Kids Triathlon Raises More Than $15,000 for CHOP

The fifth annual School's Out! Kids Triathlon was held early Sunday morning at the , raising over $15,000 for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The tradition started five years ago when event coordinator Tracy Frary was picking her son up from swimming practice at Simmons and saw the race track while driving through the parking lot.

"We thought it would be a great place for a triathlon," Frary said. 

Frary is also an experienced  triathlete herself. It started about 10 years ago in an attempt to burn off some baby weight, Frary said. Her first race was a sprint in New Jersey.

Hungry for more, Frary moved all the way up to the Full Iron Man Triathlon which includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2 marathon race without a break.

"We do this to get kids interested in triathlons," Frary said, "And also to get them to take some responsibility in the community by fundraising."

Participants reach out to the community to find sponsors and raise money. The event sells out every year weeks in advance with triathletes coming from as far away as New York, Frary said.

This year's triathlon featured 300 registered triathletes ranging in ages from 6 to 14 who had to endure a demanding course of swimming, bicycling, and running.

The oldest age group, ages 12 to 14, swam for 100 yards, biked for 2.8 miles, and ran for three quarters of a mile. 

Most of the participants were returning triathletes from previous years, including 30 triathletes that had been competing since the event's debut.

And although competing in the marathon is draining, organizing the event is no small task either - from handling the online registrations to finding sponsors, to getting the right permits to use the school's property. However, Frary admits that "Laying out the course is probably the toughest part."

Mason Sellig, 13, was awarded first place in his age group. Sellig has been participating in the triathlon for all five years.

"I feel good," Sellig said after completing the course. "I feel like I ran it pretty well. I slipped a few times on the bike, but didn't fall. I took it too fast around the turn."

Mason's mother, Tiffany Sellig, cheered him on as he crossed the finish line, finishing the course in only 16 minutes, 44 seconds.

"I'm happy for him," she said. "This is probably going to be his last year, so it's a good way to end it."