This morning I woke up early, but not for a long run. Nope. Today I went to watch other people run, specifically I went to the ING Kids Rock Los Angeles fun run.
It was at the Home Depot Center in Carson, which is near and dear to my heart so I happily made the drive north for the event.
ING Kids Rock Los Angeles is a one mile non-timed event where 1,500 kids come together for a fun run. The program is intended to help fight childhood obesity and participants have been running for the last 12 weeks or so this is the final mile of their marathon!
The website is Orange Laces so I had to put some on…
Since the focus is on moving more and eating healthy, Top Chef Antonia was there to make the kids kale smoothies.
They surrounded her, so that’s gotta be a good sign!
And they’re off!!!
The kids in the ING KiDS ROCK program become “marathon finishers” by completing 25.2 miles of a 26.2-mile marathon at their own pace in the 8-12 weeks before the event with guidance from parents or teachers using the Official ING Run For Something Better® Training Guide. The training program also includes tips to help the young athletes start and maintain an overall healthy and active lifestyle.
I stood at the finish line and each grade level winner got to break the tape!
And since this was their 26th mile they each got a medal.
Former NBA star A.C. Green and Rock N Roll Race Series superstar Dave were there too!
Seriously, Dave (who is also #INGClassof2012) has run 42 consecutive RnR races and is doing the RnR LA half tomorrow, RnR Savannah Saturday and then ING NY Marathon Sunday! My friends joke that we want to “run all the races”, but he really does!!!
Since they broke up the start times into grade levels the kids ran in pretty spread out which made it easy to make a really big deal for each of them!
That would be former Bachelor Dr. Andy Baldwin doling out ‘high fives’ at the finish line too…
After the event I went to the store and a few people stopped me and asked about the New York Marathon since I was wearing my #INGClassof2012 shirt. Follow that hashtag all this week for updates, tips and check-ins on the race!
Overall, the event was fun and inspiring. The kids ran with so much heart and it was great to see them so proud of this accomplishment. I am in full support of encouraging our youth to be active and healthy!!!
If you want more information or to find out how you can get the program at your local school check out www.orangelaces.com
Question: Did you run or play sports at a kid? Which ones??
I was in dance, but got cut from the volleyball team in 5th grade and ended up not very active for a long time. That, combined with my love of food made for a dangerous combination. I’m so glad I found running in college!
This is awesome! I love to see kids out there running their butts off! It’s so inspiring!
Andy Baldwin….. #sigh #myfavoritebachelor #gonavy
He is gorgeous 🙂
What a cool event, fun! I started my love for running in 4th grade. The two 4th teachers at our school were best friends and lovers of running and fitness so they took it upon themselves to get our classes more involved in fitness. We would have our own running period outside of PE and the few of us kids who really liked it they would take us to local 5K races on the weekends. When I ran my first marathon at 32 I contacted her and let her know what an inspiration she was to get me running so long ago.
I’m a K teacher and helping our students complete the same program! 🙂 As a kid I was a cheerleader, b-ball player, ran track and xc. I ran college xc. Running is my love.
I played t-ball … And then nothing until track and cross country in high school…not that I was lazy, I just wasn’t into team sports…hope that doesn’t rub off on my son!
How awesome is that event and I love the medal. That is definitely something I could get D in to. I’ll have to look for similar events in our area!
Our local half marathon does the kids marathon that way, also. My son (7 yrs) is going to run his first race- a 1 mile fun run- on Saturday! And we also started a C25K program today bc he wants to run a 5k with me. 🙂
I did all the sports growing up. Soccer, basketball as an elementary schooler. Softball through 8th grade. And then settled into volleyball/basketball/track in HS.
As a kid I played softball. When I started jr high I played volleyball, basketball and ran track. I did the same in high school. I wish I could have played college volleyball. Not too may openings for 5ft players.. Mexicana chapara- boo! Lol
What a fantastic event! I didn’t know stuff like this was held for kids! Medals and the finish line looked legit! I bet the kids felt awesome crossing the line and receiving their medals!
Thanks for posting this and giving your time! You are pretty amazing girl!
I totally want to organize something like this for my students! They would love this!
This is awesome! I played almost every sport imaginable as a kid, but I never imagined that I’d be a runner until I trained for my first half last summer. Now I’m obsessed! I coach a 1st grade soccer team at a local elementary school and the girls are always asking me about running. My girls would love this! Thanks for sharing!
This is great! I played softball in middle and high school but it wasn’t until I started running in high school that I became healthy. Today I’m a teacher and I bring up my healthy lifestyle with my students and occasionally run home from school because I think it’s important that they see active adults in their lives.
So cool. They do something like that before the local marathon here.
The kids all join school track clubs and run 25.2 leading up to the race. Then the night before the marathon they finish the last one. The one year I was teaching, and not in grad school after work, I went and ran with some of my students every week after school to help them build up that 25.2. It was such a cool way to bond with them and the kid loved it.
So awesome that you went out and spread the run love to the little ones.
Love watching kids’ run; our local group will be organizing one at the zoo at the end of the year (http://www.themarathonshop.com.my/events/pacemakers-wild-wild-run-2012/).
What a cool race! Love how motivating it can be for the kids.
I played softball and basketball.
What a COOL race! I played soccer until 6th or 7th grade and then I got into musical theater and had to quit. I wish I would have continued with soccer though.
That looked like so much fun. I bet those kids were excited.
Played tennis all the way through high school. Both for a club and for my school.
The Kidless Kronicles
UGH…my love of food (swwweeets!!) have wrecked havoc on my body THIS week. Ever since going home to close the cabin last weekend where sweets and treats were flowing over at grandma’s house….and dare I say no to Grandma? I don’t think so!!
I need to detox my cravings!! or something like that??
I played basketball from about 4th grade on and was a swimmer, too.
so cool! My 8 year old daughter just did her kids marathon last weekend. She did the final 1.2 miles to make it to 26.2 for The Grand Rapids Kids Marathon. I trained with her for about 2 months for 25 miles. Fun stuff! Your medals were way cooler though… 😉
I was an active kid, but never in organized sports/teams until 6th grade track. I did that up until college. Luckily, I fell in love with group exercise and have been a certified instructor since I was 18. I still run a lot too. 🙂
I remember being one of those kids that tried everything! I did cross country, soccer, baseball, gymnastics, dancing, figure skating…definitely a range of activities there.
wow! My heart was melting! I think this is such a terrific idea. Nothing makes me smile more than to see little kids being kids and happy. So cute.
Glad you posted about this!
Cut from the team in 5th grade? That seems too young to be cutting kids. I swam, but didn’t enjoy being on a team. I didn’t start being active until I was in my mid 20s. I’m always one of the slowest in races, but I’m still proud of my 12 minute mile. Some one has to bring up the rear!
My son (who is 5) finished his first kids marathon this summer, same idea, where they run the last 1.2 as a fun run, and 25 over the summer.
this post made me smile 🙂 the photos of the kids crossing the finish line are adorable. i wish i could have been involved in something like this when i was in elementary school!
wow, dave has an insane race schedule. i’m running the RnR half tomorrow, too! 😀
That looks like so much fun! I love watching kids run, and love to see their sense of accomplishment after.
I played soccer and baseball when I was younger. Once I found running in grade 8, the rest was history!
My kids did the San Diego ING kids rock last year and the MCM fun run today. The kids runs attached to big marathons are awesome since they go all out with the pomp just like the adult races. It’s great to see the effort of the race directors matching that of the kids.
Love this! My elementary school had a “mile run club”. We had to run a certain amount of 1 milers during PE to get a pizza party. Yep, I was running in grade school!