Kids Running - Cider Mill Races and Fun Runs

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
RDs Kerri Gedansky and Gina Kaplan Keep Our Kids Running
It could have been just a dreary drizzly fall Saturday morning, but not in today. The town was up and running at Crandall's Park. The day was full of fun and exercise; all to benefit the local school system at the 2nd annual Cider Mill event. Perhaps your town would like to plan for a local 5-K and kids' fun runs. Here are some things that you can do.

Preschool Start of 50m run
HOW TO
1. Approach the school principals to get their support.

2. Present your ideas at school PTO meetings.

3. Present your ideas at a faculty meeting. Get the support of teachers in your school.

3. Enlist the help of volunteers to work on committees for: food, decorating, course set up and marking, sponsorship, timing, course monitoring, registration, T-shirt design, fliers, and awards (medals and trophies).

4. Get permission from town officials to use a local park or school grounds.

5. Work with the police department on setting up a route.

6. Hire the police and timing companies early on.

7. Apply for the Runner's World Race sponosorship program for running numbers, RW bags, and or raffle prizes. See Runner's World Race Sponsorship Program or email bart.yasso@rodale.com.

8. Make sure that you buy medals or ribbons for all kids who participate. Save the trophies for the adult races.

9. Seek out local companies for your corporate sponsorship to cover T-shirts, food, timing company, medals, trophies, hiring of police, and other major costs.

10. Design age graded kid friendly distances for fun runs. Start with the youngest running 100m or less. Keep the finish line at the same place and vary the start line. Mark the kids' courses very well. Use tape or cones, but make sure that it is very clear where they are running. If you can, have the short fun runs on a field, and the mile run on a wooded trail. Introduce your kids to the beauty of cross country running.

11. Plan an aeorbic warm up and stretching session led by the gym teacher before the kids races.

12. Hire a band or disc jockey to pep things up.

13. Take lots of photos the day of the event.

14. Encourage the local educators to attend the event. They are great running role models for the kids.

15. Be prepared for rain. Host the event at a place with a shelter for the non-runners. Hold your award ceremony under the shelter.

16. Encourage your running principal to race and invite the non-running principal to drive the lead vehicle.

17. Find a PTO mom to walk at the end of the XC course.

18. Make sure to have someone calling out mile splits.

19. Have plenty of water available at mile marks as well as at the start and finish.

20. Get the town's people out to cheer on the runners.

21. Train kids for the run through school, team, or classroom running programs. Teach:

- Pacing.

- Winning is doing your best.

- Healthy eating for healthy bodies.

22. Parents, designate a meeting spot for your kids. Make sure they know where to look for you after they cross the finish line.

23. If you'd like, and the race allows it, run the fun run with your kids, then run the mile with other kids, then do the adult's race!

carolgoodrow@verizon.net.