by Kelly Rogge
As the weather begins to warm up and winter melts away, more people are going outdoors to get active. Kansas City Kansas Community College is offering one way to stay active with the 2015 Blue Devil 5K and Kids Trot.
The Blue Devil 5K, which is in its 11th year, is at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 2. The course winds through the KCKCC campus on the roads, walking paths and sidewalks.
The Kids Trot follows at 9 a.m. and is geared toward children 11-years and younger. Activities for the children will be provided from 7:30 to 9 a.m. by childcare volunteers, so parents can participate in the run/walk.
Registration for the 5K is $20 per person through March 31. The Kids Trot is $5. Registration includes a T-shirt, Finisher’s Medal, Goodie Bag and an all-you-can eat pancake breakfast following the event. Children in the Kids Trot will receive a participation ribbon. About 200 people participated in the 5K and Kids Trot in 2014.
“The Blue Devil 5k & Kids Trot is an annual run-walk event to promote exercise and health in the KCK area,” said Joseph Mundt, wellness specialist at the KCKCC Wellness and Fitness Center. “Secondly, the Blue Devil 5k and Kids Trot is a fundraising event that helps to raise funds for improvement of the KCKCC campus walking trail that many surrounding KCK community member use on a daily basis.”
Awards will be given to the top overall male and female finishers. In addition, the winner of each age group will receive an award and a prize. Children in the Kids Trot will run in heats based on age groups. Distances will range from 25 meters to one-quarter of a mile. No strollers are allowed.
“People should participate because it will be a morning of family fun, and they will get some exercise while they’re at it,” Mundt said. “We will have music playing, balloon animals for kids, an all you can eat pancake breakfast, and lots of awards and giveaways. Everything is included in your entry.”
For more information about the Blue Devil 5K Run-Walk and Kids Trot, visit www.kckcc.edu/campus-life/health-rec/WFC/blue-devil-fun-run-walk. Information is also available by calling the KCKCC Wellness and Fitness Center at 913-288-7610. An entry form must be filled out for each registrant.
Registration is accepted through online registration https://mysportkc.org/Register/?event=31082 or in person at the KCKCC Wellness Center. Volunteers are also needed. For information on how to volunteer for the Blue Devil 5K Run-Walk and Kids Trot, call 913-288-7370.
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.