Spokane, WA—Parents are urged to sign up their children soon for the 4th annual Marmot March kids run, which will be held Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. Space is filling up fast for the Marmot March, which is organized by the Lilac Bloomsday Association and sponsored by Franz Family Bakeries. Children second grade and younger can walk, jog or run this non-competitive 1.2 mile course that weaves in and out of downtown Spokane’s Riverfront Park.
The first Marmot March was run in 2006 and was created to give kids the chance to participate in the “Bloomsday weekend experience.” 70 kids gathered at the Clock Tower and participated in the inaugural race. Like Bloomsday, Marmot March has experienced an explosion in participation.
“We are thrilled the Spokane community has embraced this event,” explained Marmot March race coordinator Michelle Neill. “From 2006 to 2007, our number of participants quadrupled. We pride ourselves in creating a race experience that kids will remember for a lifetime and will hopefully lead to lifelong fitness.”
Along the race route, the kids are greeted with the cheers of area mascots and cheerleading teams. At the finish line, kids can enjoy snacks from Franz Bakeries, refreshments, face painting, music, and photo opportunities with their favorite high school and collegiate mascots. Each child is required to be accompanied by an adult, so there is fun to be had for kids and parents alike.
Marmot March is one more way Bloomsday has encouraged fitness and exercise in our community’s youth. Neill says that “the kids are out there having a blast, getting exercise and building their self esteem. We like to maintain the non-competitive philosophy where every participant who crosses the finish line receives a finishers blue ribbon.”
Families can sign up for the Marmot March by visiting the Bloomsday website at www.bloomsdayrun.org and printing the entry form. The entry fee is $10 and includes a T-shirt and paint set. Kids are encouraged to paint their T-shirt in advance of the race and then wear it during the Marmot March. Shirts are required for entry into the race. Space is limited to the first 300 entries.
For those interested in “The Big Bloomsday,” sign-up for the 33rd annual Lilac Bloomsday Run is available online at www.bloomsdayrun.org.
# # #