No need for running shoes here. Go barefoot and maybe catch a wave with Sarasota County Parks and Recreation's 2020 Kids' Summer Beach Runs. This popular program is now remote, a new alternative meaning that kids no longer meet on-site at the usual Siesta and Brohard Beaches, which have attracted hundreds of kids per week in years past.

This year, kids and their families can pick any time and place to run until Wednesday, July 29, and record up to four, mile-long runs on the county's website, which are rewarded with a T-shirt at the end of the program. Drive-thru events to pick-up your T-shirts will be held on Tuesday, July 28 at Siesta Beach or Wednesday, July 29 at Brohard Beach in Venice, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Parks and recreation staff, in collaboration with Sarasota Crew and New Balance of Sarasota, are excited to continue to provide this program for kids, despite the given situation. The program's flexibility means that kids and their families can still get outside and active, whether at the beach or not. However, parks and recreation staff still do think it's fun to run with your toes in the sand, with social distancing in mind. 

There's still time to join in on the fun, as the programs ends next Wednesday, July 29. Families can share their experience by tagging #SRQcountyparks and #KidsSummerBeachRuns on social media posts. Take a look at some other county summer activities to enjoy before school begins in the fall. 

 2020 Kids' Summer Beach Runs ends on Wednesday, July 29. Register here, or call (941) 861-7275.