Vitality Run Hackney Half-Marathon and Kate Percy's Schools' Programme

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Bristol, UK – May 8 2015

This Sunday I was cheering on the kids from the 30 Hackney schools taking part in the Vitality Hackney Half Marathon Schools Challenge.

The culmination of 12 weeks effort, these Primary School aged kids have run a mile per week, finishing their quest to run the final 13th mile at the Hackney Half Marathon. With Olympic 400m sprinter, the inspiring, Perri Shakes-Drayton, firing the start gun, literally hundreds of primary school children, even some Reception class children, gave it their all to run their final mile. Just fantastic to see.

'A Taste of' ... Go Faster Food for Kids!

Linking food with performance

I had been asked by the organisers of the Vitality Run series, Go 2 Events, in an initiative funded by Hackney Council, to put together a way of highlighting the inextricable link between what we eat and how we perform. My bespoke 'mini' version of Go Faster Food for Kids (see pic) was delivered to 1000 Hackney schoolchildren.

A spokesman from Hackney council said:

'Using Kate's Nutrition Tool Kit and Superfuel recipes the programme will provide active kids and their families with hands on and practical advice that will enable children to lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle, fostering habits that will stay with them as they grow and develop into young adults.'

Using the book in class

Talking to the teaching staff at the race, it was great to hear so many positive responses about the book. It seems that, although it had been written for kids to take home to their families, many teachers had been using the layout of the Nutrition Tool Kit in class, and had got the school kitchen to cook the recipes for lunch. Favourites were the chicken kebabs and the pancakes!

"Eat like a Sports Star" Competition

As part of the Hackney initiative a competition was run where the children wrote about why they were running. The winner, Regina Clement, a Year 6 pupil at St Scholastica's says:

'I like running because it's healthy for your body. You can do it anywhere. Park, garden or gym...I like running because it's for everyone.'

The winning school has won a workshop, which I'll be delivering at St Scholastica's, along with Go Faster Ambassador, GB polevaulter Lucy Bryan later this summer term, as well as a set of interactive eat like a sports star posters.

Congratulations Regina!

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