MARATHON KIDS

I'm partnered with Marathon Kids for the NYC Marathon, and since fundraising for this organization is what inspired me to create this blog in the first place, I figured it made sense to start here - with a quick intro to who they are and what they do.

Marathon Kids is a non-profit focused on helping kids get more daily movement. Their goal is to increase physical activity in fun, accessible ways - especially through schools and communities.

If you're from Dallas, you might've experience Marathon Kids without even realizing it.

At least at my elementary school, we would have these trackers (see above) that we'd fill out over the weeks to show that we were getting enough movement outside of school.

Marathon Kids has since digitized the platform, but the mission is the same: get kids excited to move. They create fun and interactive ways to get kids encouraged to build healthy habits. This program is 100% free and has already reached over 400,000 kids across the US.

This year, I'm one of 10 runners representing Marathon Kids at the NYC Marathon. Together, we're working to raise $40,000, which will go toward Marathon Kids' goal of getting 1 million kids moving by 2028.

This fundraising effort directly supports:

• Free access to the program in schools and communities

• Training and resources for trainers and volunteers

• Ongoing support to keep kids engaged

By supporting this organization, you are helping more kids get moving and that has more benefits than just physical health. Physical activity is linked to lower rates of anxiety and depression, better school attendance, improved behavior, and higher academic achievement. By helping children get moving, you are helping them expand their potential!

If you want to support this cause, here is my fundraising link: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/alexiathomas