Austin ISD students at Patton Elementary started their Marathon Kids season Sept. 25 with music, cowbells and pom-poms. The kickoff marks the start of a school year spent working toward running or walking 26.2 miles.
"Ultimately, what we want the kids to say is 'I get to run' instead of 'I have to run,'" said Jason Daniel, CEO of Marathon Kids.
The details
The nonprofit, which started in Austin in 1995, offers its program free to schools nationwide, according to its website. More than 20,600 AISD students at 96 campuses took part in Marathon Kids last school year, logging more than 364,000 miles, according to the nonprofit's 2025-26 impact report.
Teachers track each student's miles in real time with the Marathon Kids Connect app and use that data to motivate students individually and by grade or classroom, Daniel said. Participating schools will come together again in May for a finisher celebration. Families can check their school's progress on the district's leaderboard.
Beyond the physical benefits, kids who move more tend to behave better and perform better academically, Daniel said. The goal is for students to carry those habits home, and some bring their families with them.