in the eyes of an 8 year old

i'm so excited to share a quick little interview i did with a dear friend of mine- an 8 year old little girl who recently started running AND ran her first 5k. she runs because it makes her feel good, because her mom loves to run, and many other awesome reasons.

one reason i wanted to create ready, set, run is because running changed my life. it was much later in life for me, but the idea has been to help change the lives of kids for good. equip them with a sport and a goal-setting mentality that they could achieve anything they want in life. give them a confidence boost that when they set out to do something, they can do it.

my friend is the perfect example of a girl who has found joy & confidence in running. i am so pleased to present you with running: in the eyes of an 8 year old girl...

What do you like about running?

Well, I like that it can give you exercise since you use all your muscles in your legs when you run and its good for your heart. I like that I am in a big group with others kids who also like to run. I like it because I always run with a partner or friend and sometimes my mom.

How do you feel when you accomplish your running goals?

I felt very proud of myself and I know my parents were proud of me too.

Do you have any goals for running in the future?

I hope to finish another 5k as one of the top finishers in my age group.

What made you want to start running?

My mom runs a lot and I wanted to try it too.

Do you ever have a hard time finishing a run? What do you do to push through to the end?

I would not stop running but I would slow down a little bit. I would always try to finish and do my PB (that means personal best).

How does running make you feel about yourself?

It makes me feel good and it makes me feel like I can accomplish anything that I do.

NAYS homepage

our communications department has posted an awesome article on the nays homepage talking about ready, set, run and our pilot sites who are about to be rockin' the program this spring. check it out:

http://nays.org/fullstory.cfm?articleid=10522

inhibitions

INHIBIT: 1. to restrain, hinder, arrest, or check (an action, impulse, etc.) 2. to prohibit; forbid

one of the best things in the world, in my humble opinion, is watching how incredibly uninhibited children are. toddlers usually are the most uninhibited and then i'm pretty sure each year of life inhibits us a little more. fast forward to adulthood, and more often than not inhibitions kick-in for every big & little decision we make...for better or worse. our inhibitions keep us safe and moral, but they also can keep us from having fun and fully tasting life.

our age group- 8-13 year old kids/adolescents- are at a really unique stage. there's still a bit of willingness to let go freely (uninhibited) but messages are beginning to alter their way of thinking, inhibiting them from being themselves. they are at a self-esteem crossroads, they are about to choose which road they will take. that's where we want to catch kids. right on this brink. we want to point them in the right direction and say, "you are great, just like you are. run because you want to, because you can, because you're free to skip/fall/hop/walk/crawl/be you." we want to capture this moment in time and enlighten them to believe in themselves and feel what it's like to set & achieve a goal.

i took my toddler to an indoor pool last night. she squealed with delight as she ran around the outside of the pool and played on the steps going into the pool. not a care in the world. no concern about what others were doing, no wonder if her adorable little belly was hanging out over her suit (which, adorably, it was because it's a little snug from last summer), just pure, uninhibited joy.

about 30 minutes into her playing, she was running (ok, toddling) too fast on the pool floor and she fell and bumped her head. it became a teaching moment- we need to go slow on the pool floor because it is slippery.

ready, set, run aims to encourage kids to let go and be themselves. we also aim to look for opportunities to step in and teach and walk WITH kids the right way.

happy linking

Example of an outstanding community setting a POSITIVE tone, starting with parents

Website on raising girls in a media-driven (pressure stoked) world

Another website aimed at girls/women, adios body image issues (need some like these for boys/men!)

Interesting article on the barefootin/minimalist running approach

Article on jogging and competitive running from the American Academy of Pediatrics

Another article from AAP, encouraging lifetime sports...like running

my own race

kacey here, director of RSR. registered myself for the chicago marathon at midnight last night! i'm looking forward to using the program and our success stories as my motivation to train, prepare, and complete the run. i'm due with a baby mid-april, so i'm definitely not going for time on this one :) although, let's face it, it's hard not to get a certain number, a personal best perhaps, in one's head before any race... we shall see!

the other question is whether i will be wearing my standard running shoes or these babies...

i made the switch over to "barefoot running" about a month ago and i'm afraid i made the switch too quickly. i've had top of the foot pain since, apparently really common for those not so patient folks. even still, i love em and am hoping to be more mature about transitioning my foot/stride/body into them for the race.

Pilot Sites selected...

What a tough decision. What an exciting decision! We just finalized the selection for our Pilot Sites to implement Ready, Set, Run this Spring/Summer. Like I said, TOUGH decision. We had so many great organizations express interest in being Pilot Sites, and oh I wish we could have done it everywhere! Some of the criterion we used to pick the spots included: established relationship with our organization, proven success with our other youth development programs (Start Smart) and the amount of follow-up that was provided along the decision-making process.

It was kind of like picking the best slice of pizza on a freshly baked pie- all really amazing options.

If you were not selected, please know how much we WISH that you could be implementing the program right now. However, we are going to present an even better program to you come Fall! So stay tuned and I will certainly be in touch. And for our test sites, CONGRATULATIONS, I am so excited to work with you and receive your feedback on this incredibly spirited program!

legs as springs

In creating the curriculum for the program, I’ve been more in-tune than ever with my own running style and techniques. Last night as I pushed through a couple of miles on the treadmill, I was reminded of one of my sillier techniques during a tough run: envisioning my legs as springs. I literally picture 2 springs coming out of my body bouncing me through each step...and I know that it helps!

I love the things that make each runner unique. There is a set of tools within each runner that enables them to stick with a training regimen or make it through the toughest of runs. With the kids, it’s such a great opportunity to encourage them to find a formula that works for them. When we set our goals and do whatever we can (silly or not…) to achieve that goal, we are given a confidence boost. When we set a goal but do not have the opportunities and techniques granted to achieve that goal, there is a greater chance of failure and a negative mark to the ole self-esteem.

Let’s encourage and equip our kids to push themselves, to think for themselves, and to achieve great things!

Other ideas of things to visualize:

• In a tough spin class, I often picture every muscle in my body working to “climb the hill” or “sprint to the finish.” I’m talking picturing the actual quad or hamstring flexing and working.
• During pace runs, I often step in cadence with my music. If I stay to the beat, I think less about running hard and more about the feeling of the music.
• I know people who use the chasing technique- either you are chasing after someone or someone is chasing after you.
• I also have heard of people imagining fans cheering for you while you are running an incredible race.