Every August, the YMCA of the North presents two days of fun and physical activity with its BreakAway Tri Weekend! It’s a great opportunity to get outside as a family before the summer is over. This year’s BreakAway Tri Weekend will be held August 18 & 19, 2023.
The weekend kicks off with the BreakAway Splash & Dash on Friday. This is a family-friendly event for kids ages four and up. An ideal introduction to racing for youth and their families, the Splash & Dash is a 100-yard shallow swim with a one-mile fun run on an obstacle course. Kids ages 4-6 must race with a registered adult or teenager.
The Splash & Dash will be held on Friday, August 18 from 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at Elm Creek Park Reserve: 12420 James Deane Pkwy, Maple Grove, MN 55369. To learn more about the Splash & Dash, click HERE.
On Saturday, the weekend continues with Minnesota’s largest kids Triathlon! The BreakAway Kids Tri consists of a 100-yard shallow swim, 5-mile bike ride and 1-mile obstacle run course. Youth must be confident on the bike — no training wheels allowed. This triathlon is for kids ages 7 to 17 — no adults allowed, either!
The Kids Tri will be held on Saturday, August 19 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Elm Creek Park Reserve: 12420 James Deane Pkwy, Maple Grove, MN 55369. To learn more about the Kids Tri, click HERE.
Yohanis Shitta, the YMCA of the North’s Director of Community Development & Inclusion, shared some of his favorite BreakAway moments throughout the years.
“The first time I went to the BreakAway triathlon, I was moved to see all 500 of the kids huddled together on top of the hill for opening ceremonies. The energy and joy of that environment was like nothing I had ever seen!
My favorite moments at BreakAway are seeing kids (or even adults during the Family Splash & Dash) cross the finish line and then sharing that they didn’t know they could do it until they tried. A triathlon can sound like a lot, but this event is intended to be welcoming for all experience levels. When you set goals for yourself and really focus on your own growth, you would be surprised what you are capable of!”Yohanis also reflected on the effect that participating in BreakAway can have on kids.
“Kids that have participated in BreakAway not only have a lot of fun, but gain confidence in themselves that will support them in a variety of environments.
These events are perfect for kids that haven’t found joy or community in the most common competitive sports we see today. The focus at BreakAway is completing the course at a level that challenges you the right amount. Ideally, all who participate are able to see consistent growth in themselves without feeling like they have to compare themselves to others. Some even come back year after year to do just that!”
Children impacted by parental incarceration can receive a 50% discount code to participate in either BreakAway event. The YMCA of the North has made it clear that cost does not have to be barrier and will offer additional discounts on a case-by-case basis if needed.If you’re interested in registering a youth impacted by parental incarceration for one of these events at a discounted rate, please reply to this email or send a message to outreach@cicmn.org.
