Urgent Update!!! Entrance to Final Mile is now 1/4 Mile West

Please Check the I Run Kids Marathon Facebook Page for Updates

2013 I Run Kids Marathon Entrant List

Here is the list of entrants for the 2013 I Run Kids Marathon (as of 7/9/13).  This should be about the final list.  There may be one or 2 more that come in the mail but all schools have submitted thier entries.  Please email us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com if you do not see yoru name but feel you did enter.
Gracie Niebler St. Paul's Lake Mills
Joshua Kutz St. Paul's Lake Mills
Claire Davisson St. Paul's Lake Mills
Noah Davisson St. Paul's Lake Mills
Ashely Grundman St. Paul's Lake Mills
Kayla Grundman St. Paul's Lake Mills
Amber Wardall St. Paul's Lake Mills
Kyle Wardall St. Paul's Lake Mills
Gil Haw St. Paul's Lake Mills
Cameron Milner St. Paul's Lake Mills
Payton Milner St. Paul's Lake Mills
Zoey Dremler St. Paul's Lake Mills
Trinity Wurz St. Paul's Lake Mills
Joy Wurz St. Paul's Lake Mills
Ben Krauklis St. Paul's Lake Mills
Luke Krauklis St. Paul's Lake Mills
Natalie Grulke St. Paul's Lake Mills
Abigail Walter Star of Bethlehem
Bella Backus Star of Bethlehem
Chloe Curtis Star of Bethlehem
Sarah Laufer Star of Bethlehem
Christian Lohr Star of Bethlehem
Annika Laufer Star of Bethlehem
Abigail Schmidtke Star of Bethlehem
Jackson Laufer Star of Bethlehem
Emily Lohr Star of Bethlehem
Carson Reik Morning Star Lutheran
Justin Kurth Morning Star Lutheran
Caleb Kurth Morning Star Lutheran
Senate Schmidt Morning Star Lutheran
Ashley Herbst Morning Star Lutheran
Hunter Herbst Morning Star Lutheran
Elise Pankow Morning Star Lutheran
Logan Smith Morning Star Lutheran
Jordyn Smith Morning Star Lutheran
Ethan Heder Morning Star Lutheran
Collin Draeger Morning Star Lutheran
Ethan Draeger Morning Star Lutheran
Logan Draeger Morning Star Lutheran
Jacob Niemann Morning Star Lutheran
Grace Miller Christ the Lord Brookfield
Memphis Miller Christ the Lord Brookfield
Jasper De La Cruz Christ the Lord Brookfield
Jeremy De La Cruz Christ the Lord Brookfield
Matthew Munson Christ the Lord Brookfield
Jeeah Larsen Christ the Lord Brookfield
Keon Larsen Christ the Lord Brookfield
Kyle Johnson Christ the Lord Brookfield
Sydney Johnson Christ the Lord Brookfield
Tyler Johnson Christ the Lord Brookfield
Emily Johnson Christ the Lord Brookfield
Isabelle Hatzung Christ the Lord Brookfield
Natalie Hatzung Christ the Lord Brookfield
Ameillia Wedward Loving Shepherd
Annaliese Wedward Loving Shepherd
Kylie Schmid Loving Shepherd
Kaitlyn Rhyner Loving Shepherd
Allyson Rhyner Loving Shepherd
Hailey Rhyner Loving Shepherd
Halie Markovic Pilgrim Menomonee Falls
Lillia Thoms Pilgrim Menomonee Falls
Doug Reinhardt Pilgrim Menomonee Falls
Nate Netzel Pilgrim Menomonee Falls
Jack Netzel Pilgrim Menomonee Falls
Anna Raasch Pilgrim Menomonee Falls
Corbin Schaffer Home schooled
Willamina Schaffer Home schooled
Caden Schaffer Home schooled
Austin Fortuna Rossman Elementary
Luke Rodgers Star of Bethlehem
Noel Meinel Home schooled
Grace Meinel Home schooled
Isaac Ihde Zion Columbus
Hannah Ihde Zion Columbus
Lucas Nygaard St. Paul's Cudahy
Sydney List St. Paul's Cudahy
Jack List St. Paul's Cudahy
Connor O'Donnell St. Paul's Cudahy
Kyleigh O'Donnell St. Paul's Cudahy
Ivan Church St. Paul's Cudahy
Sophia Conner Star of Bethlehem
Benjamin Garbedian Trinity
Connor Evert Trinity
Seth Bushner Trinity
Lillian Morris Trinity
Brianne Morris Trinity
Justin Morris Trinity
Elizabeth Tollefson Trinity
Annabelle Festerling Trinity
Lydia Festerling Trinity
Gabrielle Watkins Christ Lutheran
Mia Watkins Christ Lutheran
Ethan Enslen Christ Lutheran
Emma Pufahl Christ Lutheran
Ryan Pufahl Christ Lutheran
Kaylee Pufahl Christ Lutheran
Nathan Sievert Christ Lutheran
Alex Enslen Christ Lutheran
Ally Watkins Christ Lutheran
Jenna Arnold SJB Jefferson
Hayden Niebler St. Paul's Lake Mills
Emily Aleckson St. Paul's East Troy
Benjamin Aleckson St. Paul's East Troy
Julia Aleckson St. Paul's East Troy
Lilly Aleckson St. Paul's East Troy
Joshua Ohland Christ the Lord
Allison Ohland Christ the Lord
Julia Treichel St. John's Wauwatosa
Jake Leyrer St. John's Wauwatosa
Hannah Leyrer St. John's Wauwatosa
Ryan Leyrer St. John's Wauwatosa
Emily Leyrer St. John's Wauwatosa
Eli Gauger St. John's Wauwatosa
Sydney Biebert St. John's Wauwatosa
Micah Buske St. John's Wauwatosa
Zoe Buske St. John's Wauwatosa
Ava Collyard St. John's Wauwatosa
Megan Dvorachek St. John's Wauwatosa
Elizabeth Farley St. John's Wauwatosa
Lilly Gantner St. John's Wauwatosa
Rhiannon Gantner St. John's Wauwatosa
Aidan Gmach St. John's Wauwatosa
John Handeland St. John's Wauwatosa
Ben Langebartels St. John's Wauwatosa
Elizabeth Langebartels St. John's Wauwatosa
Johnny Moll St. John's Wauwatosa
Anna Ogenenoff St. John's Wauwatosa
Ethan Rindfleisch St. John's Wauwatosa
Grace Rindfleisch St. John's Wauwatosa
Jonah Rindfleisch St. John's Wauwatosa
Logan Rindfleisch St. John's Wauwatosa
Riley Rindfleisch St. John's Wauwatosa
Emma Kammholz St. John's Wauwatosa
Karsten Kammholz St. John's Wauwatosa
Clara Kammholz St. John's Wauwatosa
Ashley Rouse St. John's Wauwatosa
Tia Bellis St. John's Wauwatosa
Zoe Bellis St. John's Wauwatosa
Clayton Spaltholz St. John's Wauwatosa
Ty Spaltholz St. John's Wauwatosa
Allie Spaltholz St. John's Wauwatosa
Christopher Hoffman St. John's Wauwatosa
Peyton Leanna St. John's Wauwatosa
Jordyn Benn St. John's Wauwatosa
Abby Benn St. John's Wauwatosa
Ella Pringle
Ryan Pringle
Sydney Pringle
Olivia Haack St. Paul's Fond du Lac
Christian Haack St. Paul's Fond du Lac
Noah Weidner Zion South Milwaukee
Gabe Weidner Zion South Milwaukee
Faith Retzlaff Zion South Milwaukee
Grace Retzlaff Zion South Milwaukee
Lizzie Silvis Bethlehem Lutheran
Riley Hstettler Bethlehem Lutheran
Calaen Martin Bethlehem Lutheran
Ashlyn Kionka Bethlehem Lutheran
Michael Kuehl Bethlehem Lutheran
Taylor Ignatowski Bethlehem Lutheran
Bryna Mitchell Bethlehem Lutheran
Ella Mitchell Bethlehem Lutheran
Adeline Wendt Bethlehem Lutheran
Bowen Wendt Bethlehem Lutheran
Aiden Gelhaar Bethlehem Lutheran
Arabella Gelhaar Bethlehem Lutheran
Brandon Kabelowsky Bethlehem Lutheran
Keegan Kabelowsky Bethlehem Lutheran
Nathan Guevin Bethlehem Lutheran
Elena Grahl Bethlehem Lutheran
Alivia Grahl Bethlehem Lutheran
Miranda Noon Bethlehem Lutheran
Whitney Bleick Bethlehem Lutheran
Aiden Martin Bethlehem Lutheran
Lindsey Hatton Bethlehem Lutheran
Joshua Kelm Bethlehem Lutheran
Benjamin Kelm Bethlehem Lutheran
Lydia Kelm Bethlehem Lutheran
Reegan Siegel Bethlehem Lutheran
Payton Rechlicz Bethlehem Lutheran
Megan Himm Bethlehem Lutheran
Nathan Himm Bethlehem Lutheran
Stephanie Affeldt Bethlehem Lutheran
Melissa Schneider St. Paul's Muskego
Megan Schneider St. Paul's Muskego
Katelynn Schneider St. Paul's Muskego
Stacey Bluhm St. Paul's Muskego
Brandon Mars St. Paul's Muskego
Molly Mars St. Paul's Muskego
Kierstin Schlevensky St. Paul's Muskego
Sydney Edwards Bethany Lutheran Kenosha

Ashlynne Edwards Bethany Lutheran Kenosha
William Strelow Bethany Lutheran Kenosha
Jacob Larsen Bethany Lutheran Kenosha
Katie Larsen Bethany Lutheran Kenosha
Jake Blair St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Leah Blair St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Reyna Rupnow St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Nina Olson St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Anders Olson St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Jonah Brandenstein St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Hannah Brandenstein St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Elaina Bagdassian St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Mateya Kadue St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Dylan Kadue St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Daniel Cleary St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Lauren Cleary St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Evelyn Terry St. Matthew's Oconomowoc
Andy Poehlman St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Abby Poehlman St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Neva Bergemann St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Will Then St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Cora Brooks St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Olivia Imberger St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Japheth Yahnke St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Ellie Yahnke St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Alyse Cederholm St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Mia Cederholm St. John's Lutheran, Lannon
Emma Baacke Mt. Calvary
Lauren Baacke Mt. Calvary
Ben Brown Mt. Calvary
Faith Brown Mt. Calvary
Emily Scherf Mt. Calvary
Paul Frick Mt. Calvary
Hannah Frick Mt. Calvary
Benjamin Frick Mt. Calvary
Grace Becker St. Jacobi
Jessica Berlin St. Jacobi
McKenna Friske St. Jacobi
Camryn Friske St. Jacobi
Nathaniel Frisque St. Jacobi
Sofia Jorgensen St. Jacobi
Valeria Kane St. Jacobi
Kyle Kane St. Jacobi
Laney Kaurala St. Jacobi
Jordan Kaurala St. Jacobi
Isabella Tortorice St. Jacobi
Alexis Waack St. Jacobi
Joshua Wanty St. Jacobi
Nicholas Wanty St. Jacobi

Let the Summer Begin

Today was the last day of school for some of the schools participating so you can now begin logging your miles and reading. Logs can be printed from the link on the side of this website under Event Links.  Unfortunately, I have been unable to put the new 2013 Reading/Running Log online as of yet. Please print last year's Log and when I get the new log on line, you can print the new Log and transfer all your miles and books to that one.


Good Luck and have fun running and reading!!!

Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions


What is the I Run Kids Marathon Program?

The I Run Kids Marathon Program is a summer running and reading program where kids in grades 1 to 8 will run 26.2 miles and reading 26 books or reading for 26 hours over the summer. At the final event, all kids will gather and run the final mile of our marathon together finishing at the same finish line.

Who can enter the I Run Kids Marathon?

All children from grades 1 through 8 are encouraged to enter. Children younger that 1st grade can participate, but parental caution is advised. Please invite a friend to join you!

My friend heard about the program and wants to sign up. Can he or she still sign up?

Sign up deadline is the end of the 2012/2013 school year but special requests will be considered. Please email the race director at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com if you wish to enter after the school year is out. We will do what we can to get everyone entered.

What is the cost of the Program?

The entry cost is $14 per child thanks to generous gifts from our many sponsors.

What do I get?

All entrants should print out an I Run Kids Marathon Running & Reading Log. At the FINAL MILE, all participants will receive a goody bag and Tshirt. Upon finishing the final mile of the marathon, each participant will receive a Finishers Medal. There will also be a lot of door prizes to give away.

How will we receive our T-shirts?

T-shirts will be given to all participants at the final event on Saturday, August 24th.

When will I receive my other prizes?

You will be awarded your finishers medal at the finish line on August 24 at WLC at our FINAL MILE Celebration. You will also receive a small goody bag at that time.

How do I receive my prizes and goody bag if I can’t make it to the Final Mile Celebration?

Please let us or your School Representative know if can’t make the FINAL MILE Event. We will arrange to get your medal and goody bag to you. Delivery costs will be covered to the schools that participate with a representative. If you don’t have school representative, there will be a small mailing charge (approx. $5), please email us. (kidsmarathon@yahoo.com)

Do I need to be present at the FINAL MILE event on August 24th in order to win the special door prizes that are being given away?

Yes you do. We have a limited number of special prizes that were generously donated by our sponsors and you must be present to win.

How do I log my miles and books?

You will log your running and reading on the I Run Kids Marathon Log that will be available to print off here on the website. You can run in intervals as small as 1/4 mile at a time. Reading can be logged by the book or by the 1/4 hour of reading (or combination of reading).

Do I have to run the required miles or can I walk?

Either one is just fine, you can either walk or run. We encourage you to run but it’s up to you.

Who can I run with?

You can run with your friends, family, or by yourself. Try to get your parents to run with you so they can share the benefits of exercise as well.

When is the FINAL MILE & celebration?

The final mile will be run on Saturday, August 24th with the event starting at 9:00AM and concluding around 12:00PM. Please show up early as the mile run is not the only activity going on. The race will begin near 10:00AM with the give aways after the final runners finish.

Where is the final event located?

The final event will be held at Wisconsin Lutheran College's Raabe Stadium. The address is 10200 W. Watertown Plank Rd. and along Underwood Parkway about 1/4 mile west of Hwy 45 at the Watertown Plank Rd. exit.

If is it raining will the FINAL MILE Event be held?

Yes, rain or shine the event will go on.

Are you still looking for parent volunteers to help during the Final Mile Event on August 24th?

Yes we are! We need lots of parent volunteers to help make this a successful event. We need course marshals, helpers to hand out goody bags, food/drink preparation and distribution, and a clean-up crew. Please email us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com if you can help. Thank you!

I have a different question, who do I contact?

You can contact your I Run Kids Marathon school representative or email us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com

2013 I Run Kids Marathon

Recruiting school for the 2013 I Run Kids Marathon is underway.  This years Kids Marathon promises to be the best one yet.  Very soon we will have the 2013 entry form available by either email or via link on this website.  The 2013 Reading/Running Log will be available soon as well.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to email us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com

If you are a new school interested in joining, please see our New School Participation Information link for tons of information you may want to know.  As always, there is no cost for a school to enter, only a small entry fee per kid to cover our costs and a donation to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

We would love to have you join us this summer for a great season of running and reading.  Healthy Minds and Healthy Bodies is what we are all about.

Please email us with your school and representatives name and we will help you get your school all entered.

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
I Run Kids Marathon Director
kidsmarathon@yahoo.com

Icebreaker Indoor Marathon & Half Marathon

Congratulations to all the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon & Half Marathon finishers.  Whether this is your first marathon/half, or your 100th, you did it!  You did something most people in America will never do.   It doesn't matter if you did the Half Marathon, the Full Marathon, the Marathon Relay, the 5K, or even the Gold Medal Challenge (you are truly crazy, I know, I did it a few years ago), you were out there improving your health and by telling all your friends and family, you are a visible example of a healthy lifestyle.

The I Run Kids Marathon is a program intended to help kids learn how to live a healthy lifestyle while also teaching kids that summer is not a time to stop learning and that having a healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body.

Kids, grades K through 8, who join the I Run Kids Marathon will run (or walk) at total of 26.2 miles as well as either read 26 books or read for 26 hours over the summer.  The program begins the first day of summer vacation and ends with the Final Mile celebration in late August.  Kids can run or walk in intervals as short as 1/4 mile while they track their miles on a specially designed runner/reading log that will be linked and printable from this website.  Last years reading log can be seen [HERE] or by clicking on the link on the upper right of this website.  Kids can also read full books or in intervals as small as 15 minutes at a time.

At the Final Mile celebration, all the kids will gather at Wisconsin Lutheran College's Raabe Stadium to run their final mile of their marathon together.  Kids will receive an I Run Kids Marathon shirt as well as an I Run Kids Marathon finishers medal once they cross the finish line.  There will be music and fun for the kids before the race and refreshments, healthy snacks, and prizes after the race.  Can't make the Final Mile?  No problem, unlike an adult marathon, kids do not need to show up at the Final Mile to receive their shirts and medal.  "You did the work, you earned your medal" is the philosophy.  Runner packets will be delivered to the schools of the kids participating through their school.

While kids are welcome to sign up by themselves, we encourage schools to get involved.  In past years, we had as many as 30 different school participating and making the I Run Kids Marathon a full school event.  There is no fee for a school to participate.  For more information on how to have a school participate, please see [HERE].

For more information about the I Run Kids Marathon, please see other posts on this website or feel free to email me at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com. 

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
I Run Kids Marathon Director

I Run Kids Marathon Update #3

Can you believe it? We are only a couple days away from the Final Mile of the 4th annual I Run Kids Marathon. Where did the summer go? I think it melted away it was so hot. If you have a few last minute miles to get in, now is the time. Need to get in that last book of the summer, time is now!

We have been so busy the last couple weeks getting everything prepared for the Final Mile which takes place this Saturday evening starting at 6:00PM at Wisconsin Lutheran College’s Raabe Stadium. The shirts have arrived and are now nicely rolled for ease of distribution. I picked up the Finishers Medals today, they look great! We have the Chocolate and White Milk on order from Kwik Trip as well as the bananas. I do not know about the cookies yet, but no worries, if they don’t come, I will buy some. Pure water will be available from Century Springs again this year too.

And lots of prizes to give away after the mile again this year. The Green Bay Packers donated some cool stuff. Gift Certificates for Nike, Performance Running Outfitters, and Athletes Foot in New Berlin. Athletes Foot even donated some backpacks too! The Pettit National Ice Center donated some Skating/Running Passes and Sherwood Pictures donated 3 DVD’s of the movie “Facing the Giants”, one of my favorite movies I might add. We also have water bottles and some books to give away too. I hope we are not there all night giving stuff away. And the bananas are back!!!

Timeline

Please make sure you plan to arrive by 6:30PM as there may be a line at Packet Pickup. I know there was a bad situation last year on this but we feel we have solved this issue (in other words, I longer have anything to do with it). Here is a rough timeline of the events at the Final Mile. These times are only approximate.

6:00PM - Packet Pickup Starts
6:00PM until the end – Music plays
6:40PM – Warm up with leader Laurie Staerkel from Innovative Health and Fitness in Franklin
6:55PM – National Anthem
7:00PM – Race #1 begins for kids grades 4 and under
7:15PM – Race #2 begins for kids grades 5 and up
7:30PM – Charity Mile for Family and Friends, all proceeds go directly to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
7:50PM – Awards and Prizes

Directions

Directions to the Final Mile can be found on the website. Please review as it is a little tricky finding the stadium. Please enter off of Watertown Plank Rd. Look for signs at the entrance.

Adults and Older Teens Mile (The Charity Mile)

New this year, we will be having a 1 mile fun run/walk for older teens and adults. Kids, get your parents, grandparents, neighbors, anyone who has encourages and given you support during you marathon to run their own 1 mile race. If you can do and entire 26.2 miles, they can do 1 mile, right? We will have this 1 mile fun run/walk immediately after the last kids final mile. It will be $10 to enter with 100% of the proceeds going directly to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. While there will be no shirt for the adults (unless they are a volunteer), there will be medals awarded to the top 3 male and female finishers. Everyone will get the satisfaction of giving the kids who need help.

Volunteers

I would like to thank all of you that have volunteered already. We can’t put this event on without the help of so many kind people giving their time and talents. Be sure to thank those at the Final Mile in the Bright Green Volunteer Shirts.

I do still need a couple more volunteers and have a great shirt for you if you do. My photographer suddenly got celled away yesterday and will not be able to attend. If you are an amateur (or professional) photographer and would like to take a ton of pictures, we would love to have you. Please email me if you are interested. I do have a “rabbit” to lead the runners out but still need a “turtle” to make sure everyone safely finishes. Please let me know if you are able to do this, you can ride your bike if you choose.

When the Final Mile is over, please take a minute to clean up any trash you see. Wisconsin Lutheran College has been very generous in donating the use of their facility, let’s leave it cleaner than when we arrived.

Sponsors

I would like to thank all of our sponsors who help make this event possible by donating cash, prizes, talents, or use of equipment. Please support these companies whenever possible:

Wisconsin Lutheran College
Sky High Marketing
Mike Evans Design
Kwik Trip Stores
Performance Running Outfitters
Spiegelberg Financial Services
The Athlete’s Foot New Berlin
La Campagne Bakery
Nike
Chris Ponteri at Long Run Athletics
Sherwood Pictures
Green Bay Packers

Thank You

I would like to thank all of you for joining the 2012 I Run Kids Marathon. It is truly a rewarding feeling I get to see all the kids achieve their goals of completing a full marathon over the summer. I certainly hope everyone has the same feelings I have not only at the Final Mile, but throughout the summer program. You will see me, as with every year, at the finish line giving high fives to all the kids as the finish their marathon. Come say hi to me and introduce yourself. And as always, I encourage you to give me your feedback on the program. We know it is not a perfect program, but we are all donating tons of our time to make it the best that we can. Suggestions are welcome.

Bill Schneider
I Run Kids Marathon Director

2012 I Run Kids Marathon Update #2

Are you watching the Olympics? I sure am! I love the Olympics and watch tons of sports I don’t watch but once in 4 years. One of the greatest events in the Olympics is the Marathon. The Olympics originated in Greece and so did the marathon. The Women’s Olympic marathon will take place this coming Sunday and running for the United States will be Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher, and Desiree Davila (maybe pulling out). All 3 are outstanding marathon runners and each has a chance for a medal. If you care to watch the race Live, it will be broadcast Sunday at 5:00AM

The Men’s Olympic Marathon will be run next Sunday and broadcast at the same time. Running for the United States will be Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi, and Abdi Abdirahman. Meb was the Silver Medalist from 8 years ago in Athens. Should be a great race to watch.

And all you kids marathoners can be proud to know you are running the EXACT same distance, 26.2 miles! You should be proud of your accomplishment and I hope to see big smiles on you as you cross the finish line on the 25th. They don’t have to read like you guys are, but I can bet they do a lot of reading anyways.

Prizes

We are still looking for more prizes to give away to the kids after the final mile. If you or your company would like to donate some prizes, please contact me at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com. We will make sure you are recognized for your generosity. Kids, make sure you attend the final mile. You must attend to be eligible for a door prize. We have already received gifts from Nike, The Pettit Center, as well as the Green Bay Packers.

Adults and Older Teens Mile

New this year, we will be having a 1 mile fun run/walk for older teens and adults. Kids, get your parents, grandparents, neighbors, anyone who has encourages and given you support during you marathon to run their own 1 mile race. If you can do and entire 26.2 miles, they can do 1 mile, right? We will have this 1 mile fun run/walk immediately after the last kids final mile. It will be $10 to enter with 100% of the proceeds going directly to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. While there will be no shirt for the adults (unless they are a volunteer), there will be medals awarded to the top 3 male and female finishers. Everyone will get the satisfaction of giving the kids who need help.

Sponsors

We are so thankful for all the sponsors who make this event possible. Please support these sponsors like they support us. On the website, you can see all our sponsors logos and links to their websites. Thank you to Wisconsin Lutheran College, SkyHigh Marketing, Mike Evens Design, Kwik Trip, Performance Running Outfitters, Spiegelberg Financial Services, DuPont Cheese in Marion, WI, The Athlete’s Foot in New Berlin, Nike, The Pettit Center, and La Campagne Bakery.

Directions

Directions to the Final Mile can be found on the I Run Kids Marathon website. Please follow this link to see directions to the Final Mile.

Volunteers

We will need volunteers for the Final Mile as well. If you are interested in volunteering at the Final Mile, please email us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com. We need help with course safety, set up, food preparation, and clean up. All volunteers will receive an I Run Kids Marathon shirt for their help and still be able to still see their kids run as well as have time to run the Adults and Older Teens Mile.

Thank you

Thank you for your participation in the 2012 I Run Kids Marathon. If you have any questions, please refer to the I Run Kids Marathon website or email us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com. Go out and run a mile!

2012 I Run Kids Marathon Update #1

Wow, can you believe it? We are a little over 1 month away from the Final Mile of the 2012 I Run Kids Marathon. By receiving this email, you can be assured that you are signed up. I hope you are all logging lots of miles and reading tons of books this summer. It is so important to get off the couch and off the video games during the summer and go out and play. Go out and exercise. Go out and have some fun! It is equally important to keep your mind sharp by reading books over the summer. Research shows that kids who read over the summer do remarkably better in school than kids who do not.

The Final Mile will take place on Saturday, August 25th starting at 6:00PM at Raabe Stadium at the Wisconsin Lutheran College’s athletic fields. Packet pick up be at 6:00 with the races beginning at 7:00.

New this year, we will be having a 1 mile fun run/walk for older teens and adults. Kids, get your parents, grandparents, neighbors, anyone who has encourages and given you support during you marathon to run their own 1 mile race. If you can do and entire 26.2 miles, they can do 1 mile, right? We will have this 1 mile fun run/walk immediately after the last kids final mile. It will be $10 to enter with 100% of the proceeds going directly to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. While there will be no shirt for the adults (unless they are a volunteer), there will be medals awarded to the top 3 male and female finishers. Everyone will get the satisfaction of giving the kids who need help.

Speaking of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, this fine hospital is the charity that was chosen for the I Run Kids Marathon. Kids helping kids! There are so many of us who have used Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin over the years, including 2 of my kids, and they are such a great hospital and a wonderful asset to our community. Please help us help them.

Sponsors

We are always looking for more sponsors for the I Run Kids Marathon. Right now, what we need more than anything else is prizes to be given away as door prizes for the kids. We are beginning to accumulate prizes but could use more. If you would like to donate and prizes, please contact us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com. We have been blessed with some great sponsors over the past 3 years and we would love for you to join us this year.

Directions

Direction to the Final Mile can be found on the I Run Kids Marathon website. Please follow this link to see directions to the Final Mile.

Volunteers

We will need volunteers for the Final Mile as well. If you are interested in volunteering at the Final mile, please email us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com. We need help with course safety, set up, food preparation, and clean up.  Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank You

Thank you for joining the 2012 I Run Kids Marathon. If you have any questions, please refer to the I Run Kids Marathon website http://kidsmarathon.blogspot.com/ or email us at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com. Go out and run a mile!

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
I Run Kids Marathon Director

New School Participation

Thank you for your interest in your school entering the I Run Kids Marathon. The goal of the I Run Kids Marathon is to get kids out and exercising in the summer as well as opening a book to exercise their minds. Healthy Bodies & Healthy Minds.

What is the Kids Marathon? It is a program where kids will run (or walk) and entire marathon, 26.2 miles, over the summer, a 1/4 mile at a time. Kids will also read either 26 books or for 26 hours, 1/4 hour at a time, over the summer. Near the end of summer, all kids participating will join to run our FINAL MILE of the marathon together and all cross the same finish line.

What do the kids get? All participants will receive an I Run Kids Marathon shirt as well as an I Run Kids Marathon finishers medal. There will possibly be some donations for the kids in their goody bags they receive as well as many prizes that will be raffled off at the FINAL MILE. And lots food and beverages for the kids. Kids will also be able to print out a running & reading log to begin their journey at the beginning of summer.

How much does it cost for a school to participate? Absolutely nothing! There is an individual entry fee per child of under $15 that go toward the costs of shirts, medal, insurance, food, etc, but no cost to any school. We do request that each school provide a "Representative" to promote the event at your school, hand out and collect entry forms and then send them to the I Run Kids Marathon. Any questions that the representative may have can be answered quickly. The cost of our event is kept low due to many wonderful sponsors either donating money, supplies, or great prizes to be given to the kids at the FINAL MILE.

Why participate in the I Run Kids Marathon? We all know there is a growing issue with kids exercising less and obesity levels rising. The I Run Kids Marathon strives to get kids out exercising and teaching that exercise is fun as well. We also strive to get kids to keep reading over the summer. Just because school is out for the summer doesn't mean we should all stop learning. Reading over the summer goes a long way to beginning the new school year well.

Who can participate? The I Run Kids Marathon is open to all kids finishing Kindergarten through 7th grade at the end of Spring. We do allow younger kids to participate but stress that parents need to know everything involved in taking on a whole marathon, even if it is over the entire summer.

Who are the organizers? The I Run Kids Marathon is the brain child of Bill Schneider of Muskego, WI. Bill is an active runner since the 5th grade and has run 39 full marathons to date as well as many other distances. He ran on his High School's Cross Country and Track teams as well as his College's Cross Country and Track teams. He has 3 young daughters that love to run and even coaches track and cross country as their school. He loves to share his passion for running. He is aided in the organization of the I Run Kids Marathon by Greg Uehling, Gwen Scherf, and Belinda Matter, all parents of young children and love to run themselves. David Habben also helps and advises on the I Run Kids Marathon.

Is there a Charity Involved? Yes. Over the past few years, we have made donations to MS Run The US, Luke Currier Fund, and well and the Jenny Crain Make It Happen Fund. We have decided in the future to choose a children's charity so the kids can help kids. One of the themes of the I Run Kids Marathon is "I Run to make a difference!" We want all the kids who participate to feel like they made a difference not only in their own lives, but in the lives of other kids.

So in a nutshell, that is the I Run Kids Marathon. If you have any further questions or want to be a representative for a school, please email is at kidsmarathon@yahoo.com.

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
I Run Kids Marathon Director

I Run Kids Marathon!

It has now been almost 6 months since the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon and what a success it was. 433 wonderful kids from the Milwaukee area (as well and Green Bay, Lake Mills, and other parts of the great state of Wisconsin) completed their own marathon by running 26.2 miles over the summer as well as reading 26 books or for 26 hours. Congratulations, you guys are awesome!


It is now time for the committee and I to begin the planning for the 2012 Kids Marathon. We have decided to make a few changes to the Kids Marathon but hopefully they are all for the better and kids everywhere.


First, last year we had a contest to decide on a new name for the Kids Marathon. The goal was to make the program become friendlier as well as attract more kids (and parents) to share our passions with. Unfortunately, we only receive a few submitted names and while each one was a great name, it wasn't quite what we were looking for. In the end, we have decided to rename the Kids Marathon to the "I Run Kids Marathon". No, the name has nothing to do with the Apple and we don't want it to be confused with that at all. We chose this name because that is what I do, I run. That is what the entire committee does, and it is what we hope you or your child does, Run! I Run ... to Make a Difference! I Run ... to be healthy! I Run ... for God! There are a million reasons why people run, I could list off so many as to why I run and I am going to leave it open to the Kids of the 2012 I Run Kids Marathon to come up with their own reasons. We maybe even post these reasons on this site or at the final mile late this summer. Why do you run? We will find out soon.


The second change will be the charity we choose for the kids donation. We absolutely love the fact that we made a donation to the Jenny Crain Make It Happen fund last year as well as MS Run the US. These are wonderful charitable causes and I hope you continue to support these. But the decision has been made that we will choose a "children's" charity in the future similar to when we made a donation to help for the care of Luke Currier and his battle with Klippel-Feil Syndrome. After all, it is kids who are running the Kids Marathon (like Luke did the past 2 years), let's support kids who need help. We have not chosen which charity it will be for 2012 as of yet so if you have a great choice, please let us know about it.


We have a few more ideas formulating as well. How many of you kids marathon participants want to see your parents or friends run the final mile as well? We are looking to create a 1 mile race to take place right after the kids are done for high school aged kids and adults. Let's get everyone out there running! With a small donation directly to the charity we choose, adults (parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, grandparents, friends) can run a mile too and maybe even with a prize. We will work to make this happen at the final mile.


Let me conclude by thanking all the kids, parents, and sponsors who have supported the Kids Marathon the first 3 years we have existed. To date, we have had a total of 1027 kids marathoners and we hope and pray that this is only the beginning.


Why do you Run?


Thank you,


Bill Schneider
I Run Kids Marathon Director

"I Run To Make A Difference"

WELS Kids Marathon Update #6

We are just a few days away from the final mile of the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon. The committee is working feverishly getting the final details in order, picking up supplies, and making sure everything on track.

Final Mile Timeline

6:00PM - Packet Pickup begins. Please plan on arriving no later than 6:30PM as there will be a lot of others in line and we want to make sure the races begin on time.
6:30PM – Special Guest Appearance
6:40PM – Group Warm Up
6:55PM – National Anthem
7:00PM – Race Number 1 for kids grades 4 and under.
7:15PM – Race Number 2 for kids grades 5 and over.
7:30PM – Prize Drawings

Ultimate Challenge

For those of you who completed the Ultimate Challenge, congratulations! 52 miles and 52 books are very impressive! This year, we will have a small reward for each of you who completed the Ultimate Challenge. We will also have a special drawing for only those who completed the Ultimate Challenge. Please make sure you sign the Ultimate Challenge Sheet at Packet Pickup and fill out your special Ultimate Challenge Raffle Ticket. Good Luck!

Make It Happen

This year’s WELS Kids Marathon charitable contribution will be to the Jenny Crain Make it Happen Fund. In a special appearance, Jenny will be coming to our final event and meeting the kids. Please make her feel welcome. We will be making her an honorary WELS Kids Marathon Finisher. Please make sure you sign the banner we will have for Jenny. Also, please consider a personal donation to the Make It Happen Fund, we will have a jar set out if you wish to donate.

Prizes

In order to be eligible for a prize, you need to be present at the Final Mile. Once you receive your race number, make sure you detach the bottom of the number as this will be your prize drawing ticket. We will be giving prizes from:
The Milwaukee Bucks
The Green Bay Packers
The Athletes Foot in New Berlin
Performance Running & Fitness
Nike
Barnes & Noble
The Pettit National Ice Center

Media

If you have any connections to the any of the local media, we would love to invite them to cover our final event. Please make an invitation and let me know if any information is needed.

Directions

Please see the link toward the top right of the page for directions to the final event or Please Click Here.

Volunteers

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help us at the final event. If you have volunteered, please plan on showing up no later than 6:00PM.

Thank you

I would like to personally thank everyone for joining the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon. It is a real pleasure to share my love for running and reading with the future of America. Exercise for your body and your mind is so important and is usually the first thing to drop out of our busy lives. Please make time to exercise. And sit down and read a good book. If I am a little slow at the final event, it will because I am running my own marathon Saturday morning at the Eisenbahn Marathon in West Bend. As I pass each of the 26.2 miles in the morning, I will be thinking of all you awesome kids who will be completing your marathon that evening.

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
WELS Kids Marathon Director

WELS Kids Marathon Update #5

Group Fun Run

I just wanted to remind you all of the Group Fun Run taking place this Friday at Bluhm Park in Muskego at 6:30PM. Here is a link to a map and directions to the park. http://mapq.st/pU4DYl This will be our last group fun run before the final event as the Fun Run scheduled for Sunday, August 14th has now been cancelled. Please join us in Muskego for fun, a run, and fellowship. Everyone is welcome.

Name the Race Contest

We have received only a couple entries for the Name the Race Contest. We need your ideas! Please send in your ideas to welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com. If we do not receive more suggestions, we may need to delay the new name announcement.

Volunteers

We are looking for a few people who would be willing to help out at the Final Mile Event on Saturday, August 27 starting at 6:00PM. We need help with the registration table, food preparation and serving, course marshals, and handing out medals. It takes a lot of volunteers to make the final event a fun and safe event for the kids and to create memories they will have for years to come. If you are willing to help out, please email us at welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com. Most volunteer jobs allow you to still watch the kids run!

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
WELS Kids Marathon Director

WELS Kids Marathon Update #4

Make It Happen Fund

This year’s WELS Kids Marathon Charity Donation will be to the Make it Happen Fund. I wanted to share with you the “Who” behind the Make it Happen Fund.

Jenny Crain is a runner who attended Franklin High School in the 1980’s. After college, she grew into one of the best marathon runners in the United States. In 2005, Jenny represented the United States in the World Track & Field Championships held in Helsinki, Finland. She ran a time of 2:39:02, good for 36th place.

Jenny Crain winning Milwaukee's Al's Run

Jenny is a very friendly and welcoming runner in the Milwaukee area. I have personally met her many times at local races that she runs even though she was world class runner. She loved running locally and supported all the local runners.

In 2007, Jenny was training for her fourth US Olympic Marathon Trials. She was on a run on the east side of Milwaukee when she was unexpectedly hit by a car just before finishing her run. She received major injuries to her body and her brain. She survived though. And with an Olympic spirit in her heart that would win gold a thousand times over, she began the biggest training of her life, recovery. Over the last 4 years, she has worked her way up to being able to walk with the aid of a walker. Last month, she walked 1 mile at a local charity run on her behalf. She has a long way to go.

Team Jenny at the Brewers Game, Jenny sitting in the middle.

Many local runners have now supported Jenny the way she supported them over the years. The Make it Happen Fund was set up to help Jenny with her massive medical bills. Now the kids of the WELS Kids Marathon are supporting Jenny too! This year, the WELS Kids Marathon will make a donation to the Make It Happen Fund.

This fall, at the Lakefront Marathon in Milwaukee, Team Jenny will be attempting to break a World Record for the most runners tethered together running a full marathon. I have been graciously invited to join this team allowing me to share this wonderful story of survival with you all. 75 of us will be tethered with a rope all running the whole 26.2 miles together. Runners of all abilities are now training to accomplish this World Record. Please follow our journey as we support Jenny.

If you feel inspired to make a personal donation to the Make it Happen Fund, please follow this link.

If you would like to learn more about the Jenny Crain Story, here is a link to a wonderful story published in Runner’s World Magazine. Well worth the read.

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
WELS Kids Marathon Director

WELS Kids Marathon Update #3

Only 1 more month until the Final Mile of the WELS Kids Marathon. How many miles do you have done? How many books or hours do you have read? Are you already done and going for the Ultimate Challenge and on your second round? Wherever you are, you still have a month to go!

Reminder

This coming Saturday, July 30th, is the first Group Fun Run in Sussex. Everyone is welcome! Belinda will be hosting the event. The run will be started at Faith Lutheran Church and either run through Sussex Village Park or hit the Bugline Bike Trail for extra miles if you would like. Belinda has invited everyone to join the Faith Lutheran Saturday evening service beginning at 5:30PM or show up at 6:30PM for just the run. After the run, we will be heading nearby to Culver’s for some Ice Cream. No need to RSVP! Faith Lutheran Church is located at W244N6383 Weaver Dr. in Sussex. If you need directions from anywhere, please follow this link http://mapq.st/qi3wQl

There will also be Group Fun Runs on Friday, August 12th in Muskego at Bluhm Park starting at 6:30PM and another on Sunday, August 14th at the South Milwaukee High School starting at 6:00PM. Directions to come soon and will be posted on the website.

Website

Our website (http://kidsmarathon.blogspot.com/) has all the information you may need about the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon. Some sections you will find on the website include: Frequently asked questions, directions to the Final Event, course map, sponsor links, updates, etc. Please feel free to leave us a comment on the site as well.

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
WELS Kids Marathon Director

WELS Kids Marathon Update #2

With a little over a month until the final Mile, you should all be well into your miles and your reading. I hope your log is filling up nicely. In this excessive heat outside, make sure you hydrate yourself well with lots of water. Please be safe out there and don’t overdo it.

We are busy planning the final event and gathering lots of prizes to give away when the run is complete. We are lining up a special guest and hope to make this final mile better than ever. I just ordered the shirts and the finisher’s medals. The medal is really cool this year and better than most of the medals I have from the numerous marathons I have run.

Marathon Fun Fact

Legend has it that in the year 490p BC, Pheidipiddes, a Greek soldier, ran from the town of Marathon to Athens, Greece, to announce the victory of the Greek Army. This distance was approximately 25 miles. Unfortunately Pheidipiddes died at the end of his run. In the year 1896, at the first modern Olympic Games, the Marathon was brought back. The distance was increased to 26 miles 385 yards in the year 1908 at the London Olympics when the Royal Family of England wanted the Marathon race to begin outside the balcony of Windsor Castle. And in 1924, the new distance of 26 miles 385 yards became the official length of the marathon.

Group Fun Runs

We have scheduled 3 fun runs for you to join us and have fun meeting new people and going on a run to log some more miles. Come to one or come to all of the scheduled events.

The first is scheduled on Saturday, July 30th in Sussex. Belinda has invited everyone out to Faith Lutheran Church for a 5:30PM service followed by a fun run along the Bug Line Trail or through Sussex Village Park. If you can’t make the service, join us at 6:30PM for the fun run. After the run, we will head to Culver’s close by for some ice cream. Faith Church is located right next to Sussex Village Park at W244N6383 Weaver Dr. in Sussex.

The second fun run is scheduled for Friday, August 12th in Muskego. The location is yet to be determined but the time should be at 6:30PM.

The final fun run will be held at the South Milwaukee High School Track on Sunday, August 14th at 6:00PM. Greg is planning some fun activities so plan on coming for fun and a run. South Milwaukee High School is located at 801 15th Ave. in South Milwaukee.

Name the Race

In an effort to attract more kids to join us in the fun over the summer, we have decided to rename the WELS Kids Marathon. But we want YOU to give us the name. Please email us with your suggestions. The rules are simple, please keep the suggestions to a relatively short name and it must include “Kids Marathon” in the name. The child who suggests the winning name will be given a free entry into all our future Kids Marathon until they are past 8th grade. If more than one child suggests the winning name, he/she will all be given a free entry into next year’s Kids Marathon. Please email us your suggestions at welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com. We have received a few suggestions already but would like a ton more. So put on your thinking caps and send in those suggestions.

Sponsors

We have been blessed with a lot of great sponsors who have helped up this year with either monetary donations or prize donations for the kids. If you know of or would like to be a sponsor, please email us. It could be just some prizes to be given out or a monetary donation. We will definitely let everyone know all about you and have you linked on our website. Here is a list of our sponsors already this year:

Thrivent Financial
Slingstone Products
Wisconsin Lutheran College
SkyHigh Marketing
Mike Evans Design
Performance Running Outfitters
Central Office Systems
Sitzberger Widmann & Company
Kwik Trip Stores
Food Ingerdients Inc.
The Athlete’s Foot New Berlin
Quality Resource Group
Dupont Cheese, Marion, WI
Century Springs Water
Milwaukee Bucks

Website

Our website (http://kidsmarathon.blogspot.com/) has all the information you may need about the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon. Some sections you will find on the website include: Frequently asked questions, directions to the Final Event, course map, sponsor links, updates, etc. Please feel free to leave us a comment on the site as well.

Volunteers

We will need a lot of volunteers for our final event to make it smooth and memorable for the kids. In the next update, I will be asking for volunteers to email us if they are available. We will have a variety of jobs that will need to be done and most will allow you to still watch your children run. Please give us some consideration and we will start compiling that list soon.

Charitable Contribution

Finally, we have chosen the Make it Happen Fund as the charitable contribution for the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon. I have been in contact with the Make it Happen Fund and will share more in an update real soon. I need to get some web links and story first. Please stay tuned.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email us at welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
WELS Kids Marathon Director

2011 WELS Kids Marathon Update #1

Welcome to the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon! We are excited to bring you this unique event full of fun once again this summer. If you are receiving this update, that means we have you on our list as an entrant. We hope you are enjoying running and reading all summer and learning the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. If you have any comments or concerns, please email us at welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com.

Reading & Running Logs

There has been some confusion about the Reading & Running Logs this year. It can be found and printed from our website http://kidsmarathon.blogspot.com/. Please look to the right side of the screen near the top and you will see a link to the printable Logs. Print as many as you need. We apologize if this caused any confusion this year.

Final Event

For those of you in the Greater Milwaukee Area, the final “Mile” event will be held at Wisconsin Lutheran College’s Raabe Stadium on Saturday, August 27th starting at 6:00PM. This is an evening event this year in hopes that the kids who have sports practices on Saturday mornings will be able to attend. We are still planning the details but we should have lots of prizes to give away and maybe a surprise guest appearance. We do have a couple schools in Green Bay that have joined and will have their own final mile.

Name the Race Contest

In an effort to attract more kids to join us in the fun over the summer, we have decided to rename the WELS Kids Marathon. But we want YOU to give us the name. Please email us with your suggestions. The rules are simple, please keep the suggestions to a relatively short name and it must include “Kids Marathon” in the name. The child who suggests the winning name will be given a free entry into all our future Kids Marathon until they are past 8th grade. If more than one child suggests the winning name, he/she will all be given a free entry into next year’s Kids Marathon. Please email us your suggestions at welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com.

New This Year

We are planning having up to 4 different “Group Fun Runs” around the Milwaukee area this summer. The dates have not been scheduled yet but they will likely be in the evenings on Saturdays or Sundays. The idea is just to get together and have fun exercising with friends and family so bring your friends along. We plan on having Group Fun Runs in South Milwaukee, Muskego, Waukesha, and possibly in Sussex. Each run will be planned by a different WELS Kids Marathon Committee Member so they will all be different. Everyone is welcome to any or all of these runs. Locations, dates, times, and directions will come soon.

Sponsors

An event like this cannot be done without all our great sponsors who help us out with cash donations, supplies and prizes. We would like to again thank Thrivent Financial who is our main sponsor for the 3rd year in a row. If you would like to become a sponsor or know someone or company that would like to become a sponsor, please email us at welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com.

Website

Our website (http://kidsmarathon.blogspot.com/) has all the information you may need about the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon. Some sections you will find on the website include: Frequently asked questions, directions to the Final Event, course map, sponsor links, updates, etc. Please feel free to leave us a comment on the site as well.

Thank you,

Bill Schneider
WELS Kids Marathon Director

Quick Note

We are starting to get in a lot of entries for the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon, that is great! I have already received a few schools entries and many that were sent to the address listed on the bottom of the entry form. Please try to have entries mailed to me by mid June so we can start to order the shirts and medals so they arrive on time.

Also, please look to the right side of the screen on this website under the "Event Links" title and you will see a link for Printable Reading & Running Logs. Please go there and print out a log to help you keep track of your books and miles this summer. Teachers and School Representative, please print out some and hand them out to the kids who have signed up from your school.

Thank you again for all your help and for all of you ready to complete your marathons. Please email us with any questions or comments you may have. welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com

Bill Schneider
WELS Kids Marathon Director

2011 WELS Kids Marathon

It is time for the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon. We are beginning our 3rd year and looking to have a better than ever event.

The WELS Kids Marathon will again consist of kids grades K through 8 running or walking 26.2 miles while reading either 26 books or reading for 26 hours over the summer. Healthy minds and healthy bodies are our goal! We will once again all join together to run the final mile together where you will cross the finish line of your marathon receiving a finishers medal.

In the next few days, we will be putting the entry form on line you to download. If your school is participating, please check for who your representative is and sign up that way. If your school is not participating and you still want to enter, please download the entry form and send it to the address listed on the form.

We have some new schools participating this year and welcome any other school that would like to join. This year's final event will be held again at Wisconsin Lutheran College's Raabe Stadium. The final event will be held on Saturday, August 27th but this year, we will be starting at 7:00PM.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the 2011 WELS Kids Marathon, please contact us at welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com

Stay up to date by checking this site and please send any questions you have to welskidsmarathon@yahoo.com