Youngsters finish ‘marathon’ feat during Kids Run the OC

The day before the starting gun sounds for the 14th annual OC Marathon, almost 10,000 children toed the line Saturday in Costa Mesa to wrap up a multiweek “marathon” of their own.

The young runners trotted around the OC Fair & Event Center as part of Kids Run the OC, a 10- to 12-week health and fitness program during which participants run the 26.2-mile length of a marathon.

On Saturday, children ran the final mile of that distance during several heats in age groups ranging from 6 and under to 11 and up.

Later in the day, runners of all ages participated in the Wahoo’s OC 5K, which started and finished at the fairgrounds.

The OC Marathon and OC Half Marathon take off Sunday morning in front of the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa, 900 Newport Center Drive. Both of those courses end at the Fair & Event Center as well.

For more information on those races, visit ocmarathon.com.