Hundreds of Children to Experience the Benefits of Exercise Through New Training Program from Life Time and City Parks Foundations
Posted: June 15, 2022 in Chains
Life Time Foundation
NEW YORK, N.Y. – To inspire New York City kids to get outdoors this summer and benefit from exercise and healthier eating, City Parks Foundation and Life Time Foundation have partnered to introduce the first-ever Life Time Foundation New York City Kids Run. This will be a running and nutrition program for children between the ages of 9-17 across four boroughs and will bring the established City Parks Foundation Family Adventure Race back to life after a two-year pause. Both initiatives will help children living in underserved communities learn and develop new sports skills, find joy in physical activity and develop healthy habits.
The NYC Kids Run program will culminate with 250 kids running one mile and crossing the finish line of the Verizon New York City Triathlon on July 23, one day before the iconic event.
The comprehensive training program for NYC Kids Run was created by 2008 US Track and Field Olympian and 2020 US Olympic Coach Mechelle Lewis Freeman. Led by City Parks Foundations’ coaches, kids will participate in Freeman’s four-week progressive running program aimed at preparing youth to successfully complete a one-mile run. Designed for implementation by a school or community organization, the program also provides foundational knowledge necessary for an adult leader to facilitate an effective training experience for kids in their community.
“We are pleased to partner with and support the City Parks Foundation on this initiative,” said Kimo Seymour, Executive Director of the Life Time Foundation. “Both organizations strongly believe in the importance of children being active and healthy to reach their fullest potential. It’s imperative that all children, regardless of age and background, have the opportunity to experience the benefits of exercise and sound nutrition, engagement with their peers and accomplishing goals. We look forward to them crossing the finishing line in Central Park!”
The Life Time Foundation is providing a $20,500 grant to the City Parks Foundation to fund the NYC Kids Run program and City Parks Foundation Family Adventure Race. The programs will provide children living in underserved communities with weekly sports opportunities that help them learn and develop new skills, as well as engage parents to actively participate and support these opportunities.
“After the last two years, it’s critical that our kids stay active for their mental and physical wellbeing,” said Mike Silverman, Director of Sports at City Parks Foundation. “We are grateful to partner with Life Time Foundation to give all youth the opportunity to participate in this exciting new initiative.”
The program will take place at five tracks throughout New York City: Astoria Park and Baisley Park (Queens), Thomas Jefferson (Manhattan), Soundview Park (Bronx), and Betsy Park (Brooklyn). Every child who participates and crosses the finish line in Central Park will receive a t-shirt and a medal.
According to the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, physically inactive children are more likely to gain unhealthy amounts of weight, miss school, and perform worse academically. They are also twice as likely to suffer from obesity as adults.
The collaboration comes at a time when Life Time (NYSE: LTH) continues its ownership and production of the New York City Triathlon and the Company’s broader expansion in New York City with four premium athletic country clubs currently open and four new: Front & York (DUMBO), Midtown, Park Avenue South and One Wall Street, arriving by 2023.
