RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesIt was all smiles in Bedford on Sunday morning, where hundreds gathered to cheer on the Friends of Aine Kids’ Try-Athlon participants and enjoy a post-race family festival.
The Try-Athlon is a swimming, biking and running race for children ages 4-15. Participants lined up and jumped into the community pool in small groups starting at 8 a.m. before transitioning to cycling and ending with a footrace to the finish line.
The fundraiser supports the Friends of Aine Center for Grieving Children & Families, the only nonprofit organization of its kind that provides peer support and resources for grieving people who are dealing with the death of a loved one.
After racers finished, they were served hot grilled cheese sandwiches, prepared by Lara Gresens Quiroga, secretary of the board.
“Today we are here to honor Aine’s memory, and we are also here to raise money for the Friends of Aine Center for Grieving Children & Families,” Gresens Quiroga said Sunday morning. “It helps us keep our peer-to-peer grief supports free to families who need them.”
Aine Marie Phillips died suddenly in August 2010 at 8 years old due to a rare lung disease. Christine Phillips and her husband, David, created the organization that assists grieving families through the use of books, art, games and peer-to-peer connection. Aine loved to bike, she loved to run and she loved to swim.
Gresens Quiroga noted it’s the only organization in New Hampshire that provides those services in that way.
She joined the organization’s board about three years ago. Events like the Kids’ Try-Athlon are important for raising awareness, she said, adding she hopes that residents around the state will support their mission so they can extend services more broadly.
David Gray, a 15-year-old from Bedford, came in first in the boys ages 11–15 division with a time of 15 minutes, 22 seconds on Sunday. Ella Lundquist of Hopkinton, 14, placed first on the girls' side, crossing the finish line at 16:36.
At the staging area near the pool where competitors transition from swimming to cycling, bicycles of all sizes were on display, some even have training wheels affixed — with children as young as 4 years old participating. Volunteers and members of the Bedford High School football team organize and make available bikes to racers as they move through the staging area and on to that portion of the race.
“There’s kids that have never done anything like this before and kids who are super competitive,” Gresens Quiroga said.
The event has proven popular over the years, attracting some 300 competitors on average, and a large group of volunteers.
“We are very passionate, we want to serve our community,” volunteer Tigran Mandalian said.
“How can you not want to help?” asked volunteer Jaime Nadeau. “It’s a great cause. It’s helping kids get through their grief when they’ve lost a loved one."
For some children, it’s their first experience competing in a triathlon. For others, like 13-year-old Ella Hollingworth of Bedford, it’s old hat — Sunday marked her eighth time participating.
“I have a side-stitch though,” Hollingworth said through a grimace, clutching her right-hand-side obliques. “Maybe I should’ve saved it a little bit more on the bike.”
“It’s lots of fun and it’s for a really good cause,” Hollingworth said. “It’s just so much fun.”
For Bedford's Nathaniel Gray, 13, there was a lot at stake on Sunday morning.
“Because I needed to beat my twin brother,” he said. Jordan Gray finished just 11 seconds behind his brother. Perhaps he’ll flip the score next time around.
Nathaniel Gray said he competes in soccer and track and field and the charity triathlon was a good opportunity for a workout in the summer.
“I’ve been running like two miles every other day,” he said. “You get to use your energy in a good way.”
Linda Dinndorf, director of strategic initiatives at Friends of Aine, was busy on Sunday moving competitors through the pool sequence of the triathlon. Directing traffic was no easy task as a couple hundred youngsters anxiously awaited their turns to swim.
“This is my absolute favorite event of the entire year. There is nothing like seeing young children, 4 to 15, compete in an event that’s swimming, biking and running,” Dinndorf said. “It takes a lot of people and a lot of volunteers.”
“We have children as young as 4, all the way through young adults age 26, and caregivers, in our programs,” Dinndorf said. “We are the sole organization whose focus is on that in the State of New Hampshire, we serve about 130 to 150 participants each week in our center and all of our services are free.”
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