A virtual option for the Kids Run may be one of those fabled silver linings that came out of a brutal year of shutdowns, canceled events, and screen time overload. Allowing parents to take their child's Kids Run packet home supports parents in their efforts to get their kids moving again, while your event reduces overspending and waste. Without the constraints of timing chips, awards, and measured courses, the Kids Run is the perfect opportunity to let parents take race packets “to-go”.
 
Parents are notorious for registering their children at the last minute for Kids Runs – usually in the week prior to the race –  and even the day-of.  It’s not their fault, and it is not yours! Having children means being in a constant state of flux. Kids wake up with sniffles or with a case of the grumps; they get last minute invitations to birthday parties or sports activities; they suddenly decide they hate running after weeks of loving it.
 
Parents get wise to these mood swings and wait until the last minute to register. By doing so, they avoid potentially losing their registration fee, the stress of pleading with their child to get out of bed and come run with mommy, and the disappointment when emotions explode. 

This uncertainty, however, leaves race directors with the guessing game of how many medals and shirts to order and what to do with the inevitable leftovers. And ultimately cursing their Kids Run for losing money and wondering if it’s worth continuing it.
 
2020 sucked but it taught us the importance of switching gears. It also put a spotlight on the concept of Virtual Runs. A Running USA Race Director Magazine article about the takeaways of a year of virtual racing inspired me to think about an exciting option for engaging more children in our events. What if we give parents the flexibility to have their child participate in our in-person Kids Runs or to take their race packet (including medal) home to create a virtual option in their backyard or park? 
 
Kids Runs are inherently more flexible in this regard because they typically are not timed or measured, and don’t have awards categories (there’s no BQ for Kids Runs yet, I don’t think!). Sure, running with a big group of people on event day has advantages, but some children find it overwhelming and may prefer the comfort of running in their neighborhood with family or a group of friends. Here's why it may work for your event and your participants:
 
What’s In it for Parents:

• Parents can sign up with confidence that registration fees won’t be wasted if their child refuses to participate 
• They can share their own event experience with their children – matching shirts and medals – even if their family can not attend.
• They can encourage family and friends to participate in a self-produced backyard kids run branded with your event's race gear!

Full disclosure, I haven’t had a chance to try this option yet since events are only just reopening here in California. But here are some considerations I thought of based on over a decade of working with running events and families:

• Promote it on your website so parents are aware of the option.
• Decide if you want parents to choose this option when they register or if it’s only available when they pick up.
• Have extra packets on race day for purchase at the expo.
• Create a system to track who has picked up their medal and who gets one at the finish line to avoid double-dipping.

• Have a plan for a no-show parents– be clear if they need to pick up at the event, at a local retailer, or if there is a fee for mailing.
• Offer excess packets for sale online throughout the year for families to purchase any time after the main event (be sure to account for postage in the registration fee)

 
Creating opportunities for children to be involved in the running community is an important part of being a race director. Some children naturally gravitate to our events because they love running, being around their peers, or doing the sports their parent loves. But for many children, large scale events like ours are intimidating or inconvenient. Finding creative ways to engage them with your event – with a virtual option - may inspire them to come back next year and is certainly a great way to open the door to the running community.

The benefits of a Kids Run include reaching new audiences, attracting new sponsors and vendors, and taking advantage of new marketing outlets.  Let's go into a little more detail: 

REACH NEW AUDIENCES – beyond your typical runner scanning the race calendar for a goal race, fast 5K or, BQ, there are lots of families who are looking for something fun and active to do on the weekend with the kids.  They may first come across your event through their relationship with another organization but the family activity may be what convinces them to sign up.  Organizations where families connect include: