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