Press Release - Little Rock Marathon - 2/17/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                               Contact: Geneva Hampton
                                        501-371-4639 or 501-351-7730 cell
                                          
                                        Gina Marchese Pharis
                                        501-918-5321 or 501-351-7700 (cell)
                                        

            Arkansas Children's Hospital is a proud sponsor 
          of the Little Rockers Kids Marathon Training Program

LITTLE ROCK, AR (February 17, 2005) - Race organizers announced today that 
Arkansas Children's Hospital will be the presenting sponsor of the Little 
Rockers Training Program.  The Little Rockers Training Program is the 
running/walking program created by Little Rock Parks & Recreation that is 
designed to encourage children (ages 7 to 12) to increase their physical 
activity while focusing on a goal.  

The Little Rockers Training Program prepares children for the Little 
Rockers Kids Marathon, which will take place at 2 pm on March 6.
 
"Arkansas Children's Hospital is sponsoring the Little Rock Kids Marathon 
training program this year to help spread the word that running and other 
forms of exercise can be fun as well as challenging," said Dr. Bonnie 
Taylor, medical director at Little Rock-based Arkansas Children's Hospital. 
"We want children of all ages to get excited about participating in this 
event so that they may feel that incredible sense of pride in themselves 
when they meet their goal. We also want to encourage them to continue a 
quest to achieve a lifetime of fitness goals." 
 
Terri Johnson, chair of the Little Rockers Kids Marathon, praised the 
hospital for its support.
 
"We are so grateful to Arkansas Children's Hospital for their support of 
this important event," Johnson said. "With their support, we are helping 
youngsters establish a healthy lifestyle and introduce them to a sport that 
they can participate in for a lifetime."
 
Unlike the regular marathon, the children who participate in the Kids 
Marathon won't have to complete their entire 26.2 miles on March 6. 
Instead, participants have been covering the distance over an extended 
period of time-several months or weeks, depending on their level of 
fitness. They must complete 25.2 miles prior to March 6 when they run the 
last mile of the actual Little Rock Marathon course and cross the official 
Little Rock Marathon finish line. 

Participants track their miles by marking of the "Smiles" on Smile Miles 
cards as they complete each ¼ mile. On race weekend, participants and their 
parents come to the Little Rock Marathon Health & Fitness Show/Expo to pick 
up the official Little Rockers Kids race packet. All children must be 
registered and have completed the required mileages to participate in the 
final mile on race day. 
 
For more information on the Little Rockers Kids Marathon and the Little 
Rock Marathon, log on to www.littlerockmarathon.com or contact 
501-371-4770.


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