It's about the kids, and it benefits the kids. So, the Scheels Fargo Marathon organizers say, why not get them involved?
That's the aim this year for the second annual event, which benefits The Children's Museum at Yunker Farm and MeritCare Children's Hospital. Total entries for the marathon, half-marathon and 5-K runs should get a boost from kids up to 12 years of age.
And, like last year's spectacle that blew away participant predictions with almost 3,000 runners, the May 20 event is thinking big. Executive director Mark Knutson is shooting for the world's largest youth run.
The current record is believed to be held by a run in Seattle that drew 4,300 kids in 2004.
With the blessing of superintendents, the marathon mailed 15,000 fliers to area schools Tuesday. Another 15,000 are slated to go out in March and a final lot of 15,000 are scheduled for May.
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"There's always been that obligatory kiddie run afterward, which is great," Knutson said. "But in the spirit of the Fargo Marathon, whose proceeds go to youth activities, we thought they needed to be part of the festival."
Some kids will get a head start. Fitkidz, a program run by the American Medical Alliance in conjunction with the Fargo Public Schools, is starting a marathon training program for fourth-graders. The hope is to get kids to run, walk or jog 25.2 miles in physical education class in the next four months.
They'll do the last mile in the Scheels Fargo Marathon kiddie run to complete the 26.2-mile marathon distance.
"My hope is to get it out even farther to parochial parents and as many schools in West Fargo and Moorhead as we can," said Cathy Piatt, health promotion chair for the American Medical Alliance.
The marathon is changing its starting and finishing venue from the Fargo Civic Center to the Fargodome. And the kids will benefit.
Like the older runners, they'll finish inside the Fargodome. The video boards will show them at the finish.
"I've always wanted to do something for kids," Piatt said. "I got this position and I was trying to think of a project and this came to mind."
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546
