The Space Coast Runners Youth Series returns Saturday, Sept. 19, with six free races for children ages 12 and under at Viera Middle School. The event marks the first of six races scheduled through March 2027, all held at the school’s track for the first time. Races begin at 9 a.m. with warm-ups starting at 8:50. Parents are asked to arrive by 8:45 to check in at the SCR tent and pick up race bibs.
Lisa Helm, Youth Series Coordinator, said the program aims to introduce kids to running in a non-competitive environment. "Watching kids cross that finish line with a huge smile on their face is what it’s all about," she said. The series includes six races on Saturdays in September, October, November, January, February and March. Each race is tailored to age groups, with distances ranging from 100 meters for children 3 and under to 800 meters for ages 11-12.
The 2026-2027 series will be the first to hold all races at one location after previous years’ events were split across multiple sites. Race dates are: Sept. 19, Oct. 10, Nov. 14, Jan. 9, Feb. 6 and March 6. No registration fees are required, but participants must sign up online by visiting runsignup.com/Race/FL/Viera/SCRYouthSeriesRaces.
The program has no age cap beyond 12, though younger children are encouraged to participate with parental supervision. Helm said the series has grown steadily since its inception, with participation doubling in the past two years. The final race of the 2026-2027 season will be held March 6, 2027. More details are available at spacecoastrunners.org/scr-youth-series.