Kids Run Miami

Latest information on COVID-19 and updates on our event

Kids Run Miami is a privately-funded, county-wide program that invites all middle schools in Miami-Dade County to establish a consistent running program as part of their physical education daily lesson plans. The program’s goal is to offer every child enrolled in Miami-Dade County Middle Schools an opportunity to run their first marathon (26.2 miles) and, in doing so, promote a fit and healthy lifestyle while teaching children to create and fulfill goals.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Kids Run Miami marathon program as we know it will not take place for the 2020-2021 academic year. Along with the cancellation of the in-person Life Time Miami Marathon & Half Marathon, the annual in-person Final Mile event in 2021 will not take place in a formal capacity.

NEW! KIDS VIRTUAL 5K

Introducing the Life Time Kids Run Miami Virtual 5K Program! Although we cannot host the Kids Run Miami marathon program as we’ve seen it in prior years, we have modified the structure of the program so all middle-school aged youth may still participate wherever they are, all while upholding all current CDC guidelines and public safety measures.

Participating Miami-Dade County schools and individual youth runners across the nation are encouraged to complete their own virtual 5K between January 10 – 31, 2021 — the same time frame as the Life Time Miami Marathon & Half Marathon virtual event, #VirtuallyMiamiFamous. Students will be provided an online training program crafted by Miami Marathon co-founder, Frankie Ruiz, beginning December 6, 2020 that they may follow during PE classes, through other class activities, or in their free time.

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Course Map

Our Mission

To promote and create awareness of healthy lifestyles for the children of Miami-Dade County and beyond with a focus on health and physical education through voluntary, exciting, goal-oriented running programs that aim to improve their lifestyle. The Kids Run Miami program allows children to participate in a collaborative setting, fostering classroom participation and camaraderie in an attempt to reduce childhood obesity.

The purpose of the Kids Run Miami program is to involve as many children as possible from start to finish in an effort to impart the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle from a young age. Recent research by the Center for Disease Control has found that middle school and high school students are those at highest risk of becoming sedentary and overweight, increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. This program aims to help reduce such risks by promoting physical education and active lifestyles through running. Because physical education classes are already part of the regular curriculum, the Kids Run Miami program will complement PE classes without changing class schedules or times.

Program Goals

Life Time Athletic Events created the program with an emphasis on helping students stay healthy and feel confident when accomplishing challenging goals. Recent studies show a distinct positive correlation between grades and physical activity. They may have more in common with each other than we may realize. Influencing the physical and mental health of young people in a positive direction is a step toward reshaping the future. The opportunity to help shape our leaders of tomorrow can make a world of change.

Program Description

The Training Phase

Kids Run Miami Schools

Coaches/teachers from participating Miami-Dade County schools will include a run as part of physical education classes per week and/or work to facilitate a virtual environment to encourage their students to complete the runs on their own. By running multiple times per week, students will train their way to be able to complete their own 5K between January 10 – 31, 2021– the same time frame of the virtual Miami Marathon & Half Marathon event, #VirtuallyMiamiFamous.

A training plan crafted by Miami Marathon co-founder, Frankie Ruiz, will be provided as a template for building up to the virtual event. The final 5K event may be completed all at once or over multiple days and only those participants who submit their time(s) between January 10 – 31, 2021 on our RunSignup event page will receive their Finisher medal.

Participating Kids Run Miami schools will have their school name listed within registration on our RunSignup event page that students may select when signing up so they may be added to your “team”. The coach MUST coordinate with the Program Director – Samantha Bailey – in order to receive their registration codes for their students to sign up for FREE. Program staff will deliver finisher medals to participating schools in Miami-Dade County for distribution to participating students on their team.

Coach Benefits

Coaches who participate and get involved will directly influence student participation. The Kids Run Miami program encourages Miami-Dade County school coaches to sign up their students as a team to take part in the virtual 5K event for free and, as an incentive, coaches who recruit 10 or more students to participate will receive one distance FREE in the #VirtuallyMiamiFamous event. Contact Samantha Bailey, the Program Director, for virtual 5K student registration codes and #VirtuallyMiamiFamous entry information.

SCHOOL/COACH LIST*

Individual Participants

Individual youth participants will complete their training runs on their own time throughout the weeks leading up to the 5K virtual event which will take place between January 10 – 31, 2021 — the same time frame of the virtual Miami Marathon & Half Marathon event, #VirtuallyMiamiFamous.

A training plan crafted by Miami Marathon co-founder, Frankie Ruiz, will be provided as a template for building up to the virtual event. Individual youth registrants may complete their 5K all at once or over multiple days and only those participants who submit their time(s) between January 10 – 31, 2021 on our RunSignup event page will receive their Finisher medal, shipped to the address listed within registration.

Training Intro/Exercise Descriptions

Training Calendar

Important Notables

Schools and individual participants are asked to follow all CDC and local safety guidelines throughout the program. The training plan is an optional outline to follow as a build-up to the virtual event taking place January 10 – 31, 2021. The cumulative 5K may be completed all at once or over multiple days. Only those participants who log their 5K time(s) between Jan. 10 – 31 on our RunSignup event page will receive their Finisher medal. Schools who wish to have their students a part of the program MUST coordinate with the Program Director – Samantha Bailey – in order to receive their free registration codes to distribute to their students to sign up.

Parents/Guardians must fill out the registration for all minors under 13 years old, following these steps:

Option 1: If you have a RunSignup account, once logged in to your account, select “Sign Up” and then “Add New Registrant” – you MUST select this option to register your child.

Option 2: If you don’t have a RunSignup account yet, you’ll be asked to create a free account when signing up your child.

Note: If your child attends a participating Kids Run Miami school, follow the steps above to either log in or create an account, then apply the code provided by your child’s coach/teacher in the coupon code field during checkout to participate for free. View school/coach list.*

*Not all schools listed may be confirmed for the 2020-21 Kids Run Miami Virtual 5K Program – these are schools/coaches who have participated in the Kids Run Miami Program in prior years. Coaches MUST confirm with the Program Director they will be offering the free program at their school again this year in order to receive registration codes for their students to sign up.

Questions? Email us.

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Partners