Wausau West sophomore Kate Neumueller will race in her first triathlon —the Woodson YMCA Triathlon at Sunny Vale Park on Aug. 4. Competing with her is Kate’s mother, Becky Neumueller, a physical therapist with Marshfield Clinic. Becky has participated in the Woodson YMCA Wausau Triathlon and other races for the past 10 years but it’s her first time entering the event’s Long Course – a 1,000 yard swim, 27 mile bike ride and 6.2 mile run.

Becky, 48, has been training for the triathlon through swimming, biking and running for at least an hour every day for the past year.

Kate, who is recovering from a leg fracture, had to delay her training. She will compete in the Mini-Tri which includes a 200 yard swim, 9.2 mile bike and a 2 mile run.

This is the first year Kate has been able to participate in the triathlon with her mother since the minimum age for entrants had previously been 16. This year, the triathlon registration is now open to participants at age 12.

“We decided to lower the minimum age to 12 for the Mini-Tri this year to encourage a love of exercise and fitness among adolescents and teenagers,” said race coordinator Melissa Hoffman. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities for that age group to really buckle down and train for an event and then see all their hard work pay off at such a fun event. We realized there was no reason why they couldn’t compete. We decided those 12 and over should be capable of handling our mini course.”

Kate has decided to compete with her mom this year for fun. After seeing how she does at the race, she plans to set goals for her future triathlons. Becky said she has not set any specific time expectation for herself either, besides to “finish it standing!”

“The Woodson YMCA Wausau Triathlon is a great local triathlon and I’ve always had great experiences with it,” Becky said.

Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each age category. Finisher medals will be provided. Entry fee is $55 to enter the individual Short or Long Course, $40 for the Mini-Tri or $95 to enter the Short or Long Relay, before July 16. T-shirt, chip timing, post-race lunch and sports massage are included.

Sign up for any course at the Woodson YMCA or online at active.com. Contact race director Melissa Hoffman at 715-841-1830 for any other questions regarding the triathlon.