Kilometer Kids is Atlanta Track Club's oldest and largest youth running program. The free, game-based curriculum is designed to teach kids 5-14 about goal setting, healthy habits, respect, and community building, all through exposing them to the sport of running. Over the course of the season, the goal for every Kilometer Kid is to run 26.2 miles or the equivalent of a marathon by attending two practices a week for 11 weeks. There is no fee to participate, and the program is for all elementary and middle school students regardless of running ability or experience. As a noncompetitive program, being a Kilometer Kid is not about running the fastest or winning the race. Instead it's all about working hard, being kind and having fun while becoming more physically active, being a part of a team and finding joy in the process.
Site registration for Fall 2021 is now closed. If you are interested in signing up for Spring 2022 please reach out to kilometerkids@atlantatrackclub.org for more information.
The Fall 2021 season has begun, but registration for participants is STILL OPEN. Please click the REGISTER NOW button below to find a team in your area. Public teams are open to anyone to register, while Private teams are restricted to students who attend that school or are affiliated with that organization. If you need help finding one or are unsure where a team is located, please reach out to kilometerkids@atlantatrackclub.org for more information.
Date & Time
- Fall 2021 Season: August 30-November 19, 2021
Location
- Bring it to your school, neighborhood, community organization or home!
Cost
- FREE
Donate here to support Kilometer Kids!
The program launched in 2007 with one location serving 38 kids. Since then, Kilometer Kids has grown significantly and now impacts thousands of children each year in the Atlanta region and beyond. The program is funded by Atlanta Track Club, private donations, foundation grants and community partners. Kilometer Kids is also an official charity of the AJC Peachtree Road Race.
The Site-Based Program
What makes Kilometer Kids different from many other sports-based youth development programs is that we do not train outside volunteers and send them out to schools and communities. Instead, in order to host a Kilometer Kids program, we require someone from that school or community to serve as the coach.
Every program site is unique with different needs, and a member of that community is best equipped to understand those needs. We believe this model fosters a greater sense of camaraderie and trust. So, if you are a teacher looking to start an afterschool physical activity program for your students, a parent trying to get the kids in your neighborhood moving, or a member of a community organization looking for new sports-based youth programming, our site-based Kilometer Kids program is for you!
As the site lead/head coach, you have the flexibility to decide whether you will participate for the fall and/or spring season, where your team will practice, and what days and times works best for you and your participants to meet. When you register as a Kilometer Kids site lead/head coach, you will get FREE access to:
- Our 11 week, gamed-based running curriculum consisting of 22 daily lesson plans that include weekly themes and discussion questions, fun games, daily runs and resources for further learning
- Coaching orientation, CPR/First Aid training, and SafeSport certification to prepare you for the season
- Electronic mileage tracking tools to make tracking your participants' progress streamlined and organized
- T-shirts, wristbands and other incentives to motivate your Kilometer Kids to reach the goal of running 26.2 total miles
- Opportunities for your participants to compete in FREE, fun, midweek runs and other Atlanta Track Club youth running events
- Support, consulting and mentoring from Atlanta Track Club Staff, elite athletes and veteran Kilometer Kids coaches
The Fall 2021 Season will begin the Week of August 30 and run through the week of November 15. To register as a site lead/head coach for Fall 2021, Spring 2022 or both seasons, click here.
The Virtual At-Home Program
While the overwhelming majority of Kilometer Kids programs are associated with specific schools, community organizations or churches, given the COVID-19 related changes to the school year, Atlanta Track Club is offering a virtual, at-home version of Kilometer Kids! If in-person programming is not available at your child's school or in your community, or your child is unable to participate in site-based programming, this program is for you. Tailored for the challenges families are facing during the pandemic at home, this free, 11 week, virtual program, allows parents and guardians the flexibility to practice on the days and times that work best for them and their children as they work toward reaching 26.2 miles over the course of the season!
When you register for the virtual program, your family will get FREE access to:
- A program guide filled with weekly runs and games, educational videos and additional health & wellness resources
- The Virtual Kilometer Kids Facebook Group to connect with other participants and their families to celebrate your accomplishments throughout the season and stay up-to-date on everyone's progress
- Opportunities to compete in FREE, fun, midweek virtual runs hosted by Atlanta Track Club
Registration is open for the Fall 2021 Virtual Season. You can begin whenever works best for you.
For a glimpse at what's in store for you when you join our virtual program, click the image below to watch this video with a message from the running professor!
Atlanta Track Club
Community Kilometer Kids:
Do you want to register your child for in-person Kilometer Kids but are not able to start a site in your school or community? Or are you looking to enroll your child in an afterschool program where they can meet new people? We've got a solution for you! Introducing Atlanta Track Club Community Kilometer Kids. We are excited to announce that Atlanta Track Club will be running two Kilometer Kids site-based programs at Brook Run Park and at Piedmont Park. For safety purposes, enrollment will be limited at both locations and COVID mitigation procedures will be in place including the wearing of masks unless actively exercising. Like all other Kilometer Kids sites, participation is free, but while school specific sites are restricted to those who attend that school, these teams are open to anyone!
Registration for Fall 2021 is now CLOSED. Spring registration will open in early 2022.
Meet Madison!
Madison is the Kilometer Kids Program Manager! Born and raised in Atlanta, she has fond memories of running the Peachtree Junior as a kid. After almost a decade away, she is excited to be back in warmer climate to join Atlanta Track Club to support youth through increasing access to opportunities for physical activity, and to build community through sport. Madison played collegiate soccer at Tufts University where she earned her B.A. in Community Health & Anthropology. She went on to earn her Master's in Public Health in Health Behavior & Health Education from the University of Michigan. In her free time, you can find Madison cheering on Atlanta United, looking for any excuse to eat ice cream, or planning her next travel adventure.
To learn more about Madison's journey with running, sports-based youth development and Atlanta Track Club, check out her feature in the January 2021 issue of Wingfoot Magazine!
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