Parker Miller is a rare 10-year-old.
For starters, he loves his vegetables. He also decided, all on his own, that he would compete in every triathlon the state of Arkansas had to offer this summer.
That’s what brought the Maumelle native and his parents to Northwest Arkansas on Saturday morning for the General Mills Kids and Family Triathlon at Bentonville Memorial Park.
Parker was introduced to triathlons at 6 and has been in love ever since. After competing in a couple the past few summers, he decided to kick it up a notch.
“They’re really fun, and it’s challenging, and I want to be really good at it,” Parker said. “And I needed a lot of my exercise to be healthy and stuff.”
Triathlons were nothing his parents, Michelle and Chris Miller, ever pushed him to do, and they remain constantly impressed that their young son made the decision to participate on his own and works so hard toward improving.
“He goes to the pool and swims laps and then runs and bikes in our neighborhood to prepare,” Michelle said. “Whether he wins or not, I think it’s amazing.”
Parker placed fifth on Saturday with a time of 20:40.3. His age group swam 100 yards, biked 3.1 miles and finished with a half-mile run.
Chris Miller also competed in the morning and does the triathlons with his son whenever he can. He was always an avid bicyclist but tried his first triathlon last year in Fayetteville.
“It’s neat that Parker inspired Chris to do the triathlon because normally it’s your dad inspiring you to do something,” Michelle Miller said.
But again, Parker doesn’t seem like a normal 10-year-old.
“I eat a lot of vegetables,” he said. “All my friends hate vegetables and go, “Ew, how do you eat that?
“After I eat a chocolate bar, it makes me feel bad if I don’t eat something healthy after it.”
Michelle said some of those tendencies come from the food allergies Parker had growing up. He still lives with some and also has asthma, not the easiest thing to deal with when you are passionate about triathlons.
“He had an asthma attack at the triathlon in Fayetteville this year, but then still finished in sixth place,” Michelle Miller said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Chris Miller said it’s inspiring that his son doesn’t let anything deter him from doing what he’s passionate about.
“In spite of having food allergies and asthma, he still is able to do these things,” he said. “So even though he has these health issues, that doesn’t stop him.”
Parker said he has no plans of stopping anytime soon and wants to continue getting better. He thinks he’ll eventually transition over to marathons because he’s not a fan of every event in a triathlon.
“I don’t like the bike too much,” he said. “I’m not a big biker.”
The 7th annual Sharkfest Triathlon continues today with The Nature Valley Shark Sprint Triathlon at 7 a.m. at Horseshoe Bend Park in Rogers.
Competitors will take on a 500-yard swim in Beaver Lake, a 15-mile bike ride on rolling hills and finish with a 3.1-mile run.