In July, 12 local ladies competed in the SheRocks Triathlon in Webster.

    Last Saturday, SheRocks participant Lynn Toomey-Marichev and her business partner Wendy Bertram, brought the triathlon spirit home, hosting the first annual Let’s Gogh triathlon for kid’s.

    Twenty children participated in Saturday’s event. The participants were divided up into three age-group heats: 5-6 year olds, 7-8 year olds, and 9-10 year olds.

    “They ran a half mile, biked for about a mile, and then they swam laps in the pool,” said Toomey-Marichev.

    “They all did great! Especially since they probably didn’t even train!” added Wendy Bertram with a laugh.

    Lynn and Wendy run the Lets Gogh Art and Lets Gogh Get Fit programs in Lunenburg. Wendy is the Let’s Gogh Get Fit instructor and offers classes in fitness for both children and adults. Lynn is the Let’s Gogh Art instructor, teaching arts and crafts education and entertainment programs.

    Inspired by her experience participating in the SheRocks Triathlon, Toomey-Marichev wanted children to have a chance to participate in the same kind of event. And of course a Triathlon was a perfect match for Bertram’s Fitness and Nutrition programs.

    Both of Bertram’s twin daughters, Katie and Emma, both 7, participated in the Let’s Gogh fitness program as well as Saturday’s triathlon.

    “They learned about food nutrition in the [Let’s Gogh] fitness program,” said Bertram. “My daughter was even reading food labels in the grocery store the other day!”

    After the triathlon, all of the participants still had enough energy to color in t-shirts with the “Just Tri It” logo that Toomey-Marichev and her team had come up with for the SheRox Triathlon.

    Caitlin Cappucci, 9, said the triathlon “was fun” and presented her ‘Just Tri It’ shirt proudly. She said she would definitely do it again.

    “The triathlon must not have been long enough,” said Lynn.

    She said the participants were jumping on the trampoline and playing on the swing set even after they were done their triathlon heat.

    “Next year I’ll make it longer,” she said.

    The Let’s Gogh program hopes to host another kid’s triathlon in the fall.

    “We are hoping to work with the Family Lion’s Club to set up another event,” said Toomey-Marichev. “Triathlon’s are normally done in open water, so it would be nice to do it at the town beach.”

    Currently, the plan would be to have the kids compete on a closed road for the running and biking portions, and finish it in the lake.

    “If we were to do it at the town beach, the kids would be able to use what they have learned in their swim lessons as well,” Lynn said.

    Toomey-Marichev and Bertram would even like to make this event a townwide endeavor next year

    For more information on Let's Gogh Art, visit letsgoghart.com; for Let's Gogh Get Fit, visit letssgoghgetfit.com.