Running Club-Information From David Elliot

QAE/McDonald Running Club Information--again


As many of you know our kids are deep into training for the Seattle Kids Marathon on November 27th—or not. We have begun a running club at school, a strictly voluntary program that provides kids an opportunity to get some exercise, run around, walk and talk, whatever suits their fancy. Our parking lot track is 1/8th of a mile with a slight downhill and a slight uphill every lap. We have given out the first rewards of the year; about 14 kids have done at least five miles, which earns them an orange (QAE) or blue (McD) shoelace with a little glow-in-the-dark plastic foot on it. Every five miles they run they will earn another foot of some variety—this is unbelievably motivating, as evidenced by the fact we had 51 students running at first recess today after we gave out the first feet rewards at Monday Morning Meeting (MMM).


If your child is one of our runners I would encourage you to check out the website for the Seattle Kids Marathon and decide if this would be of interest to them. This will be my tenth year taking a team to this event and it is always a blast. I would encourage you to look into it. The gist of it is that kids will run 25 of the 26.2 miles marathon distance—or more—before November 27th and then “finish” the marathon distance with thousands of other kids on the official adult racecourse. If your child is interested I will expect that third grade and above will actually run the 25 miles before the event and that K-2 students make a good effort. I want all students to commit to this and do the work before getting the recognition and rewards. If your child is committed and you plan on signing up for the event the instructions are below. If you cannot attend the event or your child has no interest in it we will continue the running program here at school and they will receive all the awards that go along with it.


To help students get their miles done we will try to have as many days as possible at school but we have very limited volunteer help currently and it is very difficult to run this by myself. Contact Mason Sherry at masons@stgpresents.org if you can help. The kids, their teachers and I would all appreciate it. We currently have volunteers for the weekend and that is a time kids can get a lot of laps in at once, C.S. did 5 miles while little sister and kindergartner M.S. did 4 miles on Saturday! Look for more information about weekend times later this week.


 
How to enter the Seattle Kids Marathon--2010


Option 1: Online
•Go to www.seattlemarathon.org
•Find the drop down menu labeled KIDS
•Click on 2010 REGISTER NOW http://www.seattlemarathon.org/kids/register.htm
•Click on the Register online link
•Click on the green button   on the right side of the page 
•Choose the Kids Marathon button and 
•Agree to everything
•Choose to register Someone Else (your child)
•Select your school—either the Queen Anne Explorers or McDonald Scottie Dogs
•Queen Anne password is explore
•McDonald password is bark
•Continue through registration process 
•I will be notified by email when you sign up
•I will pick up all numbers and packets at the Marathon Expo and pass them out on race day


Option 2: Paper
•Pick up an entry form in the school office, fill out and leave entry fee (check to Seattle Marathon Association or cash) and paperwork with office staff.
•Download a form from the website listed above, fill out and leave entry fee (check to Seattle Marathon Association or cash) and paperwork with office staff.


Option 3: Participating running stores
•Several local running stores have registration materials—I don’t know whether you may register for our teams at those locations


Notice that when you sign up your child you automatically get a second race number, for you or another adult to run with your child. It is not required you run with your child, there will be plenty of supervision on the roads, but I would recommend it if they are K or 1st grade. I will post and send more information as the event gets closer but for now encourage your children to get lots of miles in while the weather is good, including on your own or here at school on the weekends. I expect that 3rd through 5th graders will complete the 25 miles prior to the event and that younger kids will make a “good effort” towards it.