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We know kids watch what we do, what we eat, and how we talk about ourselves. But even if you’re living a healthy lifestyle that includes eating right and getting exercise, it can be tricky to find the right way to introduce your kids to an activity you love – and hope they’ll love, too. Running can be a good first sport they can do all their lives, if you introduce it the right way.

We called on the experts to give us some tips for this, both from a parenting and a personal training viewpoint. Jamey Yon is a 22-time Ironman finisher – and father of five children, ages 7 – 14. He admits it isn’t always easy to convince kids to go for a run, but with a little creativity, he has introduced his kids to healthy activities they enjoy. So how do you do that?

“Start from as soon as they can walk,” says Yon. “Things like going down slides, running, playing in the yard, kicking a ball around, or playing catch… things like that.”

How many of us remember a spirited game of Red Rover or Red Light, Green Light as kids? Children are naturally competitive, and want to race and even win. “Making it fun – that’s the number one thing,” says Yon. And even if it isn’t your usual 10-mile run, any parent knows playing games outside with kids is exercise! It will wear you out, so it counts. It also teaches them the values that go with sports early on: you win some, you lose some, so just keep trying.

The same philosophy can be found in the programming at Girls on the Run, a youth running organization that started in Charlotte, Girls on the Run. Program Manager Mary Stuart Fountain says the GOTR program builds the value of healthy lifestyles from the inside out in girls – teaching them about support, communication, and team building, in addition to healthy habits and running.

Listen in: Maghan Knight explains why Girls on the Run is “so much fun,” on this episode of the Running Around Charlotte podcast!

“We try to make practices fun,” says Fountain. “Games, activities, freeze tag —
then we run a few laps.” The focus is on awareness of healthy habits more than it is on running. Again, as many parents knows, you can’t make a child run, but if you make them want to run, your work is done.

“With any sport, the ultimate goal is that they will cultivate and build healthy life habits in their older years,” says Fountain. “We incorporate life skills to make them healthy and confident, then practice activity that reinforces those components.”

Dr. Christian Turner, an athlete and pediatric sport medicine doctor with Novant Health Pediatric Sports Medicine in Midtown Charlotte, finds modeling good behavior a way to get kids involved. He and his wife have exercised with their kids since they were born.

“They’re used to seeing us,” says Dr. Turner. “Just having them around and exposed makes it become a normal thing.” And like adults, the great feeling they get after exercising will bring positive vibes to the rest of their day.

So here are some quick tips from our pro’s that will help you encourage your kids to get up and get active:

1. Make it a group sport – kids get motivation and accountability from being active with their peers.

“Elementary school kids are getting into a routine, so it seems to be a good time to start being introduced to organized sports,” says Fountain. “There are so many benefits of being part of an organized team.” For younger children, games with parents and siblings are just as fun.

2. It’s not about time – meaning, if you get out and run, let kids choose their pace. If you start comparing every outing, they’ll shy away from ever going. Instead, encourage them to challenge themselves with adding another street to their neighborhood loop, or finding a new trail to explore.

“Pace is not important, so don’t time them,” says Yon. “They’re going to tell you ‘when’ – when to stop, when they want to walk.” If your kids like challenging themselves, agree to do a time trial once a month or every few months so they can see their improvements. Don’t make it an every-run kind of thing.

3. Add accountability, but keep it positive – no punishment, but a reward when the group succeeds. Some kids really dig doing this! Yon made a chart with a weekly goal for each family member, according to their age and ability, with the promise of a family trip when everyone reached their goal. Suddenly, his kids hated missing a day, and often asked to go out on their own to finish.

“When family gets going on a goal together, it makes a big difference,” he says. “Create the fun, the challenge, and the reward. Always encourage them, no matter how well or poorly they do. They tried and competed and that’s all that counts.”

4. Find a goal – Kids are a lot like grown-ups, that they work a little harder, or are a little more motivated, when they have a goal. Find a family-friendly virtual race you can do together, and they’ll look forward to preparing for it more than if they are just running to run. If they can’t run a whole 5k, run a little and walk the rest. Let them know that’s okay, too.

“Anything you can do to get your child physically, emotionally, and mentally engaged is good,” says Fountain, “and anything you can do as a family.”

Dr. Turner likes to print out a calendar and see how many days of the month his kids can color in, a sign they’ve done some activity. And really, anything that gets them moving is good.

“Just give them space to try different stuff and move more each week,” he says.

Listen in: Dr. Christian Turner talks about how to get kids moving on this episode of the Running Around Charlotte podcast!

5. Appreciate the moment – whether it’s the time together, the neighborhood you live in, the birds in the trees, or the dandelions growing in your neighbors’ yards. Every outing can involve exploring new paths and appreciating their uniqueness. And have fun with it!

“Play music, or dress in fun ways that make you happy!” says Fountain. The goal is to keep going. Enjoy the journey – activity is not always about the finish line. Life is a marathon, not a sprint! Enjoy it together.

We know some of you might love a pumpkin spice latte once October rolls around, but our farmers’ markets and grocery stores are stocked full of great fall produce that can give your run – and your health – a little more kick. (No offense, coffee.) If you want to boost your endurance and your immune system this season, consider some of these in-season fruits and veggies recommended by Dietitian Matt Dengler of RxRD Nutrition, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. Enjoy!

An apple a day. That’s still solid advice.

If you haven’t been apple picking in western North Carolina, treat yourself to an afternoon of family fun with some delicious and healthy side benefits. (In most years there’s even an apple festival!) If rolling up US 321 isn’t in your schedule, you can find apples almost anywhere right now. They are accessible, fairly inexpensive, and there’s a variety of tastes and textures to suit most anyone. Seriously, apples go way beyond Red Delicious and Granny Smith.

“They are a good way to put carbs in your body,” says Dengler, noting apples are strong in flavonoids, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. (To keep the doctor away, of course.) Yes, apples can fight cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and an ingredient called quercetin helps you fight soreness by reducing lactic acid buildup. Fuel up 30-60 minutes ahead of your hour-long workout, or afterwards. Apple sauce is a great go-to energy snack before exercise; an apple is best after. The fiber in a whole apple — skin and all – can upset some stomachs if eaten before a workout.

We got the beets.

Beets are one of the best ergogenic aids for endurance, says Dengler. That’s shorthand for a substance that enhances your physical performance, stamina, and recovery. Here’s how: Beets are filled with nitrates, which helps more blood, and therefore oxygen, flow to your muscles when you’re exercising and recovering.

“The more blood we can get to muscles, the more they can exert,” says Dengler. If beets aren’t on your usual dinner menu, be creative. They’ll still do their good work in a beet root salad, blended into a smoothie, roasted, or as a juice. Beet root powder is also a good add-in for your smoothies or sauces.

Not sure how to manage a handful of bulbous beets? You can forego the peeling and slicing, and the purple fingernails that come with task, by choosing golden beets, or picking up pre-cooked beets available in most refrigerated produce sections.

Broccoli … and bona fide substitute.

This one may or may not be seasonal, depending on whose list you read, but broccoli is readily available in the fall. It’s full of antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, quercetin, and folate. Vitamin C and quercetin help prevent sore muscles after intense workouts, while K and calcium strengthen our bones.

If broccoli isn’t your thing, kale is a close cousin. Kale can help reduce inflammation because it’s loaded with antioxidants like beta carotene, says Dengler. Kale also packs a punch with high amounts of vitamins and minerals like vitamin K. One serving of kale delivers around 700% of your daily recommended intake of K! Kale also contains calcium, which, along with vitamin K, is crucial for bone development. It also has 200% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C in just one serving. You can sneak some kale into your next smoothie, salad, or even a roasted veggie tray.

Potatoes. More than just a starchy side.

The humble potato in its many varieties is a quick-energy superfood to keep in your cupboard or on your plate for several meals a week. “Red, russet, purple, or sweet, you can’t go wrong with a potato,” says Dengler. They’re full of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, B6 for energy, and three times as much potassium as a banana. They also have a lot of antioxidants, even if you don’t eat the skin.

Potatoes have a high glycemic index, which means the carbs get into your bloodstream faster and can be used for energy quickly. If you want to slow it down a little and make that energy sustain itself for longer distances, add some fat and protein like a little butter, sour cream, bacon, chili, etc. But go easy, of course. And sweet potatoes don’t have to be “sweet” with brown sugar or marshmallow toppings. Cumin and a pinch of salt will change your mind about how to serve this quintessential fall staple in NC. Heck, it’s the state’s official vegetable, with more than 40% of the nation’s supply grown right here.

Decorative and delicious.

You’re not out of your gourd to want to eat your squash instead of just decorating with it. Butternut, spaghetti, and pumpkin all make great dishes when you cook them fresh and serve them up with a little butter and brown sugar or cinnamon. They’re full of vitamin A and keratin, too, which are great cancer fighters. They are high in vitamin B and C, hold more potassium per serving than a banana, and have lots of fiber to help you feel fuller, longer.

“B vitamins help the creation of energy,” says Dengler. “It’s going to form that ATP, and that’s going to sustain energy.” Too tired after a good workout to think about baking one from scratch? Don’t be. They are some of the easiest foods to cook. Slice, sprinkle with butter or olive oil and salt, and bake for 45 minutes. Or poke holes in them and throw them in the microwave for 10 minutes (you may need to roll it over and add time). How easy is that? And that spaghetti squash is worth a try in place of pasta, with sauce or in a lasagna.

Enjoy some recipes from great NC-grown foods, but do it soon – winter is coming!

We know none of us are getting any younger, but did our muscles always ache this much? Maybe not, says fitness coach Jamey Yon. But it’s completely normal to feel this way.

“As you age, your bones, ligaments, and muscles aren’t as resilient as they used to be, so you can hurt yourself doing normal stuff,” says Yon. But that’s not a good reason to stop – in fact, it’s your best reason to keep moving! “The benefits of staying active as you age are being able to continue your normal activities that you’re used to.”

Yon points to the old adage that you can get 30 good years of running out of your knees and legs. If you start when you’re younger, take it easy and take care of yourself. The older you are when you start, says Yon, the longer you can run as you age – if you do it right.

First, says Yon, do some strength training.

“Running is a contact sport because your legs impact the asphalt every time you hit the pavement,” says Yon. “Strength training strengthens the muscles, ligaments, and tendons around your lower body and makes you more resilient.” You don’t need a weight room – walking lunges, pushups, planks, and deep squats are a great start.

Next, don’t head out the door for that same routine you used to do in your 20’s if you’ve taken a few years (or more than a few years) off. It takes years of experience to build up to a distance race. Consistency over time is what builds fitness and lifelong PR’s, says Yon. Your body will adapt, and you’ll get faster as you get fitter, so don’t jackrabbit out the door at top speed on your first run.

“Knowing when to rest, and having the guts and strength to sit out a day when you feel those strange aches and pains, is key,” says Yon. Don’t force yourself to run when you feel hurt, either – you could set yourself back 6-8 weeks, and then you’ll practically have to start over. Those days might be a good time to do low-impact strength training.

Third – and stop me if you’ve heard this one – fuel your body properly. Yes, that changes as you age, too, so that means you’re selecting the right nutrients, electrolytes, and hydration for the body you now have, instead of the one you used to have.

“It becomes way more of a balance as you age,” says Yon. “In your 50’s, it’s about selecting foods that are right for you. Little mistakes are amplified at this age.”

Judy Caswell is living proof you can get better with age. At 61, she’s a cancer survivor who is still doing personal bests, even though she really didn’t start running as a sport until her 40’s. She always enjoyed team sports, but running was her “backup workout.” Once she found a regular running group, though, she started running more regularly and improving. She knew she had really hit her stride when she started training and racing her high school and college-aged sons — and winning.

But more than just fitness, running became her lifeline in her 50’s after she was diagnosed with rectal cancer. It was a shock, considering the shape she was in. Even after two surgeries, and months of chemotherapy and radiation, she made sure she got out the door to walk when she couldn’t run, and run when she could.

“Running was great because I could do it when I needed to, and it made me feel normal,” says Caswell. One of running’s greatest benefits, she says, was that she could do it any time, making it less likely she’d skip a day. The flexibility became running’s greatest asset. She also learned to listen to her body, so she’d know when to rest. This year, she completed her 62^nd race, and did a personal best time! She’s such an advocate for lifelong running, she is one of this year’s Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors.

She gave her 6 tips for being a lifelong runner who feels and runs their best at any age:

1. Keep moving. If you take time off, you’ll feel stiffer. If you can’t run, just walk; but make sure you move every day.
2. Really listen to your body. Some days you’ll feel great and go far, other days you’ll run just a few slow miles. That’s okay.
3. Learn things. If something feels funny, look at your form. If one thing hurts, you can concentrate on training other parts of your body as you fix what hurts.
4. Do other things. Use other muscles, add weights, do your stretching, work your upper body work to maintain balance. Try trail running and hiking, even yoga or meditation to mix it up and work your whole body.
5. Watch what you eat. (Here it is again!) Your body fuels differently as you age. Eat to fix your shortcomings like iron-poor blood or lack of energy.
6. Give yourself grace. Adjust as necessary, walk if you need to.

Yon acknowledges none of us are getting younger, but adds we can definitely slow down the clock by staying in better shape. It takes work, but the best may be yet to come – especially for “late bloomers.”

“If you never peaked, you can still run a longer, faster PR,” says Yon. Set new goals for your age group, instead of competing with your younger self if you were a runner in your youth. But for sure: “You should just keep going.”

They’re words Judy Caswell lives by.

“I’m not comparing myself anymore,” she says. “I feel better than I ever have in my life.”