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ING KiDS ROCK San Antonio

Kids to Rock a Marathon of Their Own

  • ING Run for Something Better promotes kids fitness, fights childhood obesity
  • More than 2,000 local kids to participate on Saturday, November 12
  • TV character “Sportacus” to cheer on the finishers, host kids’ clinic

San Antonio, TX – November XX, 2011 – It’s time to get moving in San Antonio, and for more than 2,000 local kids, it’s also a chance to get a head start on a healthy life. On Saturday, November 12, children in grades K-7 will take part in ING KiDS ROCK San Antonio powered by San Antonio Sports, a one-mile, non-timed, non-competitive, fun run to combat childhood obesity. The event begins at 8:00 am at Brackenridge Park near the San Antonio Zoo.

As participants in the ING KiDS ROCK program, young athletes become marathon finishers by completing 25.2 miles of a 26.2 mile marathon at their own pace with guidance from parents or teachers, using the Official ING Run For Something Better Training Guide. The training program also includes tips to help kids start and maintain an overall healthy and active lifestyle.

 Children can run their miles anywhere or whenever they want, such as at home, during recess at school, or soccer practice. They keep track of their mileage based on the honor system with supervision from a parent, teacher or facilitator. The final mile will be completed on race day and finishers will receive a medal and goodies to commemorate the accomplishment.

ING KiDS ROCK is supported by ING Run For Something Better®, ING’s charity that champions running and fitness programs in schools across the country.

“As the official charity of ING KiDS ROCK, the ING Run For Something Better program is helping to get kids on the road to adopting healthier lifestyles as a way to combat childhood obesity,” said Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation and senior vice president, ING’s Office of Corporate Responsibility. “ING KiDS ROCK is a fun way for kids to achieve a sense of accomplishment for their discipline leading up the event, and we hope they continue running for years to come.”

Coming out to cheer on the participants will be Sportacus, the super-fit, healthy hero from the international hit TV show on Sprout Network, LazyTown. Sportacus loves to see kids move and be active and is personally coming from LazyTown to San Antonio just for ING KiDS ROCK Powered by San Antonio Sports. Sportacus will also be giving a kid’s clinic on Friday, Nov 11th at 5pm at the Health & Fitness Expo presented by Power Balance.

“San Antonio Sports is pleased to have distributed the marathon training program to more than 170,000 children through our partner school districts this fall, and to have helped coordinate scholarships for 750 children to participate in the ING KiDS ROCK fun run,” said Susan Blackwood, executive director of San Antonio Sports.  “We must work together to inspire children to choose a healthy, active lifestyle.  It’s so rewarding to see the sense of pride and accomplishment on the kids’ faces as they cross the finish line.”

For more information, please visit INGKiDSROCK.com.  ING KiDS ROCK San Antonio powered by San Antonio Sports is a part of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & 1/2 Marathon benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which takes place Sunday, November 13.

ING KiDS ROCK aligns with First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative, and the program is teaming up with The President’s Challenge to reach as many kids as possible across the nation. The President’s Challenge promotes physical activity that is fun and that you can do on your own, with friends or with family members. Participants in ING KiDS ROCK can earn awards for staying active and track progress along with other kids across the country.

About ING Run For Something Better

ING Run For Something Better® helps fund school-based running programs in an effort to combat childhood obesity before it ever begins. Linked to ING’s commitment to education, the program helps introduce kids to the benefits of sport, a habit of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Nationally, ING has committed over $2.5 million to fund grants and school-based running programs through ING Run For Something Better. Since 2006, $1 million has also been raised by individual donors through a special charitable fund that encourages others to support the cause through their own contributions. When someone donates $10 or more to ING Run For Something Better, ING will recognize their contribution by giving them a special pair of orange shoelaces to wear showing that they are “tied” to supporting kids’ fitness. One hundred percent of the net proceeds go to the ING Run For Something Better fitness programs. For more information about the orange laces, go to www.orangelaces.com.

About ING KiDS ROCK San Antonio powered by San Antonio Sports

ING KiDS ROCK San Antonio powered by San Antonio Sports is a cumulative marathon program capped by a non-competitive, non-timed one-mile fun run for kids grades K-8. As participants in the ING KiDS ROCK program, young athletes become marathon finishers by completing 25.2 miles of a marathon at their own pace with guidance from parents or teachers. T he event plans to motivate children to live a healthy lifestyle. They can learn early on that running can be fun and goals can be attainable. On Saturday, November 12, all participants will meet to run one mile together. Each participant will run or walk one mile, cross the finish line and receive a finisher’s medal and goodies to commemorate the accomplishment. More information is available at: INGKiDSROCK.com

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