Last year approximately 1,700 runners in total registered in four events: full marathon, half marathon, 10k and 5k. Another 400 school-aged children competed in our kids fun run, which encourages children at the elementary and middle school levels to make healthy physical activity a part of their daily routine. And last year our charitable contributions to literacy projects totalled $50,000. To date we have raised $183,500.00. Join us in 2011 and help make AstraZeneca Legs for Literacy a continuing success.
AstraZeneca Legs for Literacy was started in 2000 by local runner Kevin Robart and a team of enthusiastic volunteers. They saw a need for an event to raise funds for local school literacy programs. The first event included 5 and 10 km distances. Over the years the race grew to include the half marathon distance, and in 2005 the marathon distance was added. Due to amazing support from the running community and business sponsors, the race has grown from 268 total participants in 2005 (just 46 marathon finishers), to almost 800 total finishers in 2006, to last year’s registration total of approximately 1,500 runners.
In 2007, we also added another race element- the Go For 42 Youth Fun Run. The program was aimed at school aged children in our community, encouraging them to build running into their daily and weekly activities. Children were encouraged to run a little bit each day or week, towards an overall goal of completing a total of 42.2 km. Approximately 500 children came out to Centennial Park to run a 2.2 km course, symbolically finishing their ‘full’ marathon.