Club NF hits the pavement! The Washington University NF Center, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the Go! St. Louis Marathon and Family Fitness Weekend have paired up to provide our families the perfect event to jump start fitness. Being an active family has benefits that are far reaching; children who are involved with sports and activity consistently perform better in school, have increased attention and improved peer relationships. Running offers an easy, affordable, and flexible way for everyone in the family to be active. Although running can be intimidating, sometimes all it takes is signing up for an incredible event like the Read, Right & Run Marathon to get started.
The Go! St. Louis Read, Right & Run Marathon challenges children to read 26 books, perform 26 community rights (good deeds) and run 25 miles before April 9. This means, as of today, you can achieve this goal by running just over one mile per week (which can be done in one run or via multiple outings throughout the week). On April 9, the children will run the final 1.2 miles of a marathon as a team in Forest Park, celebrating an amazing accomplishment as a group. Then, the party will continue after the race with our April Club NF Event. We will be hosting a family picnic in Forest Park with games, food and fun – the perfect way to make connections, celebrate and enjoy great company!
If your entire family wants to take on a fitness challenge, Go! St. Louis offers a variety of activities throughout the weekend, from a silver streak for grandparents to a 5K for new runners, and a half or full marathon for those wanting to go the extra mile. Starting a running regimen is easier than you think, and the “Couch to 5K” program outlines an easy way to take the first steps. Our St. Louis Children’s Hospital Physical Therapist, Courtney Dunn, PT, DPT, is an avid runner and had this to say about her experience with running, “I began running about eight years ago and can’t imagine my life without it today. I remember the first time I tried to run – I was only able to get to the end of my block. I remember the pride I had when I was finally able to run a mile without stopping. And now, with my friends and family by my side, running many miles passes quickly. I find it to be a great stress reliever, providing both quiet time to reflect and chatting time to maintain great friendships, all while taking care of my health.”
We would love for your child to join us in the Read, Right & Run! Our team will be providing support every step of the way, from answering questions to cheering you on should your motivation drop. We have worked with the Go! St. Louis Marathon Team to make sure all of our runners are successful and get to feel the pride of setting a goal, working hard and achieving it. If your child needs additional support to complete the final run (a running buddy, a modified distance) we will accommodate it.
What: Go! St. Louis Read, Right & Run Marathon (final 1.2 mile run) and April 2016 Club NF
When: Saturday, April 9, 2016, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Forest Park in St. Louis, MO 63112 (near the Visitor’s Center)
Register: Sign-up is simple (and free for our families)
- Go to: https://register.chronotrack.com/r/14932 and select ‘CONTINUE AS A GUEST’
- Select READ, RIGHT & RUN and follow the prompts to enter your child’s information
- Select JOIN EXISTING TEAM and enter your team name: ST. LOUIS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL and password: SLCH Runs
- Contact Kirsten Brouillet at brouilletk@neuro.wustl.edu for the coupon code for free event registration (for Club NF families only)
For additional information, please review our event flyer (pdf) or contact Kirsten Brouillet at brouilletk@neuro.wustl.edu.