Youth Cross Country Meet is slated to run on Sept. 25

Pre-registration is not necessary.

Aside from the event itself, event organizer Tom Conklin’s aim is to teach all aspects of cross country and overall health and an active lifestyle, so children develop a love of the sport early on.

Athletes do not start competing in cross country runs until middle school, so this is a teaser for the youngsters as they try to find their niche in the upcoming years.

Since its inception in 2000 at Petersburg School, Conklin has seen the event multiply in overall numbers.

At 3:30 p.m., athletes in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade start the festivities off in a half-mile race.

Second graders hit the course at 3:45 p.m. for a half-mile race, and third grade athletes start action in their three quarters of a mile event at the same time.

Rounding out the age groups are the fourth and fifth graders, who will duke it out for 1.1 miles, with a tentative start time of 4:10 p.m.

Registration runs from 3-3:25 p.m. at the finish line at the park and there is no fee to participate.

All finishers earn ribbons and place ribbons are offered to the top-10 in each race, boys and girls, and the awards are provided by the Colonel Wright PTO, Dry Hollow PTA and Chenowith Elementary.

In the month and change leading up to this run, Conklin and his fellow instructors, J.R. Runyon and Samantha Tenneson, provided these athletes with directions, and other tips to help them compete in these long-distance runs.

Last year, this event shattered previous records with more than 400 harriers, many of the participants representing District 21 schools.

Dry Hollow took home the Elementary XC trophy for most kids from the school with 135, Colonel Wright was right behind with 130 participants, while Chenowith tallied 110 athletes, their best turnout ever.

All staff willing to volunteer for several duties to help the kids can get in contact with Conklin at conklint@nwasco .k12.or.us or call 541-340-9307.