Fun run encourages kids to get back on track

The 2021 Milo Kids Fun Run takes place on Sunday, 5 December as part of the Walkers Cayman Islands Marathon and organisers are hoping kids will experience some semblance of normality in these strange times by participating in the event.

One of the largest primary school running events on island, the 14-year-old fun run is also sponsored by the Ministry of Youth & Sports and is free for both public and private school students between the ages of five and 11 years old. The 2020 race brought out a little over 250 kids.

This year there is a new route for the event which will allow the kids to finish at the new start/finish line for the adult race. The kids will start at Government Administration Building as usual but will turn left onto Shedden Road and run by RBC and KFC before turning left onto Harbour Drive and completing their run past the Hard Rock Café where the new start/finish line for the full marathon, half marathon and team relay will be located. The event had to shift its location slightly to accommodate construction that will begin on Cardinal Avenue as part of the George Town Revitalisation Project.

Organisers say that the Kids Fun Run will be just as safe as always and they are hoping kids will enjoy the chance to participate in a year where so much has been cancelled for them, and their lives have been interrupted by isolation, positive Covid-19 cases and lateral flow tests. As usual, the kids will cross the main event’s finish line just like mum and dad, end their half-miler, and then receive their medals and enjoy snacks courtesy of Milo.

Rhonda Kelly, Co-Race Director, said: “Parents and kids can feel confident that they will be safe at the Kids Fun Run as always. There is still space for us to accommodate more participants and be well within the limits set by Public Health relating to gatherings. As usual we stagger our starts slightly for the benefit of the younger runners which will allow for social distancing.”

Ms Kelly continued: “As the name implies, this event is always a fun one for both the kids and the adults. We look forward every year to seeing a sea of green t-shirts crossing the finish line, and this year we think it will be even more meaningful after a very challenging 21 months for our youngest participants.”

The Kids Fun Run was introduced in 2007 to inspire kids to begin thinking about health and fitness choices from an early stage. Participants cross the same line finish line as the adults after an approximate 0.7-mile run. The Kids Marathon log encourages children to keep a record of their activity leading up to the Kids Fun Run, completing a full marathon (26.2 miles) at the end of the run in December. The first 25.5 miles of the marathon can be done by running, walking, swimming and playing sports. Kids can have their parents, P.E. teachers or another adult sign their log verifying that they have completed each mile.

Students and parents can register online at CaymanIslandsMarathon.com. Registration includes a runner’s bib, t-shirt and a Milo bag. The run begins at 10:15 a.m. at the front of the Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue.