USU Extension Sponsors Statewide Marathon Kids Summer Program

Utah State University Extension is sponsoring a statewide virtual Marathon Kids summer program from June 2 to Aug. 9.

Open to all Utah youths and their families, the program is designed to help participants increase activity and gain confidence through completing the distance of a marathon (26.2 miles) doing physical activity. The program is part of the national Marathon Kids program with the mission of getting kids moving.

Participants can run, walk, play or do any kind of heart-pumping activity, and every mile or minute counts toward their marathons. Miles or minutes are tracked in a free digital platform or with paper tracking sheets, available at marathonkids.usu.edu. For each marathon of activity completed, participants’ names will go into a drawing for a prize.

Emma Parkhurst, Utah State University Extension assistant professor and program organizer, saidresearch shows when children participate in Marathon Kids, they have a better chance of getting the recommended amount of daily physical activity.

“Last summer, we had over 300 youth from around the state complete anywhere from 1 to 15 marathons worth of activity, with a total of 20,485 miles,” Parkhurst said. “That’s over 781 marathons.”

For questions or further information, contact Parkhurst at emma.parkhurst@usu.edu.