Ever think about running a marathon but feel too daunted by the thought of huffing and puffing for 26.2 looooong miles? Well, here’s your chance to say you’ve done it without actually doing all that running at once.
The Junior Monumental Milers Program (JuMMP) and Fit Arlington are recruiting middle and high school students in Arlington to run or walk a marathon over the next two months. If you start by Jan. 1 and finish up on the targeted completion date of Feb. 27, that’s less than half a mile per day. Yeah, that will require some major effort on your part but doesn’t it sound achievable?
To provide some inspiration, Fit Arlington and JuMMP program coordinators are setting up incentives, such as parties and lock-in events, for runners that reach the 5, 10, 15 and 20 mile marks. Once JuMPP participants have completed most of the 26.2 miles, they can save their last 400 yards to run/walk a victory lap in the Suntrust National Marathon in D.C. on March 21. During that event, JuMMP runners/walkers will receive a runner’s bib, finisher’s medal, tee-shirt and goody bag as well as admittance to the JuMMP Zone festival area at RFK Stadium.
You can register for JUMMP as an individual or with a group of friends. You can participate in combination field trips/running/walking events being sponsored by Fit Arlington and the JuMMP program coordinators; run/walk all the miles on your own; or run/walk with your group of friends.
To register, go to https://secure.marathonguide.com/register/NationalMarathon/jummp/ and choose “Other” for the Group Name. Your parents will have to read and sign the online release for you. All registrants also need to fill out a Runner’s Log and bring it with them to the National Marathon to receive the free prizes. (Be sure to put "Fit Arlington" as the group name on the log).
Transportation will be provided to and from the marathon on March 21, but you will need to call Fit Arlington at 703-228-6982 to reserve space.
JuMMP is a Greater Washington Sports Alliance program sponsored by SunTrust. For more information, call 703-228-6982.
