Elizabeth Coccia & Lauren Keating – HKRS East Brunswick, NJ How many seasons have you been a Community Coordinator? Elizabeth: This is my 9th season as a coordinator but my kids have been running since Fall 2018 Lauren: For nine seasons, starting in 2020. However, my son started running with the program in 2019 and my daughter has been either on the sidelines or competing since birth!  What’s a great mission moment you’ve experienced as a Coordinator? Elizabeth: #1: When one of our younger runners fell at the finish line, his brother jumped in and put our runner on his back and carri ..read more

Loaded with fruit, these cute and colorful layered smoothies are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Ingredients 1 oz chocolate, melted 1 cup fresh mango chunks 2 ripe bananas, peeled and divided ½ cup frozen raspberries ½ cup milk, divided ½ cup frozen blackberries 1 marshmallow 2 ice cream sugar cones ½ cup whipped cream 2 tsp pink or blue decorating sugar  Steps 1. Place the melted chocolate in a sandwich-size plastic bag. With kitchen shears, snip small hole in one corner of bag. On two glasses, draw eyes and a smile with melted chocolate. Refrigerate glasses until chocolate set ..read more

Get your little leprechauns excited for the season with a rainbow of fruits and veggies!  Selecting a variety of colorful foods can help our bodies get the variety of nutrients it needs. Check out this inspiration to make it happen! Red Promotes heart health, reduces sun-related skin damage, and lowers the risk of some cancers Recipe: Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Bacon  Orange & Yellow Supports eye health, immunity, and has anti-inflammatory properties  Recipe: Carrot Banana Muffins Green Promotes vision health and strong bones and teeth  Recipe: Rainforest ..read more

Kelly Bracetty – HKRS Bethlehem, PA How many seasons have you been a Community Coordinator? This Spring will be my 7th season as a Community Coordinator!   Tell us about yourself! What inspired you to join HKRS? Growing up I needed to rely on metal leg braces when learning to walk. As I grew up, my nana, who raised me, told me “Don’t ever limit yourself.” So I gave running a chance, worked hard, and ended up not only running in high school but also competing in xc and track in college at East Stroudsburg University, setting a DII school record and qualifying for Nationals. Running h ..read more

Race bibs are an important part of Healthy Kids Running Series! They allow Community Coordinators to record results, and the kids love feeling like an official runner!   WHERE DO I GET RACE BIBS? Packet Pick Up: Some HKRS locations have a “Packet Pick Up” before race day 1 where you can pick up the race bibs, participant t-shirt, and sponsor goodies!  Race Day One: Other locations hand out race bibs and shirts before week 1. Make sure to arrive at least 15 min early!  HOW DO I FILL OUT A RACE BIB? Name: Include the runners last name and first initial School Grade / Race ..read more

At Healthy Kids Running Series, we’re all about nurturing young runners! Whether they’re sprinting in an HKRS race, kicking soccer balls, grooving to music, or monkeying around on the bars, one thing remains non-negotiable: stretching and warming up.  Why do these practices matter? Let’s break it down: Safety First: Proper warm-ups reduce the risk of injury. Think of it as putting on a superhero cape before the race! Performance Boost: Limber muscles perform better. Kids do their best when they’re prepared and ready to run!  Overall Well-Being: A happy body is a healthy body. Stretc ..read more

As mini athletes, it’s super important to keep kids’ bodies hydrated. Whether they’re racing outside or having indoor adventures, water is a secret weapon!  Why Hydration Matters: Cooling Down: When we play, our bodies heat up. Water helps us cool down by letting us sweat – like our own built-in air conditioner!  Energy Boost: Think of water as our magical energy potion. Well-hydrated muscles work like superheroes! Avoiding Heat Troubles: Proper hydration keeps us safe from heat-related issues. No heatwaves can stop us!  How Much Water Do We Need? If you’re 1-3 years old, aim ..read more

Tewksbury, MA In 2017, at just one-month-old, Maxim Ustinov faced major heart surgery. He was born with a congenital heart defect known as a “ventricular septal defect” meaning there was a hole in the wall between the two lower chambers of his heart. Thankfully the surgery was a success, and at age 6 Max decided he wanted to join Healthy Kids Running Series. The race was not just a physical challenge for Max, but a celebration of his journey and the support he had received. His mother says, “Max might not have come in first, but he was a hero in our eyes.” Healthy Kids Running Series is honore ..read more

  Healthy Kids Running Series is thrilled to announce the addition of three new members to the board of directors. These individuals bring a wealth of experience and expertise to our organization, and we are excited to have them on board. Please join us in welcoming the following new members: Joe Coyle, President, Michaels Student Living, LLC Valerie Faria, Senior Manager Internal Audit, Ernst & Young, LLC James Masotti, Owner, Our Team Accounting We are confident that their contributions will help us continue to grow and expand our mission of inspiring kids to believe in themselves ..read more

Robert and Brooke Selb – HKRS Woodbury, MN How many seasons have you been a Community Coordinator? We started coordinating in Spring 2017, took Fall 2019 off to move and have been coordinating since. We have coordinated 13 seasons total. What’s a great mission moment you’ve experienced as a Coordinator? Several parents have reached out to us, highlighting the significant impact our program has on their children. It has become a Sunday tradition for many families. Interestingly, we’ve witnessed three instances where kids, initially showing little interest in running, joined us for multiple sea ..read more