Family Fun Run | 3 siblings run in last mini-marathon (with video)

MYRTLE BEACH -- Lillian Freeman's glorious moment may be the last moment for the Sharkee's Mini-Marathon.

Though the one-mile Family Fun Run is alive and well, the mini-marathon may have seen its final participant after a two-year experiment initiated by Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon organizers.

Its final three participants to be exact. The Fun Run through Broadway at the Beach Friday had approximately 2,000 runners, but the mini-marathon that preceded it included Lillian, 7, and her 4-year-old twin siblings Wyndham and Victoria of Loris.

The mini-marathon featured school-age children who ran 25.2 miles in the weeks and months leading up to Friday, and finished the 26.2-mile marathon distance by running a mile at Broadway at the Beach.

"Last year we had 10 kids and it was something new we tried, and it hasn't taken off like we had hoped," marathon executive director Mike Shank said. "I would suspect after having 13 people in two years it's obvious the interest isn't there and we'll discontinue that. I think kids are more interested in just coming to do the one-mile Fun Run."

The Freeman children are home-schooled by their parents, Lia and Russell, who has run a number of marathons and half marathons.

They were surprised by the lack of participation in what they consider to be a worthwhile endeavor for children.

"I was astounded," Lia Freeman said. "I thought for sure more people would do it because if you just do it over the course of the school year it doesn't really require that much work. You can just do a mile here and there and add it together.

"I was a little bit disappointed because I thought it would be a bigger event and more people would take advantage of it. But I'm delighted that my children did it and participated. They worked hard and it turned out to be a good event for them."

The event survived long enough for Lillian to enjoy the portion of the course through Ripleys Aquarium that was included as a reward for the accomplishment.

The Fun Run didn't include a jaunt through the aquarium this year because of the swell of participants in recent years.

"I'm happy even though there weren't other people doing it," Lillian Freeman said.

"I liked doing it because I enjoy running with my family."