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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