last summer and LOVED it.  Loves telling everyone she's a triathlete.  She's got another one coming up July 4th and the only concern I have for her is the swim since she's not had a lot of practice.

Thanks for the ideas.  We'll figure it out somehow... I thought also about concentrating on HER training after our A race in September... that way we can slow our own training down and simply work with her.

I am extremely proud of her motivation and desire to do this like us. 

Circle swim.  You don't have to split the lane.  (By the way, you always circle on the right--hand side of the lane, just like driving a car.) What might work is you guys go on say 10 second intervals, and she starts last.  If she's a lot slower than you (likely) she'll be finishing up the 50 while you guys are coming in at 100.  (i.e. you completed two laps and she's done one.)

Then rest for say 10 seconds and repeat.  Very good way for her to be with you at the pool.  OR if you're doing a longer set you either agree that you'll pass her as needed, or she'll check to see if you're right behind her at the wall and then wait for you to go by before she pushes off again.    This way she could be doing sets of 25's or 50's while you guys are doing longer sets.

My three daughters 11, 10, and 7 do triathlons. Our 11 year old does sprints and really trains the other two just do kid triathlons.

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Swim - the lap swim at the rec center says she can't swim laps with us because it's 15 and up...>> I go with all 3 daughters or just oldest one, I swim, she does some laps then goes plays and alternates between swimming laps and playing in the water with her sisters. We go to family swim with 2 lap lanes and rest open for kids. It is hard to do lap swimming well so I do it as an extra or short workout. But it brings me joy to have my daughter swim with me. She actually can swim 100's faster than I do and she practices less than 10% of the time I do.

Bike - she is unable at this point to keep up with our mileage and/or speed>> I ride 2-3 times a week with Emily she is slower so I use it as my warm up. In a quiet subdivision with little traffic and great roads, we started a new game we play tag or chase. After warming up for 15 minutes or so, I take the lead and have her chase me down, I watch her speed and adjust my pace to keep her trying to catch up...great interval work. She likes to lead as otherwise she gets dropped by accident. She used her paper route money and bought a Trek 1000 road bike. One of the great things I do in long rides, is ride with Emily and sometimes my husband for maybe 5-10 miles which is normally a very slow warm up and then ride...often those are my best long rides as I actually warmed up correctly.

Run - She can run 1-1.5 miles slowly (this morning was 12min pace)>> Emily runs faster than I do, so if she does a brick I'll ride along slowly to keep her company and encourage her. We also do track workouts, Emily does what I do but less repeats, my other daughter come along and I design a track workout for them which gets them a1-1.5 miles of running in. We call them the Graves' Girls track workout...great mom/daughter girl power stuff. Emily and I are doing a Mom-Daughter 5K race next month...she'll be lots faster than I am.

This is a GREAT discussion.

I'm guessing the "keep up with Dad or get left behind" idea isn't what you want to hear.

Seriously, I LOVE to include my kids in my training as well. Bringing them to the track with me works really well...learned the hard way, though, that you need to find a track that offers convenient access to a bathroom (especially when girls and "number two" are involved). Hill repeats that begin or end at a cul-de-sac are kid-friendly as well. Both offer the ability to keep an eye on the kids AND the opportunity for them to participate at their own pace without slowing you down. I have to say, running up our "killer hill" with my 5 and 7 year olds, one holding each hand, has been one of my training highlights.

I bring the kids with me to my rec center pool every Sunday. Started out just having them stay at the side of the pool while I do my laps...then playing with them for an hour or so after. Now, my 9 year old swims a few laps of his own in the lane next to me while I'm swimming. Swim lanes are easy to come by and they don't have the age restriction yours has. BTW...can you imagine how much incentive this provides my younger ones to learn how to swim themselves. It's working.

I hadn't figured out how to incorporate them into my biking workouts, either. Some good ideas so far, though.

I wonder how difficult it would be to compile a list of BT Bloggers that train with their kids? Reading training logs would be a great way to learn from and encourage each other.