Students from several West Hartford schools participated in the Hartford Marathon Foundation event.

Students participate in the HMFFitKids Final Mile event. Courtesy photo

Submitted 

On Tuesday, Oct. 29, more than 1,600 students from 36 schools across Connecticut participated in the HMF FitKids in School “Medal Day” – the culmination of weeks of training supported by the nonprofit Hartford Marathon Foundation.

Sixty-five students from West Hartford’s Bristow Middle School, Intensive Education Academy, and Renbrook School participated in the event.

Now in its 12th year, the free HMF FitKids in School program for students in elementary and middle school has served about 20,000 students, encouraging a healthy, active lifestyle through running. Students participated in a six-week training program throughout the fall, then completed their final mile run and received their medal during the Oct. 29 celebration in Rentschler Field.

This exciting and high-energy event featured music, announcers and spectators cheering the kids on as they ran. After the race, students received snack bags packed with healthy goodies from Stop & Shop and enjoyed interactive fitness stations including demonstrations by FITE Fit and cool-down with Karla Medina from Sudor Taino.

The HMF FitKids in School program is made possible through the generosity of local partners, including Stop & Shop, Aetna Foundation, United Bank Foundation Connecticut, Newman’s Own Foundation, Carry My Brother, Inc., Mountain Dairy, Dole, PopCorners, Karn Couzens & Associates, Inc., Servpro of Newington/Central Hartford, and through individual donations from the running community.

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Students from the Intensive Education Academy participate in the Final Mile event. Courtesy photo

Students from Renbrook School in the Final Mile event. Courtesy photo