Keep on Running

GO Run For Fun hosts a national event on Thursday, 16 July at the Olympic Park

“It’s too hot”, “It’s too cold”, “I’ll go tomorrow” and “Ooh, The Simpsons is on’; all perfectly valid excuses that stop us from doing exercise that we would otherwise be totally dedicated to. But if we needed another kick up the backside to get us on our feet (which, let’s face it, we probably do) then we should look no further than the 6,000 children aged between 5-10 who will run round the 2km Olympic Park course alongside Olympians, TV celebrities and reality stars, all in order to encourage children around the world to stay fit and healthy by taking up running. Maybe they can encourage us too.

Everyone will be wearing GO Run For Fun’s bright pink T-shirts and the kids will have a chance to explore an interactive activity zone set up by the event’s sponsor, New Balance.

And as well as the run itself, GO Run For Fun will be launching a new animated kids TV series based on Dart, the charity’s mascot, which explains the importance of good nutrition and regular exercise in a humorous and easily accessible way. It’s aimed at children, but for those of us still struggling off the sofa after a day’s work, we could probably do with watching it too. Right after The Simpsons has finished.