share!!

As some of you know, Ready, Set, Run! is a character-building running program that trains kids ages 8-13 to participate in a 5k run. This curriculum-based program equips kids with the physical training and goal-setting mentality needed to accomplish their running goals. Issues like enhancing confidence and self-esteem, respecting authority, dealing with peer pressure and fueling their bodies through proper nutrition are covered during a 12-week session.

As we at Ready, Set, Run! look toward the Fall, we would like to ask for your participation with a special project.  In the fall, the Ready, Set, Run! blog will begin to feature a series of guest posts called “My Running Moment: _______.”  This series of personal submissions will attempt to allow you to share your personal running stories, with the hope that these running stories will be a source of great encouragement to those who read this blog.

If you participated in RSR, do you have a special RSR story or memory from your time in the program that you would like to share?  Perhaps your running moment has to do with setting a goal and meeting it.  Maybe RSR taught you some valuable lessons about decision making and healthy living.  Perhaps the first time you ever ran a 5k was with RSR!  Whatever your story is, we want to hear it!
If you haven’t participated in a RSR program, we want to hear your running moment!  This series of guest submissions is open to all---please consider sharing your story!

If you are willing to contribute a personal submission to our blog, here are some guidelines and directions:

• Please include your name as you would like it to appear next to your contribution, the best email address to contact you (this will remain private), and a link to your personal blog (if applicable and if you would like it included). 

• Your title should fill in the blank.  For example:  “My Running Moment: Accomplishing My Goal.”

• Tell us your story! What is “your running moment?”  We can’t wait to read all about it! 

• Please keep from over-emphasizing the following:  competitive running, running to “look good”, using running simply as a weight loss mechanism, etc.  As Ready, Set, Run! is a running program for kids, we want to steer clear of any messaging that may have a negative impact on them.  At RSR, we try to stay focused on encouraging kids to set goals and to make healthy life decisions. 

Once you have completed your submission, please email to Jeanne at <jnielson(at)nays.org> by August 15th. When we know when your submission will be featured, we will email you in advance to let you know!

Thanks so much for being willing to consider this opportunity!  If you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to email.  We look forward to hearing from you!

good stuff

hard-working, passionate, goal-oriented. 3 words we would all probably like said about us. 3 words that describe our new ready, set, run team member: jeanne. jeanne loves to run. jeanne loves to work towards a goal. and jeanne loves kids. could we ask for anything better?

i'm so proud to introduce you all to this gal. would you help me welcome her? <jnielson(at)nays.org> her plethora of experience includes:
soccer coach
girls running coach
teacher
director in fundraising
work in the non-profit world
and (probably most importantly) mother of 2 


i, for one, am so excited to work with jeanne. i'm even more excited to train for our next marathon together. this is an amazing step for ready, set, run and i speak for the both of us when i say, WE hope to work with you soon.

greenville, nc!

great story about one of our sites out of greenville, nc...

Ready, Set, Run! makes running fun at Greenville (N.C.) Rec and Parks

View All News Stories Youngsters in Greenville (N.C.) played games with some new friends on the track last spring. They may not have realized it, but they were preparing to run a 5k. Ready, Set, Run! is a unique youth running program that prepares children ages 8-13 to complete a 5k in 12 weeks. While they build endurance and stamina through play-based activities, the children also go through character development curriculum that equips them with the goal-setting mentality that will stay with them throughout life. Other topics covered include enhancing confidence and self-esteem, respecting authority, dealing with peer pressure and fueling their bodies with proper nutrition. “Children need to have fun and be active,” said Sophie Duncan, recreation assistant at the Greenville Recreation and Parks Department. “By adding the games approach to the program, the children are able to do so without concentrating strictly on agility and endurance training.” For example, one of the games they played was Line Runs where the children jog in a line and the last runner in line has to run to the front of the line, passing alongside the group. One of the Greenville parents said, “My daughter liked all the games that were played. They made the program enjoyable, versus just running.” “The games and activities add an extreme value to the children’s experience with running in that they run around and don’t realize they are running,” said Duncan. “They just think they are playing.” Ready, Set, Run! didn’t only get the youngsters active –parents were inspired to get moving too. “One of the biggest things for me was seeing the children excited to come to the program every week and while they were participating in the program their parents weren’t sitting and watching, they were walking or running around the track,” Duncan said. “Ready, Set, Run! truly affects everyone involved and has a tremendous positive impact.” The culmination of the youngsters’ work was when they ran an entire 5k at the department’s annual Greenville Rec Run and Kids Dash. “As the Ready, Set, Run! program progressed we constantly reminded the parents and children of the goals of the program, especially completing a 5k,” explained Duncan. “We highly encouraged the parents to sign their children up for the race.” Eighteen children from the program signed up for the 5k and of those four of the children placed in their age groups on race day. Thirty-eight boys and girls signed up and completed the program from start to finish. According to Duncan the department will offer Ready, Set, Run! each fall and spring. “After hearing the positive feedback from the parents and instructors, and seeing all the children being active and having fun while running, we instantly knew we would offer Ready, Set, Run! again,” she said.

a site, an idea

i had the privilege to visit with one of our sites this morning. eric is bringing the recreation in his town to a new level and it's so neat to see. finding coaches was one of eric's challenges as a site, so he thought outside of the box and partnered with his local running store. the running store pays an employee (an AWESOME college student) to coach the kids. they also exchanged advertising efforts and eric puts their logo in their guide and the store advertises in the store.

how did i get so lucky to do what i do ;)