By Olivia Cheatham
Healthy Kids Running is back on after previously being canceled for this year, and the Ruston community has Louisiana Tech track and field alumna Sophia Jackson to thank.
Healthy Kids Running series was created to provide kids with a positive, educational and fun experience in the world of running and has over 300 course locations across the country.
The series is a five-week program that takes place in both the spring and fall. Typically, race day is Sunday afternoon, but varies by location.
The dates of this year’s races are April 2, 16, 23, 30 and May 7.
For the first time in years, the event is being hosted back on Louisiana Tech’s campus.
Jackson started Healthy Kids Running in Ruston during 2017 but moved away shortly after in 2020.
“It was God’s timing placing me at the right place and the right time for me to pick this back up,” Jackson said.
Finding volunteers has made the logistics of the event more challenging to manage. As of now, with around 10 committed volunteers, Jackson is still looking for enough volunteers to cover all five races.
“Ten people would work for one Sunday, but I just need people that will commit to coming,” she said. “Or one organization could claim one Sunday and another organization take the next and so on. Or if kids want to come out all five weeks, that’s even better!”
Sponsorships are always appreciated and important to keep the races going, Jackson said. There are different levels of sponsorship, but if a business or organization is looking to be helpful hands-off, donations can be made online.
The races are divided by age group: pre-k kids ages 2 to 3 years old participate in the 50-yard dash. Pre-k kids, who are 4 and 5 years old, race the 75-yd dash, kindergarten through first grade runs a fourth of a mile, second and third grade runs half a mile and fourth through eighth graders complete one mile.
“I just want to keep the program going for the kids. It is especially hard to find activities like this for kids as young as two and three,” said Jackson.
This weekend’s race will begin at 3 p.m. and last two hours at Joe Aillet Stadium. For more information, email Jackson at rustonla@healthykidsrs.org.
