Thursday January 13, 2011
I read an alarming statistic today: American 8- to 18-year-olds spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes a day using entertainment media such as televisions and computers. Considering they're spending a good chunk of their day sleeping or attending school, that seems like an insane amount of inactivity.
My kids are not yet at texting or video game age, but I still know how tough it can be to try to lure kids away from the television or computer with exercise. Here are some ideas to try to make running a little more enticing:
Find a kids' running club or program. Kids are more interested in an activity if other kids are doing it, right? Contact your child's school or your local parks and recreation department to see if there are any local running clubs for kids. If you have a daughter between 8 and 13 years old, check out Girls on the Run to see if they have a program near you. If you can't find a club in your area, follow these tips from Family Fitness Guide Catherine on how to start a kids' running club.
Enter them in a kids' race. Some road races offer kids' races either before or after the main race. The distances are always short -- anywhere from 25 feet to a mile, depending on the kids' ages. Kids usually get a medal, T-shirt, ribbon, or some other race souvenir for participating. Being part of the race experience will hopefully get your kids excited about running.
Start a running log with them. A fun way to keep kids excited to keep running is to have them track their distances and add them up. You can help your child track his or her distances in a notebook or, more likely, on their computer. Just record the date and the estimate of the distance. To keep them motivated, you can have them try to run a specific distance over a period of time, like 3 miles in a month. An added benefit, of course, is that they'll practice math and measuring skills.
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Source: "Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds", Kaiser Family Foundation
Tuesday January 11, 2011
More and more runners are blogging to share their training and running experiences with the running community. I love checking out other runners' blogs for tips and inspiration. Do you have a blog about running? If so, why did you start and what do you get out of it? Does it help you stay motivated? Post a message about your blogging experiences (with a link to your blog, of course) in the comments section. Note: Your name at the top of your comment will link to your blog (if you include the link when you post), but feel free to also leave the url in your comment.
Not blogging yet, but ready to start? Here are some articles from the About.com network on how to get started:
Monday January 10, 2011
I recently received this email from Karen, a new runner who is training for her first 5K:
"Last week I was feeling as if I could not really do this, but, you know how people have an 'aha' moment? Well, today was the day for me, as I suddenly realized I was trying to race. Then it dawned on me. 'Stop!' I told myself. 'You need to go the pace Karen needs to go, not someone else.' Then I slowed down, got mentally in the zone, was comfortable with my pace, and went a mile and a half non-stop and felt great, without any effort. I guess I'm lucky I had that moment. I'll do the 5K Karen's way -- and finish!"
I love Karen's story because it's a great example of how runners (especially new runners) shouldn't compare themselves to other runners, but instead celebrate and be proud of their individual achievements and progress. I also love how Karen's moment of clarity came to her while she was running. I often find that my best ideas and deepest introspections develop during a run.
Have you ever had an "aha" moment while running, when you changed your way of thinking -- whether about running or something else going on in your life? Was there a moment when you finally thought of yourself as a runner or you were suddenly more aware of the progress that you had made? Share your "aha" moment in the comments section.
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Friday January 7, 2011
When you're trying to start a new running habit, it can be tempting to give into excuses such as, "I'm too tired", "I don't have time", or "All my running clothes are dirty".
The last one is an easy fix. Instead of doing laundry more often (because who wants to do that?!), you can just find great deals on running clothes and have a couple more running outfits ready to go.
Now that Christmas is over and stores are trying to get rid of inventory, you can find some nice sales on winter running clothes. Some great web sites for inexpensive, but high quality, running clothes and gear are Sierra Trading Post and Road Runner Sports gear. Sites such as REI and Eastern Mountain Sports also have outlet and clearance sections.
Also be sure to check out Target's C9 by Champion line of technical fitness wear. They're reasonably priced, but still very high in quality and performance. Old Navy's performance fleece line also has some great pieces, such as jackets and vests, for outdoor winter running. You may also want to visit stores such as TJ Maxx or Marshall's (if they're in your area), which have racks of discounted name-brand fitness apparel, sometimes as much as 50% off the "department store" price.
Where do you shop for your inexpensive running clothes and gear? Share your shopping tips in the comments section.
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