Big challenge. Big smiles. Big memories.
We’re excited to welcome junior runners aged 12 to 17 and young adults aged 18 & 19 to the MK24 Midsummer RunFest. Whether you’re chasing a new personal challenge, supporting friends and family, or soaking up the incredible festival atmosphere, MK24 is perfect for younger runners to experience a 24-hour running event in a safe, supportive environment:
- Run when you want – day or night
- No pressure, no cut‑offs, just loads of encouragement
- A buzzing festival atmosphere in the event village
- A huge sense of achievement for every finish
MK24 is about participation, confidence and fun – run at your own pace, in your own time, and being part of something truly special.
How junior and young adult participation works.
To make sure the event is enjoyable and safe, junior running at MK24 is structured in line with UK Athletics (UKA) age restrictions* and guidelines. The UKA guidelines also sets limits on how much can be run at one time:
| Age on race day | Half Lap (approx. 5k) | Full Lap (approx. 10k) | Maximum distance permitted without a break |
| 12-14 | Yes | No | 5k |
| 15 | Optional | Yes | 10k |
| 16 | No | Yes | 15k |
| 17 | No | Yes | Half Marathon |
| 18 & 19 | No | Yes | Full Marathon |
We recommend a minimum rest period of one hour between each maximum distance completed for all junior runners.
Medals, rewards & that MK24 feeling
Junior runners and young adults are fully part of the MK24 celebration. Participation earns you:
- A bespoke MK24 finishers medal
- The iconic MK24 towel
- A MK24 t-shirt or vest *Entries must be received by 31st May to be eligible for the t-shirt/vest
Every lap counts and every finish matters so you will also earn distance pins based on the total mileage covered during the event:
- Half marathon 4 half laps (12-14s) / 2 full laps (15-18s)
- Full marathon 8 half laps (12-14s) / 4 full laps (15-18s)
- Ultra-marathon 10 half laps (12-14s) / 5 full laps (15-18s)
- Double-marathon Not encouraged / 8 full laps (15-18s)
Supervision & safety
Safety is our top priority, and we insist that junior runners are supervised whilst on site. We strongly recommend that junior runners are also accompanied by an adult whilst running, even though we know most of juniors run faster than us adults! If this is not possible, we ask that younger runners adhere to the following guidelines to keep safe:
- Run in pairs, or as a group during daylight hours. We do not advocate running without an adult after dark under any circumstances.
- Notify a responsible adult when you set off and notify them when you return from a run.
- Ensure 1 person in the pair/group carries a mobile phone and knows the number for Race HQ before setting off.
- Track yourselves in real time where possible using Garmin, Strava or an Apple Air Tag, Samsung SmartTag (or similar device) in your clothing.
Want to share the experience? Parents and guardians are very welcome to enter and run too – it’s a brilliant event to enjoy together.
So, whether it’s your first ultra‑style event or your next big running milestone, MK24 is an experience you’ll never forget, and we can’t wait to cheer you on!!
If you have any questions about junior entries or eligibility, please get in touch at stephenscottrrevents@gmail.com – we’re always happy to help.