Get in on the fun! Registration for the MCM Healthy Kids Fun Run presented by The Washington Post opens online at www.marinemarathon.com, beginning May 14, and children ages 6-13 are invited to participate for just $2.  The Healthy Kids Fun Run will be held on Saturday, October 27 at its new location, the North Pentagon parking lot in Arlington, Virginia beginning at noon.  All runners must be registered and pay the $2 entry fee by October 19.   Participants will receive a t-shirt, goodie bag, medal and snacks at the finish line. 

Kids Run participants will be required to obtain their t-shirt and bib at the MCM Health and Fitness Expo at the DC Armory on Thursday and Friday, or on race morning beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the North Pentagon parking lot.  Families are encouraged to avoid long lines on race morning at Packet Pick-up by attending the Expo on Thursday, October 25 between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. or Friday, October 26 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. for Packet Pick-up.  A shuttle between the Healthy Kids Fun Run events and the Health and Fitness Expo will be available.

Parents and children are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Campaign.  The Healthy Kids Fun Run is presented by The Washington Post and sponsored by FAMILY Magazine, ABC7/WJLA, VSP and Navy Federal Credit Union.

The Healthy Kids Fun Run presented by The Washington Post will be held at a new location.  Children, grouped by age, will join Miles, the MCM mascot, and uniformed Marines at the start line before running a one-mile up and back course along Boundary Channel Drive near the North Pentagon parking lot in Arlington, VA. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and continuing until 2:00 p.m., families are invited to Camp Miles, an activity area featuring interactive challenges, entertainment and games focusing on health and fitness. 

Read the Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Series each month in Washington FAMILY magazine. Focusing on health and fitness for children, the articles feature a wide range of topics ranging from healthy food for child athletes to choosing a team sport to healthy gift ideas.  Pick up your free copy of Washington FAMILY Magazine at a variety of locations.

Excerpt from the Healthy Kids Series in the April edition of Washington FAMILY Magazine:

It may not seem as glamorous as basketball or football, but running track at a young age provides children with benefits that go way beyond the medals and ribbons won in the process.

Just ask Loudoun Special Forces Track Club co-founder Nick Savage, a football standout who earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Wisconsin because of his skills on the track. This former Maryland high school track athlete and his coaching staff provide a family-like atmosphere at their youth track club, where happiness and hard work are as vital as winning races. Blockbuster gift certificates and clapping in unison in front of the team are just some of the incentives that Savage provides individuals that give 110 percent at practice or meet.

A typical practice has many parents staying and watching their children, with some of them working out around the track while their sons or daughters are receiving instruction. 

Participating in a track program at a young age can give your children many benefits like:
1) Meeting new friends
2) Showing benefits of exercise
3) Teaching goal setting
4) Elevating self-esteem

No matter how much running your child does, he or she will always be able to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun Run held each October. “The Kids Run is a great opportunity for children to enjoy the many benefits of running and experience a fun, family-oriented introduction to the sport,” MCM Race Director Rick Nealis says.

The Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) and FAMILY Magazine, proud sponsor of the Healthy Kids Fun Run, presented the MCM Healthy School Award to Lynbrook Elementary for the sixth consecutive year!  The award honors the school with the most participants in the annual MCM Healthy Kids Fun Run and includes a $1,000 donation to the school’s physical education department.

The MCM and FAMILY Magazine also recognized the school with the second most student participants.  Eagle View Elementary, of Fairfax, VA received a $500 donation from FAMILY Magazine.  The MCM Healthy School Awards presentations included Washington FAMILY magazine, MCM staff, United States Marines, Miles, the MCM Mascot, and Ronald McDonald.

Thanks to all the student participants who represented nearly 100 schools for their involvement with the Healthy Kids Fun Run!

Want to be the next recipient of the MCM Healthy School Award? Now is the time to get your child’s school involved in the MCM Healthy Kids Fun Run presented by The Washington Post (HKFR).  Simply register for the HKFR online at www.marinemarathon.com and fill in the child’s school.  After the one-mile kids run on October 27, results will be tallied by the MCM.  The school with the most participants will win the Healthy School award and a financial donation to their physical education department from Washington FAMILY magazine.  The award and donation will be given to the school in a presentation by the MCM staff and special guests.  Parents, students and faculty are encouraged to promote participation and the importance of physical fitness within their schools. For more information and ideas, click here.

Did you know that 80 percent of what a child learns comes through their eyes? Good eyesight plays a fundamental role in a child’s development in both school and sports, yet a 2007 VSP Vision Care study shows that only 17% of children have ever had an eye exam before entering school.

Join VSP Vision Care doctors at the MCM Healthy Kids Fun Run as they lead hands-on, fun activities that demonstrate the importance of healthy vision.

Until then, here are three tips to help protect your child's vision:

Visit your Eye Doctor
Annual comprehensive eye exams detect vision problems early, before they interfere with a child’s learning and development. VSP Vision Care recommends a child's first eye exam at the age of six months, followed by annual eye exams.

Play it Safe
More than 90 percent of the 40,000 sports-related eye injuries that occur in the U.S. each year could be prevented by protective eyewear. Since nearly half of all these eye injuries impact those younger than 15, it’s important that all children wear protective eyewear when playing sports.

Wear those Shades
Sunglasses are about much more than just looking cool. They provide important year-round protection from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Make sure that your child’s sunglasses have shatterproof lenses and a UV protection sticker.

Our children’s eyes are the windows to their fascinating world, and an annual eye exam helps maximize their boundless potential. To learn more about eye care or to find an eye doctor near you click here.