Swim, Bike, Run: How Mahwah 12-Year-Old Became A Triathlete

MAHWAH, N.J. – One Mahwah 12-year-old spent her summer swimming, biking and running.

Kara Wilczynski, 12, of Mahwah, competed in her first triathlon during the summer.
Photo Credit: *Christina Wilczynski*

Kara Wilczynski, 12, emerges from the water during her first triathlon.
Photo Credit: *Christina Wilczynski*

Kara Wilczynski, 12, gets ready for the biking leg of her first triathlon.
Photo Credit: *Christina Wilczynski*

10/20/2016 5:30 a.m.

But it wasn’t just to pass the summer hours – Kara Wilczynski was training for her first triathlon.

“She worked really hard,” said her mom, Christina. To build up her endurance for the race that consisted of a 4 mile bike ride, 1 mile run and 200 yard swim, Kara ran through her Mahwah neighborhood, swam at the town pool and rode her bike at the Duck Pond in Ridgewood, Christina said.

It all paid off as Kara finished the West Point 12th Annual ToughKids Triathlon in Cornwall, N.Y. in 30 minutes, she said.

An added bonus: She really enjoyed the race.

“I had a lot of fun doing it,” Kara said.

Kara said she was inspired to compete in the triathlon by her running coach, Terri Peri, the coordinator of Girls on the Run Bergen County, who has done many triathlons herself.

Kara said she was thankful Peri was there to support her during the race.

“She came and helped me and told me how to do things,” Kara said.

The seventh-grader already is looking forward to competing in the triathlon again next summer, as well as gearing up for an upcoming mud run.

“She likes to stay active,” her mom said.

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