The Salt Lake City Marathon has created a unique program for school age children in Utah. The Kids Marathon and Fitness Program will put Utah’s kids on the road to a healthy lifestyle while working through the 26-unit course of activities related to fitness, nutrition, and good deeds. Our goal is to help provide a basis for a lifetime of fitness for our children -- not just a one-time activity. Activities will encourage healthy living activities through mentoring, goal setting, teamwork, reading, and participation in fitness-related activities.

The organizers of the Salt Lake City Marathon enthusiastically support physical education programs and organized activities in Utah that promote and maintain healthy lifestyles. Such programs are in great need, as evidenced by startling statistics from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that over three times as many children today are overweight as were in 1980. The three-month Kids Marathon program will put Utah's children on the path to forming health, wellness and nutrition habits that they will maintain for a lifetime.

 

 

Food Pyramid

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TenHabitsHealthyKids.pdf Download Ten Healthy Habits for Kids

KidFriendlyRecipes0206.pdf Kid Friendly Recipies

Each participating child must complete ONE Fitness Activity + ONE Nutrition Activity or Lesson + ONE Good Deed to equal ONE of the 26 course accomplishments.  The program features the following health-related activities:

1) Fitness 

Fitness examples: Run, jog, walk, tumble, jump rope, trampoline and reading about fitness realted topics

 

2) Nutrition:
Nutrition examples: Eating right, identifying foods, learning about vitamins & minerals

2) Good Deeds: 26 Units
Examples: Helpful chores and tasks around the home, in school, and in the community.

Kid’s Marathon (.62 mile walk/run)

For their participation in the 1K at the Gateway on Saturday, April 18, 2009, kids will receive a finisher's medal, a Kids Marathon shirt, refreshments and an envaluable sense of accomplishment. 

The program is designed to be an after-school activity complemented by the fitness-related lessons provided in schools and at home. Parents are asked to assist the child in selecting and promoting steps of accomplishment.

Each unit should last 15 - 30 minutes, and may constitute reading one book/chapter on nutrition, helping with a meal, or doing a good deed or activity. The premise of the program is to complete 26 steps in each of the three areas, similar to a marathon, which is 26.2 miles.

Upon completion of each step the participant will “check off” the step on his/her Progress Poster until 26 steps are complete. At two different stages along the Progress Poster, participants will receive a prize at a Kids Marathon warm-up event.

 

Also available to Kids Marathon participants is a series of monthly activities designed to encourage children in their fitness journey leading up to the Kids Marathon on Saturday, April 18, 2009.  Free of charge to Kids Marathon participants, the monthly activities will be listed below as information becomes available.  Registrations for the Kids Marathon will be accepted on-site at any Mile Marker event.

Mile Marker Events:

February 2009 details tba

March 2009 details tba

April 2009 details tba

 

Mile Marker events are not manditory for participation in the Saturday, April 18, 2009 Kids Marathon.  For more information or details on any of the miler marker events, please contact Kids Marathon Coordinator, Aimee Horman, at ahorman@devinesports.com, or call the SLC Marathon office at 801-456-2536.

 

 

To promote the setting and achievement of goals, to help fight childhood obesity by teaching good habits and fundamentals that are part of a healthy lifestyle, and to build the self-esteem of children by providing a basis for a lifetime of health and fitness.

 

To achieve this, the Kids Marathon will assist and support parents, teachers, instructors and others who influence a child’s behavior and activity, in order to help our youth make smart and healthy choices by providing positive experiences at a critical age.

 

 

Children ages 5-12 are encouraged to participate in the program.

 

Each participatant can register their school or after-school program on their entry form. Each school or organization will receive $2 for each paid participant entry form listing.

 

 

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2009

Time: 10:00am

Location:  South Temple and 400 West (East side of the Gateway in front of The Depot/Union Pacific Building)

 

Participants are encouraged to arrive 45 minutes to one hour before start time to allow for parking, stretching and lining up at the start.

 

 

$15 per child

Each participating child will receive an introduction letter, a Progress Poster, a book reading list (age specific), nutrition information, and a program outline to take home to their parents to assist them in the program.  Every registered child will also receive a Kids Marathon T-shirt, a finisher's medal and a goody bag filled with items from our sponsors!

 

 

 

 

Parents may register their child(ren) a number of different ways:

 

1.  Online

    

 

2.  Mile Marker Events

     2009 Dates and Locations TBA

     (for Mile Marker details, see 'Concept' section)

 

3.  Mail-in Registration

     Mail your 2009 Kids Marathon Entry Form with payment to:

     

     Salt Lake City Marathon

     136 East South Temple

     Suite 900

     SLC, UT  84111

 

4.  Quality of Life Expo

     April 16th and 17th, 2009

    

Race Bibs for all registered children may be picked up at the Quality of Life Expo.  The Quality of Life Expo will be held Thursday, April 16th and Friday, April 17th, 2009, location and times tba.

Registration closes at 6:00pm on Friday the 17th.

 

For questions regarding the 2009 Kids Marathon, please call 801-456-2536.

 

 

Upon completion of all 26 steps on the Progress Poster, kids are encouraged to participate in the Kids 1K (.62 mile) Run/Walk at the Gateway on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 10:00am in conjunction with the Salt Lake City Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K. One parent/guardian per registered child has the option to run, walk or jog with the child at no cost. Parents are also welcome to cheer at the finish line in the Parents Only section. Children will present their completed Progress Poster to receive a finisher's medal.

 

All children participating will receive an event shirt, a race bib, a finisher's medal and admission into the Finish Line Festival refreshment area of the Salt Lake City Marathon. There will not be an official finish time offered. The kid’s event focuses on participation rather than competition.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  While we are glad to provide a fun and healthy event for your child on Saturday morning, April 18, 2009, please help us to keep your children safe.  Please do not drop off/leave your child unattended at the Kids Marathon start area before the actual stretching/lining up time.  If you will be participating in a different event such as the Half Marathon, 5K, etc., please do not drop off your child unattended to the Kids Marathon start area before your event starts. 

Location

The Kids Marathon will start at the east side of the Gateway in front of the Union Building at the intersection of South Temple and 400 West.

 

Sponsors

Official Dairy

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