Newport Marathon Festival Introduces 100 Club Junior Initiative
Entries are now officially open for children and young people to participate in the inaugural 100 Club Junior at the ABP Newport Marathon Festival, scheduled for Sunday, April 19. This exciting new program is being launched for the very first time this year, with a clear mission to enhance the health and overall wellbeing of all participants involved.
Free Spaces Available for Family Fun Run
Run 4 Wales is generously donating 100 completely free spaces for the popular Family Fun Run. Applications are currently being accepted from schools, various community groups, and individual families who wish to take part. The organization is placing a special emphasis on reaching out to individuals who typically encounter obstacles to participation, ensuring they have the opportunity to be actively involved on race day.
Part of a Larger Festival Weekend
The one-mile Family Fun Run is a key component of the broader ABP Newport Marathon Festival, which also features a full marathon, a half-marathon, and a 10k race. The weekend's activities are further enriched by a Toddler Dash and a competitive Future Challengers race designed for aspiring young athletes. Collectively, these events form part of the R4W Next Gen series, a reimagined lineup of family-friendly activities aimed at inspiring the next generation to lead healthy and active lifestyles as adults.
Executive Insights on the Initiative
Matt Newman, Chief Executive at Run 4 Wales, shared his enthusiasm: "It has been a full decade since we introduced our first 100 Club at the Cardiff Half Marathon back in 2015. Over the past two years, we successfully expanded this initiative to the ABP Newport Marathon Festival, and now we are thrilled to launch it specifically for juniors for the very first time.
"Running represents a low-cost, enjoyable, and social method to improve personal fitness. It requires no specialized equipment, and the benefits for both physical and mental health can be incredibly empowering. Mass participation events provide a tangible goal, target, or source of inspiration to push oneself further, and they possess the unique power to unite people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. We recognize that many children and young people face significant barriers to engaging in sports, and we are committed to helping combat this issue, assisting them in building self-esteem and realizing their full potential.
"This initiative also serves as a fantastic opportunity for those who have been participating in the Daily Mile at school to take their physical activity to the next level."
Participation Requirements and Benefits
Children recruited to join the 100 Club Junior must be between the ages of five and eleven. Participants under eight years old are required to be accompanied by an adult during the event. All participants must be capable of taking part in the race, which is scheduled to start at 12:45 PM on Sunday, April 19.
In addition to receiving a finisher's medal upon completing the race, each young participant will be awarded a limited edition NMF 100 Club Junior cap as a special memento. Those interested in applying need to complete an official application form available online. The deadline for entries is set for the end of February.
Location: Newport, Gwent
