Over 8,400 Children Participating in Kids Run the OC Saturday, April 30

On Saturday, April 30, over 8,400 kids from 115 local schools will participate in Kids Run the OC (KROC), the nation’s largest youth training program provided by the OC Marathon Foundation.  KROC was designed to help children in Orange County become more physically fit through the encouragement of healthy habits to combat the onset of childhood obesity.

KROC certified coaches lead children through dynamic games to improve speed, agility, flexibility, and hand/eye coordination. Over the course of 10 – 12 weeks, students at participating schools will accumulate about 25-miles of exercise through the training program and will be prepared to finish a “marathon” by completing their final mile at the Kids Run the OC on Saturday, April 30, 2016, held during the U.S. Bank OC Marathon event weekend.

The importance of KROC cannot be overstated as studies from the Orange County Department of Education show that only 38.7% of OC 5th graders passed the 2013 State Fitness Test, affirming that children need accessible options for physical fitness. The Kids Run the OC fitness program promotes active living through volunteer-based coaching that occurs before, during, or after school. The OC Marathon Foundation’s KROC program provides thorough training and materials for coaches as well as a mentoring program from existing coaches to ensure success at schools new to the program.

In 2015, Kids Run the OC attracted more than 6,000 participants from over 90 schools and agencies in Orange County school districts making it one of the largest youth events in the country. The 2016 KROC program trained over 175 coaches and has raised approximately $16,000 in scholarships for over 800 children. For more information visit

www.kidsruntheoc.org and www.ocmarathon.com.

Event: Kids Run the OC
Date: Saturday, April 30, 2016
Location: OC Fair & Event Center
Address: 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
Start time: 8AM
End time: 12PM
Parking: Gate 4 off Arlington Ave.