As we approach race day, here is IMPORTANT information for you and your child.
PARKING
There is plenty of free parking near the expo, race start, and race finish. Here are a few options for parking on race weekend.
– Park in a city owned lot or garage. There are several within walking distance of the venue. We recommend both Market Garage and Locust Garage for Saturday.
– 11th Street Parking Garage. This University of Tennessee owned garage is at the corner of Clinch and 11th Street and is one block from the start line and two blocks from the finish line.
MANDATORY PACKET PICKUP
Children must pickup their t-shirt, bib, and goody bag at the Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday, March 30. Hours of the Expo are 9 am – 8 pm at the World’s Fair Exhibition Hall. NOTE: THIS IS A NEW LOCATION FOR US IN 2019!
The address of the Expo is 935 World’s Fair Park Drive. NOTE: This is across from the Knoxville Convention Center and is located down the escalators from the Holiday Inn at World’s Fair Park.
Feel free to come early and enjoy shopping and sampling from more than 60 exhibitors.
DUPLICATE BIBS
As part of their registration, each child will receive 2 IDENTICAL bibs. BE SURE AND KEEP THIS DUPLICATE BIB ON YOU AT ALL TIMES. One bib is for the child to wear for the fun run; the duplicate is for ONE accompanying Parent/Guardian/Relative to wear if they choose to join the child on the course. If a parent chose to add an additional adult entry to the entry fee of their child (for the additional $5 fee), this enables a second Parent/Guardian/Relative to accompany the child on the course. This additional bib, which reads “PARENT” and has the child’s information on it, will also be available for pickup during Packet Pickup at the Health and Fitness Expo. (NOTE: If you did not choose to have an additional entry for a second Parent/Guardian/Relative to accompany during preregistration, you may purchase this additional bib at the Expo for $5).
If a parent does not want to accompany their child on the course but will meet him/her at the finish line at World’s Fair Park, the parent STILL NEEDS to hold onto the duplicate bib. This will be their ticket to access the Festival Lawn and meet their child in the Parent/Child Reunite Area (see “Parent/Child Reunite Area at World’s Fair Park” Section below).
NOTE: No child will be allowed to leave the lawn at World’s Fair Park Festival Lawn unless they have been checked by the Knoxville Police Department to have a matching bib with an accompanying parent or guardian.
Please keep in mind that only registered children will receive a t-shirt, goody bag, and finisher’s medal for the Covenant Kids Run. (Parents do not receive these items too)
PRE-RACE ACTIVITIES INCLUDING GROUP PHOTOS
4:30 pm – PHOTOS AT WFP AMPHITHEATER – Join us at 4:30 pm at the Amphitheater in World’s Fair Park for group photos/school photos. Our photographers will be on hand to assist and organize the schools. The Amphitheater is just outside the doors of the Expo and visible from the Start Line on the Clinch Avenue Bridge.
5:15 pm – START LINE – Children and families will need to head to the Start Line on the Clinch Avenue Bridge by 5:15 pm. Children will then line up in their respective wave in preparation for the start of the race.
KIDS RUN COURSE FOR 2019!
This year’s Covenant Kids Run will start at 5:30 pm at the Clinch Avenue Bridge (same start line as the Sunday marathon). The course will head west on Clinch Avenue, turn right on World’s Fair Park Drive, turn left on 11th Street, turn right on Clinch Ave, turn left on 13th Street, turn left on White Ave, turn left on 11th, turn right on Clinch, turn right on World’s Fair Park Drive to the finish. Click below for a course map:
https://knoxvillemarathon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Covenant-Kids-Run-2019.pdf?x80935
WAVE START
Children will start in waves according to age; oldest to youngest. Approximate start times are as follows:
5:30 pm – 5TH, 6TH, 7th and 8th Graders
5:32 pm – 4th Graders
5:34 pm – 3rd Graders
5:36 pm – 2nd Graders
5:38 pm – 1st Graders
5:40 pm – Kindergarten and younger
PARENT/CHILD REUNITE AREA AT WORLD’S FAIR PARK
For safety reasons, parents and participants will immediately be directed through the finish chute to the designated reunite location on the Festival Lawn at World’s Fair Park. This area is for parents who are not running with their child, but instead will meet him or her on the field after the child’s finish. There will be LIMITED ACCESS to the field and parents MUST have the duplicate bib (as referenced in the section above) or “PARENT” Bib in order to gain access to the Parent/Child Reunite Area on the field.
Before parents and children exit the festival lawn via the exit on the southwest corner of the lawn, volunteers will check to make sure that the bib number on the child and the bib number on the parent are an exact match. The Knoxville Police Department will patrol and assist in this exit area.
STROLLERS
Strollers will be allowed for the Covenant Kids Run (Strollers are NOT allowed for any of the Sunday races). For the safety of all participants, parents with strollers MUST line up in the very back of the last wave.
FITTEST SCHOOL CHALLENGE
Thanks to a sponsorship by Regal, we are proud to award $5,600 to area schools through our 2019 Fittest School Challenge. The Fittest School Challenge is a competition between area elementary schools that awards winners based upon percentage of participation. Each child that participates in the March 30, 2019 Covenant Kids Run will earn one point for their school. We will tally up each school’s respective points and divide that by the total enrollment of that school to determine their participation percentage. To find out more, including the breakdown of prize money to be awarded, visit this page:
https://knoxvillemarathon.com/covenant-kids-run/
FUN!
Finally, HAVE FUN! We are looking forward to seeing you and your child on Saturday, March 30!