July 12, 2025 marked the 15th annual Logan Health Kids Triathlon at Woodland Park in Kalispell. This event initially started in 2010 hosting just over 40 participants and has since grown immensely, with over 150 kids participating this past weekend. Krista Rufenach, Operations Manager of the Logan Health Fitness Center and Event Coordinator of the triathlon said the event started because their team saw a need for it in the community. The purpose of the Kids Triathlon is to get kids outside moving and being healthy. Plus, Rufenach, who has been involved since the beginning, said after watching the fitness center’s adult triathlon that used to take place she thought, “how cute would it be to have these kids do their own!”
The kids triathlon includes the typical swimming, biking and running, and the age groups for participants are 4-5, 6-8, 9-10 and 11-13. Families come from all over for this event: around the valley, outside of the state and even some from Canada! Rufenach even mentioned some families plan their vacations around it!
“Year after year we have kids come back.” Rufenach added, “the parents are so awesome. They get so excited and are so thankful.” This year, she stated, “our community really showed up.” The woodland park staff were involved, the Kalispell Police Department came twice to clear the park for the event and the event sponsors Glacier Bank and Kalispell KiDDs Dentistry both brought volunteers.
Mark your calendar for next year’s event on Saturday, July 11, 2026. If you and your kids missed out on this year’s triathlon or if you are a returning triathlete, be sure to register when it opens in January of 2026.
