Green Bay, WI - The Love to Run (L2R) program was developed as a partnership between the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay and the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon for the purpose of increasing youth interest in the sport of running and increasing youth participation in the 2.62 mile mini-marathon.

Students in first through eighth grades participate in a six-week program that covers running basics and simple nutrition, with an overall goal to make running fun.

“The L2R program was not developed to build world-class distance runners,” said Stacy Ryan, the L2R program director for the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon. “Rather it was developed to engage youth in a positive free time activity that can turn into a lifelong healthy lifestyle hobby.”

The framework remains constant throughout all sessions, with the only changes and adjustments coming in the heart rate activity, daily distance run/walk, and the question of the day. Other heart rate activities can be substituted for those listed, as long as all youth are able to be successful in completing them.

“We have approximately 25 schools involved in the 2010 Love to Run program,” said Ryan. “In 2008 there were only eight. Everyone is very excited, especially the kids.”

Schools joining this year felt the 2.62-mile distance was a better opportunity for younger students than the 5K distance from previous years.

Both the East and West Boys & Girls Clubs are participating as well as the following schools: Aldo Leopold Community School, Bay Harbor (Suamico), Crivitz School, Dickinson Elementary School, Fort Howard Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Holy Cross Elementary School, Howard Elementary School, Kaukauna School District, Martin Elementary, McAuliffe Elementary, Project Youth/LSS Sheboygan, Providence Academy, Redeemer Lutheran School, St. John’s Middle School/Appleton, Sunnyside Elementary School, Washington Middle School, Wequiock Elementary, Wisconsin International School  and Zion Lutheran School of Wayside.