Oct. 18, 2006
Under cloudy skies at UCLA's Drake Stadium on last Saturday, October 14, over 1,500 children and their families participated in the Inaugural Marathon Kids Kickoff Celebration, hosted by UCLA Athletics. Drake Stadium was filled with grade-school children and their families, as kindergartners through fifth-graders from LAUSD ran the first mile (a lap and a half around the track) of the five-month long Marathon Kids program which promotes physical fitness and health.
On Saturday, participants ran, jogged and walked the first mile of their five-month, incremental 26.2 mile run (which is the equivalent of a marathon length) at the Kickoff Celebration. In addition, UCLA student-athletes from the softball, men's & women's track & field, swimming & diving and women's volleyball teams volunteered for the event. Many ran laps with the children and their family members, encouraging them every step of the way. Other UCLA athletes were stationed around the track to give their support, greeted the runners at the finish line, signed autographs and posed for photos at the conclusion of the mile run.
Head Women's Track & Field Coach Jeanette Bolden welcomed the crowd and helped encourage kids to live active, healthy lives.
"When the founder of Marathon Kids contacted me, I thought it was a great opportunity not only for myslef, but UCLA Athletics, to be involved in. Working with young people to help fight against childhood obesity and diabetes, and just getting young people involved in physical activities is a great idea. I consider it an honor to be invovled in this organization and am grateful that UCLA is backing the program 100%."
UCLA Athletics will host the Final Medal Celebration at Drake Stadium on March 10, 2007.