First Saturday Morning at the Races held at CSS

DULUTH, Minn. — Kids were lacing up their running shows this past weekend for the first installment of Saturday Morning at the Races.

The first of four Saturday race events took place at the College of St. Scholastica.

The Young Athletes Foundation hosts the free races every winter, which helps kids burn off energy and stay active during the colder months.

Hundreds of kids ages 14 and under raced to the finish line, competing in various age divisions.

Some of the young racers have been running for years, while some are just getting the hang of things.

“Hopefully a full event for them to just come and get out of the house when it’s cold and not so nice outside, and parents can let them run around and get some energy out. But it’s become really a staple event of our Young Athletes Foundation, which is the charity of Grandma’s Marathon,” Zach Schneider, Marketing and PR Director of the Young Athletes Foundation said.

The events also serve as a way to get kids involved in running and other sports, and maybe even future marathons.

“We want them to have the opportunity to know what it’s like to be healthy and active. So whether they become hockey players, swimmers, cross country skiers, whatever it is that they do in the future, we want this to be a gateway for them to be healthy and active in their life, however they might do that,” Schneider said.

Full race schedule here.