Thirty Thousand Children to Participate in Program Finale

Thousands of little Dallas area K-5th grade school children and parents have been running and walking 26.2 miles over the last six months, with their parents and/or at school. Coloring in their incremental running logs in ¼ to ½ mile segments, they also have been coloring in each day they eat 5-a-day fruits and veggies. Besides running/walking 26.2 miles, their goal was to eat 26.2 days a month of 5-a-day fruits and veggies, to fuel their 26.2 miles of running over six months!

On this Saturday, March 24, at DISD's Loos Stadium, they gather in a glorious ceremonial Final Mile as they finish what seemed at first an insurmountable project: Marathon Kids.

In its third year in Dallas, the nationally acclaimed, free Marathon Kids® running/walking and nutrition program expects 8,000 of the 30,000 registered Dallas children to run on Saturday at Dallas ISD's Loos Stadium. Districts invited to participate are Dallas ISD, Plano ISD, Richardson ISD, Mesquite ISD, Irving ISD, private schools and homeschoolers.

The stadium is graciously donated by Dallas ISD Athletics, for the occasion.

This past September, the K-5th graders either shyly or boldly raised their hand in class and said "Yes! I think I can run/walk 26.2 miles over the next six months! And, yes, I will commit to running 1/4 to 1/2 mile either at school or with my parents!" The net is thrown wide. All children can be Marathon Kids: fast/slow, overweight/slender, rich/poor, sighted/blind, able/disabled, deaf/hearing. Parents join in with the children, as the children work hard through Physical Education offering and/or at home, coloring in their incremental miles and learning to make healthy food choices.

The free Marathon Kids six month program is presented in the Dallas area to public and private school districts, homeschools, private schools, by Whole Foods Market.

Physical Educators are a critical conduit for Marathon Kids curriculum, encouraging a lifetime of physical activity and health for children. These teachers integrate the program as a key element in their ongoing goal setting, activity and nutrition work, set by Marathon Kids and their own Standards for Physical Education. It is the fervent goal of Marathon Kids to build habits over the six months not only of a lifetime of physical activity but also to nurture promotion of more Physical Education for all children in the USA.

Marathon Kids® is a ten year old non-profit. Birthed in Austin as a grassroots initiative, it is now in Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Rio Grande Valley. There are over 100,000 K-5th graders now doing the nationally recognized, free Marathon Kids program. Marathon Kids target market are those children most vulnerable to childhood obesity, Type 2 diabetes: African American and Hispanic children. There are 294 towns and cities on the Marathon Kids waiting list, as well as 14 foreign countries.

Community runners, Physical Educators, Classroom Teachers, local fitness enthusiasts, Whole Foods Market Team Members, community volunteers, all make the free Final Mile Medal Celebration event a glorious experience for the little children.

At the free Final Mile Medal Celebration, Olympians will run with the "Flag Lap Marathon Kids" in the ceremonial flag lap. A jazz saxophonist will play the "Star Spangled Banner."

As all the children cross under the magnificent gold balloon arch at the Final Mile Celebration Finish Line, after running in "rounds", they will be given their EARNED free Finisher Medals, Reward Bumper Stickers. During the six month program, all incentives must be EARNED. Later in school assemblies, they will receive their Marathon Kids Finisher T-shirts.

Families with questions about Marathon Kids should visit MarathonKids.com or ask their Physical Educator or Principal about participation.