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Article updated: 11/15/2012 12:55 PM

West Dundee 11-year-old a national triathlete

Justin Lorenz wins Iron Kids National Championship

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Justin grew up watching his mother and father compete in various races including the Ironman triathlon, which involves a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and then a 26.2-mile run. Although he hasn't raced at anything close to those distance just yet, he now competes in kids' version, even winning the Iron Kids triathlon.

Christopher Hankins | Staff Photographer

Justin Lorenz practices with his swim team at the Dundee Township Recreation Center pool. Justin is already an accomplished triathlete at the age of 11, having won the national Iron Kids triathlon.

Christopher Hankins | Staff Photographer

Of the three disciplines involved in a triathlon, Justin says running is his favorite.

Christopher Hankins/chankins@dailyherald

About this Article

Justin Lorenz, 11, of West Dundee, became a nationally decorated triathlete thanks to great role models, favorable genes, raw talent and lots of cross-training. This year, Justin, a 6th-grader at Elgin Academy, won the Iron Kids National Championship in Des Moines, Iowa. It's not always easy. "When I won the national championship at 10, I was actually crying when I got to the finish. I was pushing so hard that I was hurting so much, I was crying," he said.