One of fall’s favorite youth running traditions is back this October, with a few exciting new elements for 2021, and you won’t want to miss it!
The Marathon Jr. youth running event from Sports Backers takes place on Saturday, October 30, with a new course location, and registration is available now at RichmondMarathon.org/races/marathon-jr/.
The race for kids age 4 to 14 starts on the track at Sports Backers Stadium before taking participants to the Diamond, where runners have the unique opportunity to run along the outfield of the iconic stadium, home of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, before they finish up back on the Sports Backers Stadium track. Participants can also enjoy a race festival before and after they run which features games, a DJ, your favorite RVA mascots, and much more. Marathon Jr. is part of the VCU Health Richmond Marathon, just happening two weeks earlier.
“Marathon Jr. is an exciting event for all of our participants and their volunteer coaches, and we’re looking forward to the new course location for this year’s event,” said Jacki Quinlan, Director of Youth Programs for Sports Backers.
Sign Up for Fall Fit Club
In addition to Kids Run RVA in-person run clubs, Sports Backers has created the Fall Fit Club to provide kids with a virtual option to prepare for Marathon Jr. Registration is open now, and the eight-week program runs from September 27-November 21, with five activities for participants to complete each week: Workout Wednesday Club on Zoom with other participants, a Brain Break University exercise video, a Kids Run RVA Activity, Moving Minutes Challenge, and a Fall Fit Club Activity. The Fall Fit Club Head Coach will send activities to participants, and kids will track their progress on a specially-designed Fall Fit Club activity log.
Fall Fit Club participants can earn a finisher t-shirt by completing all activities during at least five of the eight weeks of the club, and are encouraged to turn in their activity logs at the Marathon Jr. to proudly wear their shirt during the event. The race itself, which is celebrating its ninth running in 2021, provides a true race-day atmosphere and is the first real race experience for many of the participants.
Providing fun fitness activities like Marathon Jr. and Fall Fit Club are big parts of the overall mission of Kids Run RVA. The Sports Backers’ program aims to establish healthy habits early in life that are critical to the long-term physical, emotional, and social development of all children. Kids Run RVA works to provide all kids the chance to participate in daily physical activity, with an intentional focus on underserved communities that lack access to affordable fitness opportunities.
Keep Kids Moving
“Whether the kids have been running regularly with their run clubs or taking part virtually in the Fall Fit Club, we know they will be ready to go on Oct. 30,” said Quinlan. “Kids Run RVA strives to create fitness opportunities in all formats and to make fitness fun, and our fall programming leading up to Marathon Jr. is a great example of that.”
Kids Run RVA gives youth the chance to have fun while being physically active in their own communities. Thousands of kids take part in Kids Run RVA programming in the Richmond area throughout the school year.
The Fall Fit Club and Marathon Jr. are perfect ways to keep kids moving this fall. They provide fun for the whole family, especially since parents can run with kids age 8 and under in the Marathon, Jr.
Register now at Sportsbackers.org to make sure you’ve got a spot in RVA’s favorite youth fitness event.
