Introduced by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Office Gwen O’Looney, David spoke to all the classes about his running career and what inspired him to become an athlete.

They were very lucky with the perfect weather and the kids got a huge amount from the talk and activity.

Below you can see some of the photos from the day.

Introduced by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Office Gwen O’Looney, David spoke to all the classes about his running career and what inspired him to become an athlete.

They were very lucky with the perfect weather and the kids got a huge amount from the talk and activity.

Below you can see some of the photos from the day.

Introduced by Waterford Sports Office Brian O’Neill, David spoke to all the classes about his running career and what inspired him to become an athlete.

He spoke about the importance of physical activity for both our physical and mental health.

After answering some questions prepared for him by the 6th grade students, David led a running session in the yard of Ms Deegan’s class and Ms Russell’s class.

You can find below some of the photos taken on the day.

Each Student will record daily updates in their physical or digital workbooks.

Each Week the interactive workbook will allow students to cover different topics relating to the benefits of Sport:

• Week 1: Healthy Heart
• Week 2: Physical Benefits of Exercise
• Week 3: Mental Benefits of Exercise
• Week 4: Social Benefits of Exercise
• Week 5: Community Benefits of Exercise
• Week 6: The Role of Hydration
• Week 7: The Role of Nutrition
• Week 8: The Education Benefits of Exercise

Each topic is broken up into 4 lessons and designed to be cover over 4 days in conjunction with daily run. Students will run/jog/walk an assigned distance each week. This is designed to be completed daily over 4 days, but each school will have the option to design this to suit their facilities.

Recommended Distance each week:

• Week 1: 2400m
• Week 2: 3200m
• Week 3: 4000m
• Week 4: 4800m
• Week 5: 5600m
• Week 6: 6400m
• Week 7: 6800m
• Week 8: 8000m

Participating schools can design the Final Mile celebration in house, based on current government health and safety guidelines Teachers will receive weekly emails and updates on the marathonkidsireland.ie website. The content will include hints and tips, Video content including exercise warm ups, nutrition and recipes from Irish international track and field athlete David Gillick. All this content is available to share with the participating students.

Programme changes 

• We are still reviewing the situation around school visits.
• We will continue with digital interaction with schools.

But there are no better words to introduce the program than those from our ambassador and former Olympian and 400m European Champion David Gillick:

Over 12,500 students across Fingal County, Dublin City Sport and Wellbeing Partnership, South Dublin Co Co, Galway Co Co and areas throughout the Gaeltacht representing over 200 schools have enrolled for the 2021 program.

Marathonkids Ireland (http://marathonkidsireland.ie) is an 8-week program for 5th-6th class students in Ireland. The program topics will entail daily short runs, physical & mental health education, nutrition, exercise. The program aims at promoting physical activity among students and fighting child obesity. Each Student will record daily updates in their physical or digital workbooks. The Topics tie in to the SPHE module of the student’s curriculum.

Marathonkids ambassador 2-time European Champion and Olympian David Gillick was joined among others by Seána Ó Rodaigh, Mayor of Fingal, Peter Kavanagh, Mayor of South Dublin, and Grace Winters, EMEA Shared Services Director at Abbott. Paul Moran, chairman of KBC Dublin Marathon and proud supporters of Marathonkids Ireland was also in attendance.

Gillick stated “The Marathonkids Ireland program is going from strength to strength and has seen significant growth in the last 6 years. Over 40,000 students and 300 schools across Ireland have completed the program to date. In 2021 we will see the Marathonkids participation and completion surpass 50,000 students since launch”. 

Grace Winters, EMEA Shared Services Director at Abbott adds “We all want our children to be happy, healthy and to live full lives. At Abbott, as a leader in cardiovascular disease and diabetes care, we know how healthy habits can last a lifetime. That is why we are proud to be partnering with Marathon Kids, an innovative programme that teaches students about the benefits that exercise and sport can have on their wellbeing. Abbott are excited to be part of this programme as reaches schools in Dublin and across Ireland.

The programme officially launches in the schools on 20th of September 2021.

This has seen nearly 1400 students start the 8 week programme this October.

Maratón na bPáistí is delivered through our Gaeltacht Booklet and each student will receive their Maratón na bPáistí t-shirt and Finisher medal on completion of their first marathon.

“Tá Marathon Kids Ireland thar a bheith sásta fáilte a chur roimh na 1,360 páiste ó scoileanna ar fud na Gaeltachta a bhfuil Martaón na bPáistí tosaithe acu!” 

“Marathon Kids Ireland are delighted to welcome the 1,360 kids in schools throughout the Gaeltacht who have started Maratón na bPáistí!”

Neil Kennedy, Director Marathonkids Ireland

“Ó cheann ceann na Gaeltachta, ó oileán Árainn Mhór i nDún na nGall go Ciarraí Theas, agus ó Chonamara go Ráth Cairn i gCo. na Mí, go n-éirigh go geal leis na páistí uile atá ag glacadh páirt sa Mharatón, ó Oifigigh Pleanála Teanga na Gaeltachta!”

“The best of luck to kids all over the Gaeltacht, from Árainn Mhór island in Donegal to South Kerry, and from Conamara in the West to Ráth Cairn in County Meath, who have started the Marathon from the Gaeltacht Language Planning Officers!”

Each Student will record daily updates in their physical or digital workbooks. The Topics tie in to the SPHE module of the student’s curriculum.

Each Week the interactive workbook will allow students to cover different topics relating to the benefits of Sport:

• Week 1: Healthy Heart
• Week 2: Physical Benefits of Exercise
• Week 3: Mental Benefits of Exercise
• Week 4: Social Benefits of Exercise
• Week 5: Community Benefits of Exercise
• Week 6: The Role of Hydration
• Week 7: The Role of Nutrition
• Week 8: The Education Benefits of Exercise

Each topic is broken up into 4 lessons and designed to be cover over 4 days in conjunction with daily run. Students will run/jog/walk an assigned distance each week. This is designed to be completed daily over 4 days, but each school will have the option to design this to suit their facilities.

Recommended Distance each week:

• Week 1: 2400m
• Week 2: 3200m
• Week 3: 4000m
• Week 4: 4800m
• Week 5: 5600m
• Week 6: 6400m
• Week 7: 6800m
• Week 8: 8000m

Participating schools can design the Final Mile celebration in house, based on current government health and safety guidelines Teachers will receive weekly emails and updates on the marathonkidsireland.ie website. The content will include hints and tips, Video content including exercise warm ups, nutrition and recipes from Irish international track and field athlete David Gillick. All this content is available to share with the participating students.

Programme changes 

• All interaction with participating schools will be digital. Loads more digital content available
• No Physical visits to the schools
• No mass participation Final mile event. Schools can organize and design independent events based on your school’s current environment and facilities

But there are no better words to introduce the program than those from our ambassador and former Olympian and 400m European Champion David Gillick:

During the course of our 8-week programme you will receive one newsletter per week every Friday starting on October 2nd. In the newsletter you will find:

• Weekly video by David introducing the theme of the week
• Weekly warm-up exercise by David
• News with photos and videos directly from schools participating

But without further ado let’s start with Week 1 where you will learn How to Keep Your Heart Healthy

In the Teachers Section you will also find some suggested warm-up exercises (one per week). This is the one for Week 1

Last but not least, we will be posting some amazing and content on our website (make sure to bookmark it on your browser) and on our social media so don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

OK, now it’s time to go and start exercising! Have an amazing week!

The Marathonkids Ireland team

Marathonkids has been a huge success over the last 5 years. We have had over 20,000 students, 150 schools and 350 classes complete the program since we launched in 2015.

The last 6 months have been particularly hard and confusing for children and with that in mind and as we know how important physical and mental health and wellbeing is at the moment, we feel it is important to give students something to focus on and look forward to over the coming months.

We really wish to continue the Marathonkids success and give students, schools, and teachers the option to participate in the Marathonkids program in 2020.

Based on the current environment we have made some program changes to help schools facilitate a safe and fun program.

Program changes 

• All interaction with participating schools will be digital. Loads more digital content available
• No Physical visits to the schools 
• The option to have a Digital program Booklets to replace physical booklet
• The option to for a Digital certificate of completion or finisher medal
• Participation T-shirt is optional 
• No mass participation Final mile event. Schools can organize and design independent events based on your school’s current environment and facilities

Marathonkids 2020 Program Information

Marathonkids 2020 will start on the week starting 5th October 2020. The recommended timeline to complete the program is 8 weeks.

Each Student will record daily updates in their physical or digital workbooks.

Each Week the interactive workbook will allow students to cover different topics relating to the benefits of Sport:

• Week 1: Healthy Heart
• Week 2: Physical Benefits of Exercise
• Week 3: Mental Benefits of Exercise
• Week 4: Social Benefits of Exercise
• Week 5: Community Benefits of Exercise
• Week 6: The Role of Hydration
• Week 7: The Role of Nutrition
• Week 8: The Education Benefits of Exercise

Each topic is broken up into 4 lessons and designed to be cover over 4 days in conjunction with daily run.

The Topics tie in to the SPHE module of the student’s curriculum.

Students will run/jog/walk an assigned distance each week. This is designed to be completed daily over 4 days, but each school will have the option to design this to suit their facilities:

• Week 1: 2400m
• Week 2: 3200m
• Week 3: 4000m
• Week 4: 4800m
• Week 5: 5600m
• Week 6: 6400m
• Week 7: 6800m
• Week 8: 8000m

Participating schools can design the Final Mile celebration in house, based on current government health and safety guidelines 

Teachers will receive weekly emails and updates on the marathonkidsireland.ie website. The content will include hints and tips, Video content including exercise warm ups, nutrition and recipes from Irish international track and field athlete David Gillick. All this content is available to share with the participating students.

For more information and to register your school for the 2020 program please complete the form on marathonkidsireland.ie homepage.

We are really looking forward to working with you again this year.  We wish you good health and happiness into the future and thank you for all your support to date.

Thanks to Fingal County Council for pioneering the programme and to South Dublin County Council and Dublin City Council for driving the programme forward, KBC Dublin Marathon for their constant support and all the families that made Marathon Families a huge success.

In all we had over 600 families and 2,500 participants take part in Marathon Families so from all the team, THANKS AGAIN.

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO FROM GEALSCOIL EISCIR RIADA

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO FROM LUCAN EDUCATE TOGETHER

And now let’s talk about the educational benefits of exercise with our ambassador David Gillick.

CLICK TO GO TO THE TEACHERS SECTION

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO

In the Teachers Section you will also find the a nice and easy warm up exercise (one per week). This is the one for Week 8:

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO

We will be posting some amazing and content on our website (make sure to bookmark it on your browser) and on our social media so don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

You can contribute to the weekly content too by sharing your photos and videos on social media and tagging @marathonkidsireland (Facebook and Instagram) or @marathonkidsire (Twitter).

Keep up with the great work and roll on Week 8!

The Marathonkids Ireland team