Youth Running Event @ UMD

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

Howie Hanson

The Young Athletes Foundation, Grandma’s Marathon and University of Minnesota Duluth Athletics invite children 14 and under to take part in a new, free running event scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015.

Saturday Morning at the Races, which will follow a similar theme and format to the popular Wednesday Night at the Races series held each summer throughout the Twin Ports, is set for 10 a.m. on the track inside the Ward Wells Field House on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus.

“We are excited about this chance to expand our kids’ running program to this time of year. The winter months can often prove difficult to find enough opportunities for our area youth to engage in physical activity, so we are eager to bring out the kids and their parents for this family event,” said Grandma’s Marathon executive director Jon Carlson. “The folks at UMD do a wonderful job with hosting our Wednesday Night at the Races event in the summertime, and we are looking forward to partnering with them again to help benefit our community’s youth.”

Children attending this free event will have an opportunity to meet UMD mascot “Champ”, Minnesota Vikings mascot “Viktor” as well as members of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders.

Registration is between 9:00 a.m. and 9:50 a.m., and the races begin at 10 a.m. The first 250 kids to register will receive an official Saturday Morning at the Races T-shirt, and all registered participants will receive post-race snacks courtesy of Old Dutch and Kemps and also will be eligible to win door prizes during a drawing which concludes the morning’s festivities.

Age categories and distances for boys and girls:

Wheelchair division – 1/8 mile
4 & under – 1/8 mile
5 & 6 – 1/8 mile
7 & 8 – 1/4 mile
9 & 10 – 1/4 mile
11 & 12 – 1/2 mile
13 & 14 – 1/2 mile

Saturday Morning at the Races is presented by Young Athletes Foundation, Grandma’s Marathon and University of Minnesota Duluth Athletics.