Rising Stars Training Program Session One Presented by SmartStart Pediatrics 2026

Description

Proudly Presented by SmartStart Pediatrics along with support from Fleet Feet Glastonbury , The Glastonbury River Runners offer this 9 week training program (no session May 23- Memorial Day Weekend) to encourage youth ages 4 to 13 to get up and move! Let us help your child reach the goal of completing a 5K (3.1 miles) and have a great time doing it! Through this program, we are here to offer your child support, motivation and fun along the way!

Practices will begin promptly at 4 p.m. on Saturdays at the Smith Middle School Track (216 Addison Rd, Glastonbury, CT 06033). Practices will last about 45 minutes. After a group warm-up (stretches and running games), kids will be encouraged to run at their own pace and run as many laps as they feel comfortable running.

This is a non-competitive program so each child can run as many laps as they feel comfortable with. Older kids have run up to two miles while younger ones may only run two laps and that is perfectly okay. We just want to see everyone out there having a good time. Our main goal with this program is to keep kids active, show them what they are capable of achieving, and have them see how fun running can be!

Every time your child completes a lap, they will collect a popsicle stick from one of the coaches. Once they are done running, they will turn in their sticks and write the number of miles/laps they ran on their personal card.(5 laps = 1 miles) After their card is filled out, they will take it to Coach Chaz or Coach Jill and receive a “toe”ken for each mile they ran and one gummy worm. After they pick up their rewards, you are free to go home.

Please remember to bring a drink for your child and we strongly encourage you to run with your child.

We will run in gentle-to-steady rain, but will cancel for thunderstorms and downpours. In the event of inclement weather, we will send out an email and provide updates via the Glastonbury River Runners and Run U! Facebook pages

For more information, contact us at grrpres@gmail.com or chaz1013@gmail.com .

Please note that we take every effort to assure a safe and protective environment for your children, but as with any physical activity running does come with risks of injury! Safety first please! Please bring your own water/cold drink!

Package includes-

-Weekly Practice Every Saturday from Smith School at 4 p.m. (NO SESSION SATURDAY MAY 24- MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!)

-Training at experience level

-"Toe" ken after each completed mile of training

-Gummy Worm Treat at the end of each session.

-Running shirt

-Race entry to GRR Firecracker 5K on June 28 for both your child and one adult participant to guide your child on race day.