The annual Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Fun Run will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2006 at 8 a.m. in front of the DC Armory and MCM Health and Fitness Expo. The race field for the one-mile run is open to children between the ages of 6-13. Pre-registration, including the $7 entry fee, is required by October 19. Participants will receive a t-shirt, finisher’s ribbon and snacks at the finish line. The new Healthy Kids Fun Run one-mile loop course begins and ends in front of the DC Armory. After the run, parents and runners are invited to visit Camp Miles, the post-run activity area featuring interactive challenges and games focusing on health and fitness hosted by the National Children’s Museum, McDonalds, and ABC 7/ WJLA.

Kids Run participants will be required to obtain their t-shirt and bib at the MCM Runners’ Expo presented by Caremark at the DC Armory on Friday, October 28. As part of the event’s goodwill, 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 Sodexho, FAMILY Magazine, ABC7/WJLA, McDonald’s, and Navy Federal Credit Union.

The Healthy Kids Fun Run will be held at a new location this October.  For the first time, the one-mile course will do a double loop around the DC Armory, beginning in front of the Armory on East Capital Street, taking a right turn at 22nd Street, another right remaining on 22nd as it parallels Independence Avenue and the final turn at 19th Street before turning back onto East Capital to begin the second lap.  Parents can see all the action three times from one easy location, right outside the DC Armory at the start line, which also serves as the half way point and the finish line.  Everyone is invited to Camp Miles for plenty of post-race fun and snacks.  The new location offers plenty of parking and is easily accessible by Metro’s orange and blue lines, via the Stadium/Armory station.

The Marine Corps Marathon Healthy Kids Series is available 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:

Ask a group of children what their favorite subjects are in school and no doubt, PE class will be at the top of the list.  The inclusion of physical education in elementary schools has been, in recent years, the topic of many nationwide debates. As the United States faces a growing childhood obesity epidemic, one thing is for certain, parent and teachers need to find a way to work together to keep kids healthy and active.  Quality PE in schools is one of the best ways to help children learn the importance of an active lifestyle.  Beyond the fact that studies have shown students with regular physical activity built into their school day are actually better focused on mental tasks and less likely to engage in disruptive behavior, physical education offers children the opportunity to learn fitness skills they can use for a lifetime.

The most important aspect of a child’s PE class is the quality of their experience. Children should receive as much activity time as possible, contributing to the recommended 60 minutes a day of physical activity the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. Parents can assure this in several ways:

• Hold parent/teacher meetings regularly to discuss what the child is learning and accomplishing in PE.
• Support teacher use of programs like the President’s Physical Fitness Challenge, which motivates and rewards children to excel in physical activities measuring muscular strength, agility, and cardiovascular health such as running, push-ups and sit-ups.  Reaching a goal helps children remain focused on the purpose of physical activity but also have fun.

PE in schools is a great start for a child’s physical activity but PE alone is not enough.  Here are a few teacher recommended ways to support PE outside the classroom:

• Reinforce what is being learned in PE class. Ask children to showcase what new skills they’ve learned, whether its how to throw a curve ball or how to swing a tennis racket, and practice the skills they are still mastering.

If a child is trying to improve his or her one-mile run time, go for jogs together, if the goal is to hit a home run, work on batting practice at a nearby park.

As McDonald's Chief Happiness Officer, Ronald McDonald is involved with anything and everything that makes people happy. He wants the best for everyone: tasty and wholesome food, physical activity that feels like play, robust good health, and good family and friends to share it with!

Ronald believes in an active, balanced lifestyle. He lives one himself. And he is the ambassador of active, balanced lifestyles for everyone.

Ronald takes the promise of an active, balanced lifestyle seriously. He knows that living a balanced lifestyle can make people happier, and he's committed to helping us achieve it.

• It's more fun to love what you do together. So find a friend and get fit.
• Balance is all about what you eat — and also what you don't!
• A simple stretch each morning helps keep me nimble. How 'bout you?
• Dancing to my favorite tunes keeps me light on my feet.
• Smilin' is my favorite exercise. Try it!
• Walkin' the dog makes walking even more fun.
• Playin' ball puts a bounce in the step of my size 14 1/2s!
• Fruit and vegetables look good on my plate — and on me!
• Exercising to music makes me feel extra energetic.
• I make active play a part of every day.

Try one of these great, kid-friendly recipes provided by Sunkist.

Citrus - Yogurt Sundaes
8 oz. lowfat vanilla yogurt
1 tsp. freshly grated Sunkist® orange peel
1 tsp. freshly grated Sunkist® grapefruit peel
2 Sunkist® grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 Sunkist® oranges, peeled and cut into half-cartwheel slices
2 bananas, sliced
1 cup blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or seedless grapes
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. sugar

To make one portion:
Combine the yogurt, orange and grapefruit peels; cover and chill.
In a large bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients; cover and chill.
To serve, spoon fruit mixture into individual dessert dishes and top with the yogurt. Makes 6 servings

*Recipe was developed by Chef Carmen I. Jones, CCP for Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH). Recipe adapted and modified by Sunkist. Modified recipe reviewed for Sunkist by PBH.*

Neptune Pocket Sandwiches
2 cans (about 7 ounces each) tuna, drained and flaked
1 Sunkist® orange -grated peel
2 Sunkist® oranges , peeled, cut into bite-size pieces, and drained
½ cups mayonnaise or salad dressing
¼ cups chopped green onions (scallions)
6 (6-inch each) loaves pocket bread, cut in half
fresh spinach leaves, cut into thin strips

To make one portion:
In a bowl, combine the tuna, orange peel, orange pieces, mayonnaise, and green onions. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the tuna mixture in the pocket of each bread half, fill with spinach.

TANGERINE VARIATION:
Substitute fresh grated peel of I tangerine and 3 medium tangerines, peeled, segmented, seeded, and cut in half for the orange peel and pieces.

APPLE VARIATION:
Omit the orange peel and pieces. Substitute fresh grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained, and 1 apple, chopped.
Makes 6 servings.

With busy schedules that may already include sports practice, piano lessons, scouts, and tutoring, parents may worry about finding time to include even the recommended thirty minutes of daily exercise with their children.  If this is your concern, remember the thirty minutes of exercise do not necessarily have to be consecutive.  Try a few ideas that take as little as five extra minutes and add up quickly:

• Leave the house a few minutes early and walk with children the long way to the bus stop.
• When at the mall, grocery store or even the practice field, park in the back and walk the extra distance together.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator for a reasonable number of floors. See who can get to the top first.
• While relaxing, watch a TV show together and do pushups or crunches during commercial breaks.

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 fifth consecutive year on February 17!  The award honors the school with the most participants in the annual MCM Healthy Kids Fun Run and top honors include a $1,000 donation to the school’s physical education department by Washington FAMILY magazine.

For the first time, the MCM and FAMILY Magazine also recognized the school with the second most student participants.  Cardinal Forest Elementary, also of Springfield, VA received a $500 donation from FAMILY Magazine to acknowledge their participation at their own presentation on February 23.  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 90 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 (HKFR).  Simply register for the HKFR online at www.marinemarathon.com and fill in the participant’s school.  After the one-mile kids run on October 28, 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.

In the January 2006 issue, HerSports Magazine named the MCM as the “Best Marathon for Families”. Boasting many family-friendly weekend activities including the Healthy Kids Fun Run, Camp Miles, Crystal City Street Spectacular, Pasta Parties and more, the MCM offers an enjoyable weekend for the whole family.

Sammie the Sea Otter became Navy Federal’s Kids Club mascot in 2001. He has a little sister named Sallie and a best friend, Bernie the Polar Bear. Sammie found out about the Marine Corps Marathon from Bernie, whose big brother is a Marine.

Sammie’s motto is “You Otter Save,” and he encourages kids who are Navy Federal members to start saving their money. Once they join the Kids Club, they get their own membership card and a folder with an activity book and savings pad. They also receive a newsletter that helps them learn about money. And when they increase their savings to certain amounts, they can get their own stuffed Sammie, Sallie and Bernie toys.

Sammie often appears at Navy Federal Credit Union and at community events. He enjoys meeting with the kids and teaching them about the value of saving money.