Olivenhain Kids Cross Country Invite hits the trail Sept. 23

The sixth annual Olivenhain Kids Cross Country Invitational will be held on Sunday, Sept. 23 at Olivenhain Town Hall. The invitational is a great way for kids ages 5-14 of all abilities to experience a fun, kids-only running event. Age group races begin at 8 a.m.

The course is a 500-meter loop with each race consisting of one to four loops (one for the youngest age group and up to four loops for the oldest age groups). All races are run entirely on the meeting house grounds.The terrain is slightly hilly with a combination of wood chips and hard-packed dirt and the course is shaped like the letter “C”, so family members will have several opportunities to see their kids running. Spectators are encouraged to borrow a cow bell and head down to “Cow Bell Corner” to cheer.

This year, every runner receives a medal. The top 10 finishers from each race will win special prizes at the awards ceremony and the top five finishers will win special medals. There will also be a family raffle to win prizes. The race is followed up with a kids festival and post-run breakfast featuring pancakes, bacon and orange juice with a small donation. Funds raised go toward scholarships that provide opportunities for kids to run on local teams as well as in next year’s invite.

Entries are $15 per person in advance or $20 on race day. The town hall is located at 423 Rancho Santa Fe Road in Encinitas. For more information, visit NorthCountyKidsRun.com