Primary schoolchildren urged to take part in 'Mini Mini' Fun Run
Youngsters set off for the Mini-Mini event, which took place in Ballina as part of the Mayo.ie Western People Women's Mini-Marathon, in 2024. Picture: John O'Grady
The West of Ireland Women’s Mini-Marathon is edging closer with just three weeks to go to the 2026 event being held in Ballina on Sunday, May 3. This week we will focus on the Mini Mini race, which is open to primary school children.
Mayo Sports Partnership is delighted to announce the return of the popular Mini Mini Fun Run for Primary School Children which runs in conjunction with Mayo Day.
This event is supported by Healthy Mayo with this year’s theme is 'Kids Run for Fun'. Girls and boys of all abilities are encouraged to take part in what will be a fun run in every sense of the word, with inclusion and participation the cornerstones of the event.
The Mini Mini 2km run/walk will take place directly after the start of the Women’s Mini Marathon at 12.05pm at the Market Square in Ballina.
Registration is free and will open on Thursday, April 16. There will be 800 spaces and 800 t-shirts, which are funded by Healthy Ireland, up for grabs. There will also be record charts available through participating schools or they can be downloaded from the Mini-Marathon website.
Registration is available via Eventbrite and through selected participating schools. Find all the details on the event on www.westofirelandwomensminimarathon.com.
Speaking about the Mini Mini event, Community Sports Development Officer with Mayo Sports Partnership, Deirdre Donnelly, said: “The Mini Mini Fun Run is such a special part of the Mayo.ie Women’s Mini-Marathon weekend. It’s all about giving children the opportunity to be active, to enjoy being part of something positive, and to experience the fun of taking part alongside their friends and family.
“Physical activity is so important for children’s health and wellbeing, but just as important is creating opportunities where participation is valued over competition. Events like this help to build confidence, encourage healthy habits from an early age, and strengthen that wonderful sense of community spirit we have here in Mayo.”
Healthy Mayo, a supporter of the event, forms part of the national Healthy Ireland network, which is a State-led initiative and is dedicated to enhancing the health and wellbeing of Irish society.
Their mission is to make the “healthy choice the easier choice” with supportive environments where physical and mental health are prioritised across all levels of society while actively promoting Healthy Community development.
The new Healthy Ireland Mayo Coordinator Ann Ronayne said: “I am delighted to support the Mini Mini event in Ballina on Sunday, May 3, during the Bank Holiday weekend.
“This event perfectly embodies our national objectives of increasing healthy life stages and reducing health inequalities by providing an inclusive, fun environment for children of all abilities to get active.
“By encouraging our young people to meet their daily physical activity targets through community-based events like this, we are not only tackling childhood obesity but also fostering the positive mental wellbeing and social connections that allow every child in Mayo to reach their full potential.
“Healthy Mayo would like to wish the organisers and the volunteers the very best of luck with the successful delivery of both the Women’s Mini-Marathon and the Mini Mini children’s event over this bank holiday weekend.”
The national physical activity guideline recommends that all children and young people should be active at a moderate to vigorous level for a least 60 minutes every day. The Mini Mini 2km Fun Race is the perfect platform to increase the number of children reaching the recommended guideline with the Mini Mini record chart a fantastic way to encourage children to record their daily activity.
Family ethos is an integral part of the West of Ireland Women’s Mini-Marathon. The Mini Mini is not only open to children but also to family members, parents, grandparents, neighbours and friends who can call take part for free.
For anyone who wishes to partake in the West of Ireland Women’s Mini-Marathon, you register now on www.westofirelandwomensminimarathon.com. Over 1,700 people have registered for the event to date, so anyone wishing to take part in this year’s Mini-Marathon in encouraged to book their spot.
