"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep."

Friday, September 22, 2006

TGIF

Fridays and Sundays are my designated days of rest. No running (generally speaking).

I attended our monthly running club (Star City Striders) meeting last night and was very glad I did. Our guest speakers were Jamie Price, a former All American track and field athlete and Kevin Spencer, a 5th grade teacher at Raleigh Court elementary school whose enthusiasm for fitness has happily infected his students.

Jamie has started programs called Speed University and Fit Club. Through these, he's reaching out to athletes of all ages and skill levels in order to help them attain their goals whether they be just starting out, seeking moderate improvements in fitness or working towards achieving their maximum potential. He is especially interested in combating the ongoing childhood obesity problem which is reaching near epidemic proportions across the U.S.

Jamie's services are readily available and are tailored to fit the individuals needs and schedules. For more info on Jamie' s programs, please contact him at mailto:jp@jpspeeduniversity.com.

Kevin has also gotten his pupils involved in the sport. Two years ago, he started two running groups at Raleigh Court Elementary. His fifth-graders run laps in physical education class three days a week and on Thursday afternoons, students from all grades run behind the school or at a nearby track. He hands each runner a laminated card that helps the children keep track of how many laps they run and as of April 13th, Spencer's 37 fifth-grade pupils have logged 1,535 miles and the 35 after-school runners have completed 615 miles.

"In class, I tell my kids anybody can start a marathon, anybody can start running," Kevin said. "I ask them sometimes, 'What's your goal?' "If your goal is to run a 5K, you can't just wake up and run it," he said. "If your goal is to get straight A's in math, you have to do stuff to get there. You just can't get a report card and expect an A."

For more information, please visit http://run.spencersRus.com.

Both of these men are doing a great deal to help kids of all ages focus on the positive benefits of staying fit. Our community is lucky to have them.

No comments: