CONTACT:   Amy Styles, Covenant Health Marketing, 865-374-0425
Jason Altman, Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, 865-805-2476

The Covenant Kids Run is hosting a kick-off fun run at Knoxville Zoo on Saturday, Jan. 17 to encourage kids to take part in a winter fitness journey that culminates with an exciting and rewarding finish.

Children ages 12 and under can run or walk a fun mile at the zoo and log their first mile in a challenge to complete a full 26.2 mile marathon over the three months leading up to the  Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon Kids Run on March 28.  On race day, the children will run their last mile together and finish on the 50-yard-line at Neyland Stadium, the same finish line that the elite athletes will use the following day for the marathon.

Registration for the one mile fun run at the zoo is from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.  Jan. 17.  The run/walk starts at 9 a.m.   Admission to the zoo is free for children registering and one accompanying guest.   Additional guests get half-price admission to the zoo.

The fee for the zoo fun run is $15 per child and this also covers the child’s registration for the official Covenant Kids Run in March.  Each child will receive a special prize and a log book to begin tracking their miles or other fitness activities that are also counted.

“This event is a great way to introduce children to a fun way of staying healthy and provides them with a way to be part of the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon,” said Jason Altman, Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon race director.
          

The all-new 2009 Covenant Kids Run logo features two new mascots to encourage kids along their journey toward completing the marathon distance of 26.2 miles.   Eddie B. Steady and Ace Smart, a tortoise and a hare, signify that consistency and dedication will earn the kids a fantastic finish at the fifty:  Smart and Steady will finish the race!

The Covenant Kids Run also offers a Fittest School Challenge program for local elementary schools to encourage participation among students, promote healthy physical activities, and get kids excited about exercising.  Schools receive points for each child that participates and the school with the most points wins the title of Fittest School and prizes.   For more information, call the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon at 865-684-4294, Covenant Health at 865-541-4500 or visit www.knoxvillemarathon.com.