Wow!!  I am so impressed with the Fargo Marathon Youth Run that was put on tonight for kids interested in participating in the 1/2 mile or 1 mile run.  Children 12 and under were able to run the race of their choice and my 8 year old chose to run the mile.   Being as this was the first time that we had participated in this event, I wasn’t sure how it would all work.  Well, let me tell you….I was impressed to say the least!  We started off by lining up inside of the Bison fieldhouse, where they had each race divided in to lines, according to the age that they were running with.  Things were clearly marked and while there were a LOT of people inside there, it was very organized!  They moved each group outside, prior to their race time ,and the nice thing was that they waited for each group to finish before the next one started.  Being as these were smaller races, as far as mileage is concerned, it didn’t take long before the kids who had just taken off at the starting line, were crossing the finish line.

The thing that impressed me the most was that you could have thought that we were taking part in the “real” marathon.  There was a huge banner that hung in the air to mark the start and finish line, complete with a motorcycle honking the horn, as he started each race.  Then there was the overhead speaker system with a very enthusiastic gentleman cheering on the kids as they neared the finish line; he was encouraging them and telling them what a great job they were doing!  There were people lined up and down the route that the kids ran.  The excitement filled the air as these young kids, some who looked as young as 4 years old, ran this race.

If your kids haven’t taken part in this before, I’d highly recommend that they get involved next year.  There’s a small fee but they receive a tshirt and a finishers medal at the end!  You won’t believe how excited these kids are to get out and run this course.  There were so many smiles on their faces at the end and so many proud parents walking around congratulating the kids!  What a great way to encourage physical fitness and community involvement, along with FUN at the same time!

Kudos to Mark Knutson, race director, who has created this wonderful opportunity for people of all ages.  These marathon events are a huge event for the Fargo Moorhead area!

Check out this calendar for other events happening in the Fargo Moorhead area!