News & Stories

TRAIL KIDS Fall Adventure Race Running Series

trail-kids-fall-adventure-series

By Kim Rudd

loppet-trail-kids-logoThe Adventure TRAIL KIDS Running Race Series consists of three adventure runs and the Trail Loppet Age Gap Relays. The Series is open to all kids, 15 and under. Kids accumulate points by placing in their age brackets for all four adventure run races. The highest point total at the end of the series in each age bracket wins the Adventure Running Series. The first two races and the Age Gap Relays are in the books! Here is a recap of those events and a look at what’s ahead. . .

The first race in the 2016 series was held on September 15. That course had some additional challenges of it’s own which came in the form of rain, mud and wind. Looking at the forecast prior to the start time, I was not sure if anyone would show up. But, to my surprise around sixty kids came to race through pouring rain and muddy puddles!

The runners all finished the race with smiles on their faces and streaks of mud up and down their shirts (sorry, parents, for the dirty laundry)! The muddy race will go down as the most memorable of the season.

The second race in the series took place on Thursday, September 29. It was a perfect fall evening which drew seventy racers (ages 7-14) from six different Loppet TRAIL KIDS Teams:  Anwatin, Franklin, North East, Hyland, Wirth and Skiwerx. The runners had to jump hay bales, hop rocks and race along the Wirth single track and ski trails.

The TRAIL KIDS Age Gap Relay took place at the Surly Brewing Co. Trail Loppet on September 24th. There were 30 teams of kids and adults that tagged off on four 1K laps of the race course. Both the adults and the kids did two laps each. The kids got to finish down a shoot walled with their parents, relay partners and onlookers, cheering them on as they crossed the finish line.

It’s been great to see such big crowds at these events this year! It seems the number continues to grow because of the variety of challenges and fun adventures that each race course presents.

I’m looking forward to seeing the turnout for the last Adventure Trail Running race, which will take place on Thursday, October 6. The race course will provide some rugged single track and the ultimate adventure of two stream crossings! Come out and cheer on these courageous and fast kids at the final race and awards ceremony.  

The series culminates with the Loppet Games event on Saturday, October 15, 2016.

Overall series standings are available here: TRAIL KIDS 2016 Adventure Running Series Results

Fall Loppet TRAIL KIDS Programs

The TRAIL KIDS Adventure Running Series is part of the Fall Loppet TRAIL KIDS program which meets weekly starting in September and goes through middle of November. This year, the new focus is orienteering — a sport that helps makes running feel more like an adventure. The kids use both their minds and legs to find hidden controls / checkpoints in the woods of Wirth and Hyland Park with the help of a map.

In addition to orienteering, the fall TRAIL KIDS program also incorporates agility, relays, strength, rollerskiing, mountain biking, ultimate frisbee, and adventure trail running to make for a fun variety of outdoor active adventures.

Loppet TRAIL KIDS is affiliated with the TRAIL KIDS Midwest program which is the governing body over all the Midwest TRAIL KIDS clubs.