KID ACTIVITIES:  at Rio Grande Park

Munchkin Marathon

Kids like to mirror the actions of their parents or guardian. It is also common for some children to want to be around the parent all the time, regardless of the situation or reason given. Separation can get tougher when the kids learn the parent will be doing something both have done before. This marathon takes place the day before the distance rides so that the youngsters can begin to grasp riding for long lengths, show the adults how to do it, and reduce the chance of a potential meltdown.

Cone Zone Slalom

Balance and agility are important skills for kids to learn. Unlike the marathon event that calls out for some endurance over multiple laps, this event is designed to teach maneuvering skills in both directions. Turns of different radii will be laid out using orange traffic cones to mark the riding path. The course takes place on grass for a couple reasons:  1) the turf is not exactly a perfectly smooth surface such that pedaling speed and momentum become important and 2) the green is softer and less abrasive than a street or path should the kid happen to fall.

Short Stack Streak

As done in track and field, several events will take place to help develop or test the speed of the rider. Sprints, starts and stops, and tempo courses will be laid out in the park and conducted at appropriate times over the three day period. Some activities will have heats or qualifying runs before the final competitions in front of their parents and the large crowd on Saturday.Others events for the kids need to occur on Thursday and Friday after all the road riders have left the park and the other activities have quieted down a bit.