Enthusiastic participants in the Healthy Kids’ Day Marathon at Masich Place

Prince George, BC – The sun came out to shine on the YMCA of Northern BC’s 5th Annual Healthy Kids’ Day race at Masich Place Stadium…

Approximately 200 young participants took to the track to finish up the final three laps on what has been for many, a month-long effort to log 41-kilometres.  Today’s laps marked the final 1.5-km in their journey.

For the 4th year in a row, local MLA Shirley Bond was on-hand to welcome the runners and thank their parents and grandparents for supporting the kids in their bid to get active.

"Our job is simple, first of all to thank the organizers," says Bond.  "(And) our job is to line the track and cheer on these fantastic, healthy kids."

YMCA Spokesperson, Karen Cameron, says the kids’ marathon is a national initiative that started back in 2008, to get kids up and running. 

The local event has ‘piggy-backed’ onto the Y’s annual Road Race, which saw 400 runners head out from the track at 8am this morning in the 27th annual running of that event.

And while some parents did join in with their children for the kids’ marathon, there was no piggy-backing required.

Nine-year-old Macy Jones (at left) got the young participants revved up with a Gangnam Style Zumba warm up that had them flying around the track.

Fun, healthy activities for the entire family continue at the Y’s facility on Massey Drive until 2pm this afternoon.