KOLD News 13 live, local and late breaking-Keeping running in the family

Keeping running in the family

By Scott Kilbury - email

Parents may be the best role models for their kids when it comes to getting some exercise.

Mike Davanzo, for instance, runs twice a week with his 12-year-old son Adrian.  Mike says it's his son who pushes him.

"He keeps up with me pretty good. It's, "How do I keep up with him?" usually." Davanzo said.

Marathon runner Jeff Galloway, author of "Fit Kids: Smarter Kids" tells parents to start slowly when running with a child.

"I would start out with literally a few seconds of running. You want to hold the child back so the child doesn't sprint," Galloway said. "But 10 to 20 seconds at a time is fine for a beginning. And that will allow the muscles, the tendons and joints to gradually adapt."

Galloway recommends parents don't push too hard. You may also want to check with your doctor to see if your child is physically ready for this type of running.

To keep them interested in the sport, Galloway suggests allowing the child to pick the route and time of day for the workout.  "You can get their input. And then, they feel more motivated to be more involved in the whole process," he said.

When you're done running, galloway says don't forget to reward the child with encouraging words.