Trail running is more technical than road running. It would help if you had different gear and metrics to measure your performance on trails. It involves more stress on your body and mind because you always pay attention to the terrain with all the twigs and turns.

Some of the tips for transitioning to trail running are:

Go Easy with Mileage – We all want to get the same mileage as the road on the trails. I am learning that’s the mistake I’ve been making. Build the mileage slowly on trails to avoid injuries. Running on the trails requires more effort and energy.

Change Your Shoes – Road running shoes are lightweight and keep you fast on paved surfaces. On trails, you’ll need stability, traction, and durability to protect you from uneven surfaces. Visit your running shoe store to get fitted for a good trail running pair. You can check out some trail running shoe recommendations here.

Go Hybrid – You don’t have to ditch road running altogether. A hybrid approach where you alternate trail running days with road running can be great for your body. The softer trails will give your joints the cushioning they need. You will be able to work different muscle groups on the trails and paved roads, leading to a better running economy on the road.

Strength Train – While strength training is essential for all runners, it’s crucial for trail runners. Try glute activation exercises with bands and plyometric exercises to build glute strength. Strengthening the lumbopelvic hip complex, especially the lower back, with exercises such as dead bugs and planks will pay you a high dividend in the form of better performance. Add agility drills for better reaction time.

Performance Metrics – Trail running calls for different metrics. Your pace will be much slower than your road runs, and it won’t be as steady either. Monitoring power and heart rate will give you a better measure of the running workload on trails.

You might be surprised that trail running doesn’t feel as natural as road running initially. Don’t be discouraged; your muscles will get stronger, making your trail runs much more pleasant with a little bit of practice and time.

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Base training, in simple terms, is the basic work that you do before doing the more complicated workouts in your training cycle. It’s the phase of training where patience is required, and you put in a lot of slow miles. Most of the athletes start their training year with a base-building period. For most elite runners, it’s the period from November to January. 

There are many physical benefits of base training. Plus, this period gives athletes a chance to correct their form and work on injuries. Base training should be a staple for every running program. According to coach Andrew Simmons ” Shaky foundations don’t produce solid future structures.” Like the foundation of a house determines how strong the building is, the amount of time spent on base training determines the outcome of an athlete’s season and performance. 

A Bit of History-

Before 1960, athletes repeatedly did interval training, day in day out. In the 1960’s Olympic games, New Zealand athletes won medals in many track and field competitions, and most of them were trained by the coach, Arthur Lydiard. Lydiard believed that building an aerobic base by training at lower intensities would allow athletes to get stronger during the main training phase and peak on time for their competitions. According to Lydiard’s pyramid, the bigger the base, the higher the athlete’s peak. 

Building the Aerobic Capacity-

You might have heard that the reason to build the base is to build aerobic capacity. Most of the new runners, when they first start out, want to run fast, period. So, they train vigorously every day. Soon, they overtrain or get injured. If that isn’t the outcome, they reach their goals in the first season and plateau for the rest of the year. Does that sound familiar?

Science Behind Base Building- 

Building the aerobic capacity lets the athletes efficiently buffer low levels of lactate. According to LiveScience, lactate is a chemical byproduct of anaerobic respiration, the process by which cells produce energy without oxygen (1). Increased lactate, due to anaerobic energy production, in your bloodstream leads to acidic blood with pH levels below 7 (2). Lowering of blood pH produces multiple symptoms associated with fatigue such as muscle burning and reduced work capacity.Base building prepares the body’s lactate buffering engine to keep the blood pH levels stable. Base training also builds capillaries that transport oxygen and allow efficient glycogen storage. Metabolically, your body becomes better at using fatty acids and spares the glycogen stores. 

Proper base building is essential. Without a proper base it isn’t possible to reap all these benefits of base training. Most of the athlete’s base training should be in the endurance zone or ZONE-2. You can calculate your endurance zone by plugging the heart rate numbers in a maximum heart rate formula. Endurance zone is 70% – 80% of your Max Heart Rate. You can visit omni calculator to calculate the numbers for you. The larger the base you build in this zone, the better your training will be for the rest of the year.

Arthur Lydiard, the father of base training, has presented many base training plans depending on athletes’ training age in his book Running to The Top. An example training plan form his book for a new runner is below. This plan can be progressed by increasing the running time. For injury-prone athletes alternate days can be cross training days. The critical thing to remember is to keep most of these miles at endurance or aerobic pace.

Monday 15-30 minutes

Tuesday 30 – 60 minutes

Wednesday 15-45 minutes

Thursday 30-45 minutes

Friday OFF

Saturday 15-45 minutes

Sunday 30-60 minutes

Why is Moderate Intensity the Enemy?

Most runners spend most of their training time in ZONE-3 or threshold zone. That’s where the athletes get stuck. This zone is called Zone-X by running coach and author of 80/20 running, Matt Fitzgerald. This is the zone where the body produces high levels of lactate, and the heart rate zone is neither recovery nor threshold. You probably feel-good pushing hard on every run, but it doesn’t improve your performance. So, steer clear of this zone during the base building period. This zone has its place in training for tempo runs after a strong base is built. 

To train well for your races, you must start with a solid fitness base. Put in the time now to build your base, and it will pay off later in a huge amount.

References

1-https://www.livescience.com/lactic-acid.html

2- https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004

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Fitness coaches build a personal relationship with you and help you reach your goals while focusing on mental, physical, and social health. You get the support to be successful.

Want to learn more benefits of hiring a fitness coach? Here are a few:

Education– Fitness coaches want to empower their clients with knowledge. The most important reason for working with a fitness coach is to educate you on all aspects of health, fitness, and exercise. They want you to do well in your fitness journey. Knowing which muscles to work, proper form, and nutrition is necessary to maximize effectiveness and reduce the risk of injury. You won’t find this type of comprehensive good for your fitness education on DR. google.

Personalized Program– Every individual is unique. That means everyone’s fitness abilities and requirements are different. One person can be an elite bodybuilder looking to compete, while the other can come from an injury. A fitness coach will meet you where you are. For example, if you had an ankle injury and are coming back after it, a fitness coach can help you rebuild the muscles and improve mobility. A fitness coach’s expertise can help you with a customized approach.

Goal Achievement– When we start training, we expect to achieve goals like tomorrow. Whatever your goal is, weight loss, muscle gain, or increased mobility, these changes take time to show. When your goals aren’t realistic, it’s easy to get discouraged and have anxiety from this experience. Fitness coaches help you set real and measurable goals. They assess your current fitness level, help you carve out a plan to achieve your goals, and track your progress. 

Motivation– Motivation can be internal or external. You may have some intrinsic motivation to work out, like coming off the blood pressure medication or improving your posture after sitting on the desk for hours. But there are always distractions around us, which can cause loss of motivation. Fitness coaches can motivate you to make it to your workout sessions regularly. 

Fitness coaches observe your behavior and guide you through behavioral modification principles. They can help you overcome the mental barriers that keep you in a bad habit loop.

Accountability– Accountability, and motivation go hand in hand. There are  many times we have gone to bed and said, “Tomorrow I’m going to wake up, go to the gym first thing in the morning!” You hit snooze when the morning comes and stay in the warm bed. A fitness coach will keep you accountable. You are investing your money which is a commitment device of its own. We all want to slack from time to time. A fitness coach will push you to your session and let go of the other temptations. 

Variety of Workouts– If you go to the gym without a plan, you wander from machine to machine not knowing what to do. A fitness coach can help you find a purpose for each training session. If you are already working successfully, fitness coaches can bring an objective eye. They can make necessary adjustments to make your workout more interesting, more challenging, or even just more fun.

Coaches provide unique workouts from their expansive exercise library. It will keep your body guessing and you interested in your workouts. Say goodbye to plateaus. 

Wellbeing– Research shows that physical exercise can help with mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety. A fitness coach is much more than just a trainer. They help you achieve your fitness goals, but they will also help you with other wellness goals like drinking more water and getting enough sleep.

There are so many reasons why a fitness coach is essential to achieving your fitness goals. A fitness coach can keep you accountable and moving forward in reaching health goals even in busy times like holidays and busy workdays!

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This past year has been an eye opener for me when it comes to recovery. I started scheduling a full day off in my week. My workouts have been more effective, and I feel better on the days I work out. I have realized that rest and recovery are vital for optimal performance, injury prevention, and progress in your fitness goals.

I am a fitness trainer and coach; my work requires teaching and training daily. I love what I do, but it’s physically demanding work. When I was training for Marathons this year, I started adding miles but kept the same workload. I have high-stress levels with the responsibilities of virtual fitness business expansion, including teaching many fitness classes. On top of that, I added the extreme amount of physical stress with twice-daily workouts.  I love running too and participating in races, but my physical stress balance was totally off. Believe it or not, mental stress and physical stress both, must be accounted for while training.

Why Recover?

According to research, exercising too much without resting enough in between can lead to low testosterone levels and high cortisol levels, the stress hormone. These hormonal changes can cause loss of muscle tissue, weight gain, and excess belly fat.

If you don’t let your muscles recover between workouts and give them at least a day off, you put yourself at risk of overtraining and getting injured. Repeated stress from exercise causes small tears that can strain muscles. Plus, the cumulative workout time and intensity can increase the cortisol level in your blood and lead to hormonal issues, muscle imbalances, and injuries.

Like me, many athletes understand the importance of training but don’t understand that rest and recovery are a part of training. Rest allows the body time to repair and strengthen itself in between workouts. Recovery is where your body adapts to that stress of exercise.

This year I learned that if I pushed hard a few days a week and added enough recovery days to bounce back, I could be a better athlete and a better coach. It turns out I love rest days now.

Three R’s of Fitness Training

Here are the three Rs of training that should be part of any balanced training program.

Relief- It’s normal to feel tired after exercise; however, feeling fatigued and constantly being tired and sore isn’t normal. It happens when your body repeatedly doesn’t fully recover after the workout. You can feel excessively drained all day. Make sure you just put your feet up on your rest days and keep it to light activities like taking your dog for a walk. Your body needs relief from constant physical stress.

Rest- Let’s talk about the zzzzs. Sleeping is vital for recovery. Make it a priority. To overcome the physical and mental demands of hard training days log-in at least eight hours of sleep. It is also one of the easiest ways to repair muscle damage. Our body’s reaction to lack of sleep includes a slower metabolism, higher heart rate, mood fluctuations, a weakened immune system, and less control over what we eat.

Recovery- In the exercise physiology text, recovery includes physiological functions returning to homeostasis, refueling energy stores, and refilling cellular energy enzymes.

Food is a major component of recovery. Eat a well-balanced meal with good protein and carbohydrates sources on your rest days. Protein is especially important to rebuild your muscles. 

Another way to restore balance to your body is by massage. Massage from a therapist or self-massage with foam rollers is an excellent way to break adhesions and get the blood and oxygen flow back to muscles.

Try taking the time to make rest and recovery a priority in your training regimen. Your body and mind will thank you, and your training will benefit from it.

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Competing in a marathon is a significant accomplishment. It is hard on your body, and physiologically your body goes through many changes. Training for a Marathon for months and building the distance and strength takes a toll on your body and mind. Recovering from a marathon which is part of the training plan, is often neglected by the runners.

Sleeping it off won’t make the post-marathon recovery. Rest is a big component of healing, but there are many other things involved. Improper recovery from your Marathon increases injury risk and increases the total marathon recovery time.

What happens to your body during the Marathon?

Marathons are tough on the body. Every physiological system is pushed to its limits during the Marathon. Some of the systems that undergo stress and damage are mentioned below-

Skeletal Muscle- Marathon running induces inflammation and muscle fiber damage, lasting up to two weeks post-marathon.

Cellular Damage- There is an increased production of creatinine kinase (CK) – a marker that indicates damage to skeletal and myocardial tissue. According to a research study, the CK levels can stay high in blood for more than seven days post-marathon.

Immune System- Immune system is compromised post-marathon. You are more susceptible to catching flu and cold after Marathon.

Here are a few strategies that I have found to help with the recovery process after Marathon completion. 

Keep Walking

Keep walking post-marathon. I know your body will tell you to stop, but that isn’t the best way to recover from Marathon running. By walking, the heart drop is gradual, and the circulation slowly gets back to normal levels. 

Eat and Drink

Eat a carb snack like a banana right after finishing Marathon. Within 30 minutes of finishing the Marathon, drink a protein shake with 30 – 40 grams of protein. Protein is king when it comes to recovery. You might not feel like drinking it, but your body will thank you for it later. You can consume a big meal later for post-marathon celebration.

Ice and Compress

Ice your sore legs and put those compression stockings on.

Stretch

Practice some gentle yoga or stretches for five to ten minutes. My favorite pose is hanging my legs up the wall. It works wonders if practiced before you hit the bed.

Roll and Massage

The following day get your foam roller and roll with it. You can also schedule a relaxation massage after 24 hours. Just make sure the massage is super gentle. A light massage will help loosen your muscles. 

Take a Break

Give yourself a break from running for a week. You can do light walking, stretching, and yoga in the first week. Take the week to celebrate your achievement and show gratitude to your body for pushing through the race.

After the Marathon, your legs are full of muscles damaged and have millions of micro-tears damaged on the cellar level. These steps will help you recover and get back to running efficiently without the risk of injury.

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Looking beyond the numbers will turn you into a sustainable runner instead of looking at just the quantifiable running improvements, like mileage and speed. Here are five areas to think about on your running journey.

Define your running WHY

Define your WHY When it comes to running like any other habit, it’s essential to find your WHY—finding your why is the single most crucial thing that will make this habit sustainable. Are you trying to lose weight? Want to feel stronger? Maybe you want to run your first Marathon? Is it part of your new healthy lifestyle change? or it was to set aside some meditative time for yourself.

Whatever your reason for running, make sure you take a few moments to define it clearly. Stick it on your nightstand or mirror. When the dark, wet nights of winter arrive, it will act as a great motivation to get you out of the door.

Your WHY can change with time. Occasionally revisit defining your WHY for the running process to make sure your WHY still aligns with your running purpose. Update your intention as you need it. Your WHY will keep you moving towards your goals and give you mental strength when the going gets tough. Trust me, it gets tough when the volume gets high, and you have other life priorities on your list as well.

Cross-train 

Running is a high-impact and strictly a sagittal plane sport. It involves moving forward, hitting the ground, and swinging your arms. These motions can be repetitive for your body. It’s good to diversify your activity portfolio. Experiment with an alternative workout for the days you feel a little extra beat up, hint recovery days. Do you like dancing? Does yoga relax you?

Cross-training is the best way for runners to build strength without overdoing it. Using cross-training, you can target your body from multiple angles to develop more comprehensive body strength as a runner; you could consider biking, yoga, strength training, climbing, and even soccer as forms of cross-training. Consider a group exercise class that focuses on neglected muscle groups like the core and upper body. You don’t need to leave your house for any of these classes with many available virtual fitness classes.

Recovery and Rest

Rest is a vital part of training. Runners often overlook the value of rest. Keep your rest days for low-intensity workouts, or take a break if your body asks for complete rest. The rest and recovery days will ensure that your body is ready for the subsequent hard training. Always make sure you have time for a post-run stretch and pre-run mobility. Making mobility and recovery a habit will reduce the risk of injury as your running volume increases. A good, holistic approach to efficient running is to run better and feel even better.

Fuel your runs

Running creates microtears in our muscles that get stronger with the repair process. That’s how our body adapts to hard workouts. It’s important to consider nutrition’s fundamental aspect of training that doesn’t require hitting the pavement. Proper nutrition and hydration can make or break a workout or race and affect how you feel, work, and think.

Fueling to support running fitness isn’t that complicated. Your nutrition plan should include

• Proper hydration
• Eating for good health
• Consuming enough carbohydrates 
• Nutrient timing

Life is part of training

Focusing on your running and training is excellent. We can’t deny that life and other stressors that come along with it also exist. Consider all the stresses like work schedule, family commitments, and vacation plans. Make sure you keep your weekly training flexible so that it can fit in with the rest of your life.

Considering the time that works best for your runs can help you run around your life commitments. Maybe, going for a run early in the morning can be easy, or you can multitask by going for a run with a friend and catching up with them. 

Taking a holistic approach to running can set you up for a lifetime of successful running. Diving into mindfulness, running, and taking the whole picture of life will rewire your mind, calm the soul, and take your running performance to new peaks.

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Whether you are tackling your first 5K, upgraded to an 8K or are running a marathon, racing isn’t difficult if you are prepared for it. There’s no need to be stressed out, after all, racing is fun.

Here are some important steps to practice before the race and during your training to prepare for your next race.

Make Sleep a Priority – It’s important to log proper amount of sleep for your recovery and to be ready to race. Try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night during your training. Research shows even sleep lag can impede your athletic performance. Try to be well rested as the race day approaches.

Practice and Plan- Practice makes you perfect. Running several times, a week during the training is going to get you ready for race day. Working with a coach or using a training plan is good idea.

Know the Racecourse- Familiarize yourself with the racecourse ahead of time. If you are local, it’s a good idea to run the route or drive or bike on it. If you are going to be traveling to the race, see the racecourse map. Outline the hills and the flats. Know when you are going to push and when you are going to backoff. Outline the fueling stations and where and how often would you like to stop. Determine your fueling strategy ahead of time. Would you like to take energy gels and how often?

Set a Goal and a Backup Goal- We all have a goal pace set for our races. I know many people achieve their goals. Keep in mind, things happen on race day that are out of our control. Things like weather, your stomach, cramps, and the list can go on and on. Keep a backup goal in case things don’t go your way on race day. Just finishing is a great goal to have too.

Hydrate Before and During the Race- Dehydration will not only make you feel sick you, but it will also hamper your performance. It’s good to practice hydrating before, during and after long runs. Practice will make you perfect.

Eat Familiar Meals- Practice what you eat the night before the long runs during your training. Try to stick with those foods for race day as well. If you are traveling and will be eating out, stick with simple foods like bowl of rice with chicken or noodles with chicken and boiled egg. Don’t go out trying sushi and steak the night before the race.

Get Ready the Night Before- Lay out your gear the night before. Make sure you have everything you need including your bib and you know where and how to pin it. Remember body glide for long races and shoes that you have ran with. It’s best not to try anything new on race day.

Stay Upbeat and Positive- Maintain a positive attitude and upbeat mode before and throughout your race. The last half of most long-distance races requires mental strength. Keeping a positive attitude will help you achieve your goal pace and enjoy the race.

Arrive Early- Plan to arrive at the race well before the start. This way you will have time to use the bathroom, and warm-up. Your first sprint shouldn’t be to the starting line.

Start Out Slow- You don’t need to win the race in the first mile. What you knew that? Start out slow and pace yourself out. Trust your training and have confidence that you will do well. Leave some energy stores for the final sprint.

Relax and Enjoy the Run- Yes, it’s true! Runners are competitive and Type-A people.  What can I say? We sometimes get carried away with our goals and where we want to place. Focus on the fact that races are positive community events. Try to keep yourself calm and relaxed by following a pre-run calming routine like breathing mindfully, stretching, and maybe listening to your favorite music.

After spending weeks training for your first race, you don’t want the last-minute stress to keep you from performing well at the race. To ensure your race day goes effortlessly try practicing these tips before race and during the training. These steps will ensure that you are prepared for what’s to come on race day.

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During training, you may feel compelled to go hard every day, especially if you have already established a schedule, but it is just as important to have rest days as it is to work out. A rest day doesn’t necessarily mean sitting on the couch all day and eating junk food, but it is a day to let your muscles heal. You can take a break on rest days or do some restorative activities like active recovery, yoga, form rolling, and massage.

A rest day allows your body to recover, adapt and become stronger and your nervous system has a chance to regenerate. It’s essential to use your rest days to relax and rejuvenate in the best form for you. The number of rest days depends on many factors.

• Intensity
• Workout structure
• Training age
• Training cycle
• Life stressors

Rest days come with many benefits.

Muscle Growth – Rest days are essential for muscle growth and glycogen replenishment.

Reduces Injury Risk – Rest days help reduce the risk of overuse injuries.

Performance Enhancement – Rest days help your body to restock energy stores and repair micro tears in muscles. This process helps your body to grow stronger and perform better.

Need some ideas on what to do on rest days? Then keep reading to find out what you might want to try out on your rest day!

Stretch – Stretching can significantly improve flexibility and help reduce muscle tightness. Stretching can improve performance. Foam rolling is also great on rest days to improve the range of motion.

Hit the Beach or Park – Depending on where you live, these two options are great for relaxing. Go to the beach for a swim or even walk along the beach. If you are going to the park, grab some headphones and a blanket. Plus, add a comfortable walk to your park visit.

Sleep – Maybe you have been having a long week and haven’t been getting enough sleep, which we all can be guilty of. Take the day to catch up on sleep and truly rest. Not getting enough sleep has been proven to cause mental health issues and physical healing issues as well, especially if it becomes a continuous pattern.

Eat – Rest days are an excellent opportunity to stay hydrated and consume a nutritious diet.

Everyone has a different workout schedule. Getting in at least one rest day a week can ensure a proper recovery. From doing some simple stretches to going to the beach, to simply catching up on sleep, rest days are just as important as working out if you want your muscles to grow and heal properly.

The post Why Rest Days Are Important During Training 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Why Should You Run a Virtual Race?

Virtual races are not only motivating, but they still have that competitive feel as an in-person one would. With tracking apps, you can compete with people all over the world on your own path, compare your results, and even win medals. So why should you enter a virtual race or marathon? Well, besides the aspect of winning medals and t-shirts, it not only keeps you healthy, but it can also help you set goals and achieve them with others even if you are states or countries apart.

“Most virtual races will ask you to complete your race between certain time frames, often two weeks,” says Julie Wallock, the cofounder of the Charge Running app.

What You Should Know Before Running a Virtual Race?

Just because a virtual race isn’t the exact same as running an in-person race that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare the same ways. Here are some tips to ensure a successful first virtual race!

Plan Your Route

By doing this you are not only giving yourself the advantage of practicing, but you will know exactly what to expect the day of the race. (REMINDER! Don’t forget to bring your ID and let someone know where you are going; safety first!)

Log Your Results After EVERY Practice

By keeping track of your workouts, you will be able to see areas that need improvement.

Plan Your Meals & Stop Stations

What you put in your body is your fuel, and that is just as important as practicing! You can set up your own aid stations with exactly what you like and what works for you.

How Do You Find a Virtual Race?

Check out these resources to help you get involved!

Charge Running

Gone for a Run

Virtual Pace Series

The post Everything You Need to Know About Running a Virtual Race 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Improved health – With the rise of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and health-related issues, encouraging children to enjoy the act of movement early in their lives can set the stage for increased wellness and cardiovascular health in their future. The health benefits of being physically active in childhood and adolescence include a lower risk of obesity and chronic diseases, better sleep habits, and school success. According to Teri McCambridge, M.D., chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) “Children involved in running can carry it on as a lifestyle that is maintained into adulthood.”

Success in school- Strong bodies yield strong minds!  Physical activity promotes healthy growth and improves sleep. A healthier lifestyle early on translates to better focus and scores in the classroom. Running also teaches discipline and builds resilience, which can translate in adulthood to improved productivity at work.

Better motor skills – Running is a great activity to build and improve kids’ motor skills. The kids have to learn and practice agility, coordination, balance, and body awareness to build strong motor skills. The more they practice, the more advanced these motor skills become. The more kids will run, the better their motor skills will be.

Better athletic ability- It is an integral component within the majority of most sports. Running will make your kid a better and faster athlete, no matter which sport they prefer. Soccer, basketball, and softball, you name it, all these activities have some form of running involved.  Running builds strength, velocity, and endurance that can be easily carried into other sports.

Injury prevention- Running helps to replace sedentary behaviors that create postural dysfunction and reduce energy expenditure. Running also teaches kids better movement biomechanics early on in life. Research has shown that most of the musculoskeletal injures are caused by postural dysfunction and movement biomechanics. Better posture and biomechanics mean fewer injuries and chronic pain syndromes as an adult.

Active family- Research studies show that children of active parents are twice as likely to be active themselves. Parents serve as kids’ primary role models. Running with your kids and on your own will help you set the example for your kids. As parents, you can build the love of running in your kids. Doing so can set healthy patterns for your whole family. The extra family bonding time while running together is a great way to build your kids’ social and emotional strength.

How to involve your kids in Running?

The most crucial step for parents is to create a positive environment that focuses on fun and building basic movement. Running a lot more fun for kids when they have autonomy and intrinsic motivation to run. Encouraging and cheering on them rather than providing criticism can go a long way to infuse the love for running in children. Kids need parents to make activity easy by providing equipment, signing them up for organized running clubs, and taking them to playgrounds, track or, trails. The more often you take your kids to these places for the run, the sooner the kids will start associating those places with fun running. The running session doesn’t have to be very long. It can be a 5-minute warm-up on the play structure followed by a 20-minute run around the park. Short running sessions are great; I go out for 20 minute runs myself on my busy workdays. You can also make running fun with games like Simon says, “run up the hill.” Another way to incorporate a love of running is to read running-related stories to the kids.

Kids love to keep up with their peers. So, group training and running sessions with friends are excellent for kids to start running. There are a lot of organizations in local communities that provide fun and structured running programs for kids. I am on the board of one such organization, iRun4Life. iRun4Life is located in suburban Philadelphia and provides a spring afterschool running program for kids in elementary schools. The iRun4Life coaches provide an 8-week running training program that ends with a kids-only 3K race. Local YMCA clubs also have running clubs for kids. Look out for programs like these in your community and get your kids involved in running. Running is an activity that builds confidence, a positive outlook on life, grit, strength, and a stronger immune system in kids.

Get your kids involved running, be active yourself, and set a good example for your kids. If you start your them early enough, they’ll come to regard running as a normal — and fun — part of your family’s everyday routine. Then all you will see is their arms pumping, knees high, big smiles, and red cheeks. No rules involved, just pure joy!

The post The WHY and HOW of Running for Kids 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.