Magik FM People’s Run a big hit with families

By Seti Afoa 20 March 2017, 12:00AM

For the last ten weeks, an invasion of little people and parents in tow has taken place every Wednesday evening at the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum estate.

The event is the weekly Samoa Events race that is known as the Magik FM People’s Run. It takes place during daylight saving between October and December, and again from January to late March.

With the changing of time coming soon upon us that fun is coming to an end this week. The final run of the series is on Wednesday. 

The run has averaged 40 runners each week. There were a few weeks in early February that saw sixty runners at the race. The youngest runners/walkers are aged 3yrs and of course there is no limit at the top end. 

The magic of this event is the combination of a safe course in beautiful surrounds and a competitive element where all participants regardless of age get an official race time each week. Even three year olds get official race times.

The effect of this is that come the next race, runners are looking to better their time from the previous week, or challenge themselves to an extra lap of the course. 

The other are two important components of the race is the non-cancellation policy, and starting the event bang on start time at 6 o’clock. The non-cancellation policy leaves everyone assured the event is always on, even if it’s raining. 

The run course is a 1.5km circuit around the perimeter of the RLS estate. Minimum distance each week is 3km or two laps of the course. Runners that are aiming for longer distance events coming up usually run four laps each week. Every once in a while, runners are challenged to a bonus round with a reward at the end. 

It works, the last two bonus rounds had all the children running an extra 1.5kms to earn a cool POWERADE drink at the end. 

The event is a magical setting every week for families and young children. The cost too is minimal at $5 for adults and $2 for children each week. It is the most affordable family event around town.

It’s the children, as much as it is the parents that create the wonderful atmosphere for this event. The children come because their friends are running, and the parents need to bring them to the race. 

In this race, children are interchangeable, everyone looks out for them as they walk, run, wander along the course as more serious runners pass them by around the picturesque course. 

The last run on Wednesday ends with a big ‘Bring and Share’ party on the museum lawns to celebrate what has been a magical series.

By Seti Afoa 20 March 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>