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| Valentine's Day Fun Run Bib |
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| San Antonio Riverwalk |
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| Kate thought the heart medal was best gift ever. |
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| It's top secret for now but I will reveal in the future how this medal has inspired me to create a brand new, really cool product! |
Even when we weren't running in fun runs, the high-energy feeling permeated the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio. We had speed networking sessions, break-out sessions on social networking, multiple opportunities to learn about sponsorships, marketing, volunteerism and my favorite, youth running programs (more on that later). The team from Running USA really knows how to put on a conference!
'Greening' races was a very popular topic, and Path of Intention's eco-responsible journals were really well received. Runners get it. They see the value of writing and journaling on paper during those cherished moments away from the ubiquitous screens of our digital world. Mental preparation for races, long runs and life requires deep reflection, and looking within--and there isn't an app for that --yet. Okay, there probably is one, but (in my humble opinion) it can't compare to those quiet moments away from the computer when we feel that connection to something bigger than ourselves (and yes, even bigger than the internet).
The first night as I walking up and down the aisles of the exhibition during the cocktail reception a couple of attendees stopped me by yelling, "Hey Amy!" (yes--I had a big VIP Pass size name tag on). I walked over and they admitted they could tell after I passed them the third time it was obvious to them I was a first-timer at the conference and didn't know anyone. These kind people (you know who you are--Lorene and Tim!) introduced me to so many wonderful people at the conference. They really took me under their wing and were mentors to me. Thanks guys!
Lorene Oates is the Sponsor Services Coordinator for the St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration in Boise, Idaho: http://www.celebrateall.org/ (my sister lives in Boise so I just might get the chance to check it out in person!) and Tim (T-Bone) Arem is America's Fitness Ambassador check-out his website: http://www.tbonerun.com/ . On the last day of the conference, Tim won the Running USA, Youth Running Award of "Contributor of the Year". Wow! I was hanging out with cool people!
According to the Running USA mission statement,
"Running USA advances the growth and success of the running industry in America."
One thing that was clear was that does not apply only to adults. Youth running programs are a HUGE priority for this organization. Multiple breakout sessions were devoted to discussions on creating, developing and promoting successful youth running programs and races. These were especially useful and meaningful to me because this is my passion! I have been a volunteer running club coach for kids for six years, and last year (with the help of many wonderful people) I organized and helped direct the Race 4 You(th), a charity event with 1-mile races, specifically for Kindergarten through 8th graders. I also am a volunteer and charity runner for Chicago Run, a non-profit that brings running programs to the children of Chicago Public Schools. I LOVE Chicago Run: www.chicagorun.org . At the very end of this post I share tips for getting a running club for youth started.
As you may be able to gather from my last blog posting, running has gotten me through some difficult times in my life. Over and over again, this simple sport has given me strength, perseverance and a healthier outlook on all that life tosses my way. Sharing my love for running and the good things that come with it, is one the most rewarding aspects of my life!
Great webstes and resources for beginning or finding a running club:
New York Road Runners (ING NY Marathon): http://www.nyrr.org/ycr/ars/index.asp
Just Run (Big Sur Marathon): http://www.justrun.org/
Chicago Run (Chicago Public Schools): www.chicagorun.org
Running Rocks! (Running USA, Portal): http://runningrocks.com/programs
It is understatement to say I left San Antonio inspired!
As promised, below is the list of specific tips I have compiled on starting a youth running club. Feel free to post a comment or send me a message if you have any questions.
Thank you!
Amy
Below are a list of tips I have learned after 6 years of experience to help you get started. If you have tips of your own, feedback, questions or suggestions please don't hesitate to make a comment. I believe in the meeting of the minds and my goal is for the list to expand and evolve.
Note: Before you begin you may need to set-up a meeting with the principal or appropriate administrator from the school to discuss your plans and to seek official approval. You may also want to contact the president of your school's PTA or PTO. In my situation I also met with the P.E. teacher because our club meets in the gym and he allows us to use his cones and stopwatches (thanks Coach K!).
1. Keep it simple. Keep it fun. Our school running club meets weekly, right after school, a total of four times in October and four times in May. Each running club is 55 minutes long. My personal goal is to introduce the sport in a fun and exciting way, not train them to be 5 to 11 year-old elite runners. If we convert one child from thinking that running is painful to believing running is enjoyable it makes the entire club worth it to me.
2. Create a sign-up sheet/waiver that includes all the pertinent information (dates, times, locations, club description, rules, plus a reminder to bring a water bottle). Don't forget to ask for the child's name, grade, parent/guardian emergency information, e-mail address, volunteer sign-up, consent signature, etc. Make sure the due date of the sign up sheet is at least one week before the running club starts.
3. Actively recruit volunteers. Running clubs can get quite large. Last fall we had over 90 runners! Make sure you have the ratio of volunteers to students required at your school. Assign the volunteers to specific tasks based on the club's needs.
4. If possible run on school grounds. To avoid crossing after-school traffic all of our primary grade members run in a field behind the school. We set-up a rectangular course with cones that is 1/5 of a mile in distance. We run laps on the outside of the cones and play games and do relays on the inside of the cones.
5. Divide into grades or age groups. We noticed after the last school year that although our total number of members was going up, we were losing 4th and 5th graders. Last fall we created a running clinic for the older grades that is geared toward preparing the older members to potentially run in middle school. As a rite of passage the 4th and 5th graders get to run to a local park (with supervision) for their workouts. Younger kids run laps, do relays, play games and stretch/do yoga on the school grounds. Kindergartners can join as long as a parent/guardian accompanies them. Note: Depending on the size of your club you may want to make pace groups within the age groups, especially for the older grades.
6. Plan for check-in. Once school is out you tend to get a mad rush of kids. Have parent volunteers help with this task. We use large popsicle sticks as name tags, and on a good day we have the sticks organized both alphabetically and by grade.
7. Have a designated meeting place after check-in for each age group, and have a volunteer waiting for members in that spot and once all the members have arrived go over your running club rules.
8. Talk to the runners about pace. Kids love to take off and sprint as fast as possible until they have to walk--or even lie down on the ground. Explain how they will be able to run farther and faster (on average) if they first learn to pace themselves--plus they will probably have a lot more fun. Introduce the concept of the talking test. Have them run with a member or two and hold a conversation or sing their favorite song to determine a good pace. You may want to have a "turtle pacer" for at least a warm-up lap. This is a volunteer that jogs at a slower, pace that the kids must stay behind for the warm-up lap.
9. Keep track of the runners' laps or give them lap-points for their work-outs. The first year we started our running club we thought we would make it completely non-competitive. We had a lot of walkers that year. Although I always emphasize that walking is great exercise too, it was obvious the members were indifferent about running. After hearing about another running club's success after keeping track of laps, parent volunteers began marking the popsicle sticks with hash marks using Sharpies for each lap completed and pretty soon the kids were motivated to have their popsicle stick covered with lines.
10. Enter points/laps into a spread sheet and convert into miles. Before each running club tell the runners how far the club has run collectively so far. Our running club once covered the distance from Arlington Heights, Illinois to New York City collectively as a group. (This was also an idea inspired by another local running club for kids). Encourage members to run outside of running club too. I give handouts that allow members to keep track of mileage. The sheet has four suggested local routes varying in distance from 1/4 mile to a mile. I also suggest they map their own route (with the help of their parents/guardians) using the mapping tool on www.usatf.org. A fun goal is to have the kids aim for becoming a member of the "Marathon Club" by running a total of 26.2 miles over time. A small prize (key chain, water bottle), a certificate with a "Marathon Club" designation or a day of helping lead stretching are examples of ways to honor this accomplishment.
11. Promote the club before and/or during the running club. Have some members create a sign or two. Put runners names on paper cut-outs of running shoes. Decorate a display case. Make sure all students know they are invited to join.
12. Invite parents, relatives, teachers, community members or older students to speak at and/or run with the club. Last fall we had three speakers including a parent who competed in the Para-Triathlon World Championships, a parent who was on his track team in college, and a parent who is a school nurse who gave a talk on nutrition. This spring we have invited the local middle school track team, the local high school track team and a personal fitness trainer to speak at our running club.
----------------------------------------------
Below are examples of itineraries which can be used as a guideline:
Kindergarten and 1st Grade (Lead by 2 Volunteer Coaches):
3:35 to 3:45 check-in
3:45 to 3:52 tips, rules and warm-up
3:52 to 4:02 games: flag tag; sharks & minnows; red light, green light; fitness course, etc.
(water break)
4:02 to 4:15 run laps for hash marks
4:15 to 4:25 stretching/yoga/speakers
4:25 to 4:30 turn-in stick/head inside for pick-up
2nd and 3rd Grade (Lead by 2 Volunteer Coaches):
3:35 to 3:45 check-in
3:45 to 3:52 tips, rules and warm-up
3:52 to 4:02 warm-up lap/run laps for hash marks
(water break)
4:02 to 4:15 games: relays, flag tag, sharks & minnows, fitness course, shuttle sprints, etc.
4:15 to 4:25 stretching/yoga/speakers
4:25 to 4:30 turn-in stick/head inside for pick-up
4th and 5th Grade (Lead by 3 or more Volunteer Coaches):
3:35 to 3:45 check-in/rules
3:45 to 3:52 warm-up jog to local park
(water break)
3:52 to 4:00 speaker, tips, stretching, explanation of work-out
4:00 to 4:20 work-out (drills, intervals, relays, fartleks, fitness course, etc.)
4:15 to 4:23 stretching/yoga
4:23 to 4:30 jog back to school for pick-up
------------------------------------------------------
Below are some books I recommend:
Bloom, Marc. "Young Runners: The Complete Guide to Healthy Running for Kids from 5 to 18." Simon & Schuster: 2009
Goodrow, Carol. "Kids Running: Have Fun, Get Faster & Go Farther." Breakaway Books: 2008
Greene, Larry & Russ Pate. "Training for Young Distance Runners." Human Kinetics: 2004
------------------------------------------------------
'Greening' races was a very popular topic, and Path of Intention's eco-responsible journals were really well received. Runners get it. They see the value of writing and journaling on paper during those cherished moments away from the ubiquitous screens of our digital world. Mental preparation for races, long runs and life requires deep reflection, and looking within--and there isn't an app for that --yet. Okay, there probably is one, but (in my humble opinion) it can't compare to those quiet moments away from the computer when we feel that connection to something bigger than ourselves (and yes, even bigger than the internet).
 |
| Creigh Kelley (http://www.bkbltd.com) who was one of this year's Hall of Champions inductees, & Nancy Hobbs from Running USA |
Lorene Oates is the Sponsor Services Coordinator for the St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration in Boise, Idaho: http://www.celebrateall.org/ (my sister lives in Boise so I just might get the chance to check it out in person!) and Tim (T-Bone) Arem is America's Fitness Ambassador check-out his website: http://www.tbonerun.com/ . On the last day of the conference, Tim won the Running USA, Youth Running Award of "Contributor of the Year". Wow! I was hanging out with cool people!
 |
| Tim and Lorene were incredible! True mentors! Wish you could see their beautiful faces. |
According to the Running USA mission statement,
"Running USA advances the growth and success of the running industry in America."
One thing that was clear was that does not apply only to adults. Youth running programs are a HUGE priority for this organization. Multiple breakout sessions were devoted to discussions on creating, developing and promoting successful youth running programs and races. These were especially useful and meaningful to me because this is my passion! I have been a volunteer running club coach for kids for six years, and last year (with the help of many wonderful people) I organized and helped direct the Race 4 You(th), a charity event with 1-mile races, specifically for Kindergarten through 8th graders. I also am a volunteer and charity runner for Chicago Run, a non-profit that brings running programs to the children of Chicago Public Schools. I LOVE Chicago Run: www.chicagorun.org . At the very end of this post I share tips for getting a running club for youth started.
As you may be able to gather from my last blog posting, running has gotten me through some difficult times in my life. Over and over again, this simple sport has given me strength, perseverance and a healthier outlook on all that life tosses my way. Sharing my love for running and the good things that come with it, is one the most rewarding aspects of my life!
 |
| I had the honor and opportunity to discuss running clubs for underserved youth with Cliff Sperber of NYRR. He is the real deal! |
New York Road Runners (ING NY Marathon): http://www.nyrr.org/ycr/ars/index.asp
Just Run (Big Sur Marathon): http://www.justrun.org/
Chicago Run (Chicago Public Schools): www.chicagorun.org
Running Rocks! (Running USA, Portal): http://runningrocks.com/programs
It is understatement to say I left San Antonio inspired!
As promised, below is the list of specific tips I have compiled on starting a youth running club. Feel free to post a comment or send me a message if you have any questions.
Thank you!
Amy
Tips for starting a running club for K through 5th graders
As a life-long runner I strongly believe in the emotional and physical benefits of the sport. When my oldest son, Sam, who is now a 6th grader was entering 1st grade I was determined to start a running club for kids at his school. Luckily, I had a mentor. My sister-in-law had started a club at another school in our district. Her club was a huge success and she was willing to show me the ropes.
Below are a list of tips I have learned after 6 years of experience to help you get started. If you have tips of your own, feedback, questions or suggestions please don't hesitate to make a comment. I believe in the meeting of the minds and my goal is for the list to expand and evolve.
Note: Before you begin you may need to set-up a meeting with the principal or appropriate administrator from the school to discuss your plans and to seek official approval. You may also want to contact the president of your school's PTA or PTO. In my situation I also met with the P.E. teacher because our club meets in the gym and he allows us to use his cones and stopwatches (thanks Coach K!).
1. Keep it simple. Keep it fun. Our school running club meets weekly, right after school, a total of four times in October and four times in May. Each running club is 55 minutes long. My personal goal is to introduce the sport in a fun and exciting way, not train them to be 5 to 11 year-old elite runners. If we convert one child from thinking that running is painful to believing running is enjoyable it makes the entire club worth it to me.
2. Create a sign-up sheet/waiver that includes all the pertinent information (dates, times, locations, club description, rules, plus a reminder to bring a water bottle). Don't forget to ask for the child's name, grade, parent/guardian emergency information, e-mail address, volunteer sign-up, consent signature, etc. Make sure the due date of the sign up sheet is at least one week before the running club starts.
3. Actively recruit volunteers. Running clubs can get quite large. Last fall we had over 90 runners! Make sure you have the ratio of volunteers to students required at your school. Assign the volunteers to specific tasks based on the club's needs.
4. If possible run on school grounds. To avoid crossing after-school traffic all of our primary grade members run in a field behind the school. We set-up a rectangular course with cones that is 1/5 of a mile in distance. We run laps on the outside of the cones and play games and do relays on the inside of the cones.
5. Divide into grades or age groups. We noticed after the last school year that although our total number of members was going up, we were losing 4th and 5th graders. Last fall we created a running clinic for the older grades that is geared toward preparing the older members to potentially run in middle school. As a rite of passage the 4th and 5th graders get to run to a local park (with supervision) for their workouts. Younger kids run laps, do relays, play games and stretch/do yoga on the school grounds. Kindergartners can join as long as a parent/guardian accompanies them. Note: Depending on the size of your club you may want to make pace groups within the age groups, especially for the older grades.
6. Plan for check-in. Once school is out you tend to get a mad rush of kids. Have parent volunteers help with this task. We use large popsicle sticks as name tags, and on a good day we have the sticks organized both alphabetically and by grade.
7. Have a designated meeting place after check-in for each age group, and have a volunteer waiting for members in that spot and once all the members have arrived go over your running club rules.
8. Talk to the runners about pace. Kids love to take off and sprint as fast as possible until they have to walk--or even lie down on the ground. Explain how they will be able to run farther and faster (on average) if they first learn to pace themselves--plus they will probably have a lot more fun. Introduce the concept of the talking test. Have them run with a member or two and hold a conversation or sing their favorite song to determine a good pace. You may want to have a "turtle pacer" for at least a warm-up lap. This is a volunteer that jogs at a slower, pace that the kids must stay behind for the warm-up lap.
9. Keep track of the runners' laps or give them lap-points for their work-outs. The first year we started our running club we thought we would make it completely non-competitive. We had a lot of walkers that year. Although I always emphasize that walking is great exercise too, it was obvious the members were indifferent about running. After hearing about another running club's success after keeping track of laps, parent volunteers began marking the popsicle sticks with hash marks using Sharpies for each lap completed and pretty soon the kids were motivated to have their popsicle stick covered with lines.
10. Enter points/laps into a spread sheet and convert into miles. Before each running club tell the runners how far the club has run collectively so far. Our running club once covered the distance from Arlington Heights, Illinois to New York City collectively as a group. (This was also an idea inspired by another local running club for kids). Encourage members to run outside of running club too. I give handouts that allow members to keep track of mileage. The sheet has four suggested local routes varying in distance from 1/4 mile to a mile. I also suggest they map their own route (with the help of their parents/guardians) using the mapping tool on www.usatf.org. A fun goal is to have the kids aim for becoming a member of the "Marathon Club" by running a total of 26.2 miles over time. A small prize (key chain, water bottle), a certificate with a "Marathon Club" designation or a day of helping lead stretching are examples of ways to honor this accomplishment.
11. Promote the club before and/or during the running club. Have some members create a sign or two. Put runners names on paper cut-outs of running shoes. Decorate a display case. Make sure all students know they are invited to join.
12. Invite parents, relatives, teachers, community members or older students to speak at and/or run with the club. Last fall we had three speakers including a parent who competed in the Para-Triathlon World Championships, a parent who was on his track team in college, and a parent who is a school nurse who gave a talk on nutrition. This spring we have invited the local middle school track team, the local high school track team and a personal fitness trainer to speak at our running club.
----------------------------------------------
Below are examples of itineraries which can be used as a guideline:
Kindergarten and 1st Grade (Lead by 2 Volunteer Coaches):
3:35 to 3:45 check-in
3:45 to 3:52 tips, rules and warm-up
3:52 to 4:02 games: flag tag; sharks & minnows; red light, green light; fitness course, etc.
(water break)
4:02 to 4:15 run laps for hash marks
4:15 to 4:25 stretching/yoga/speakers
4:25 to 4:30 turn-in stick/head inside for pick-up
2nd and 3rd Grade (Lead by 2 Volunteer Coaches):
3:35 to 3:45 check-in
3:45 to 3:52 tips, rules and warm-up
3:52 to 4:02 warm-up lap/run laps for hash marks
(water break)
4:02 to 4:15 games: relays, flag tag, sharks & minnows, fitness course, shuttle sprints, etc.
4:15 to 4:25 stretching/yoga/speakers
4:25 to 4:30 turn-in stick/head inside for pick-up
4th and 5th Grade (Lead by 3 or more Volunteer Coaches):
3:35 to 3:45 check-in/rules
3:45 to 3:52 warm-up jog to local park
(water break)
3:52 to 4:00 speaker, tips, stretching, explanation of work-out
4:00 to 4:20 work-out (drills, intervals, relays, fartleks, fitness course, etc.)
4:15 to 4:23 stretching/yoga
4:23 to 4:30 jog back to school for pick-up
------------------------------------------------------
Below are some books I recommend:
Bloom, Marc. "Young Runners: The Complete Guide to Healthy Running for Kids from 5 to 18." Simon & Schuster: 2009
Goodrow, Carol. "Kids Running: Have Fun, Get Faster & Go Farther." Breakaway Books: 2008
Greene, Larry & Russ Pate. "Training for Young Distance Runners." Human Kinetics: 2004
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