BBC News
BBCHours before elite athletes and charity runners take on the 26.2 mile course through the capital, thousands of younger competitors will get their moment in the spotlight at the Mini London Marathon in St James’s Park.
Among those taking part are children from Stillness Junior School in Lewisham, south-east London, who will be following in the footsteps of former pupil, Alex Yee.
Headteacher, Mitzi Nichol said: “Alex ran this race five times for Lewisham – now he’s a world and Olympic triathlon champion. That shows the impact this event can have.”
Saturday’s event has a one-mile (1.6km) route for Reception to Year 7 pupils and a 1.6 mile (2.6km) route for those in Year 4 to Year 12.
“We’ve found the children come back from running more focused and energised, they work better in class and, more importantly, they feel like they’ve achieved something together,” Mitzi added.
Layla Hall, from London Marathon Events, said: “We want every single child to feel the same amount of pride as our adult participants.
“Whether they’re walking, wheeling or running, it’s about movement, fun and feeling part of something bigger.”
Since 2020, more than one million children have taken part in the Mini London Marathon with this year marking its 40th event.
According to Rosalind Mist from World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), the act of moving, especially outdoors has a “huge impact on the children”.
She said: “It will boost their mood, build resilience in them and helps them connect with nature.”
WWF is encouraging schools to combine physical activity with outdoor experiences, to run through parks, along school fields so kids can engage with their surroundings.
Ms Hall, from London Marathon Events, added: “We want kids to walk away from this saying, ‘That was fun. I did something I didn’t think I could do’.
“That feeling can stay with you for life.”
The mini races take place on Saturday 26 April which start from Horse Guards Parade to The Mall.
The first wave for the 2.6km begins at 09:45 BST and at 12:25 for the one-mile race with the final wave starting from 15:45.
The event only accepts applications from schools rather than individual entries.
