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Running Teaches Kids Self-Respect, Commitment, And Builds Self-Esteem

8/28/2017

By Rob Cavanaugh

The Little Silver 5k, the largest Little Silver PTO fundraiser of the year, is hosting its annual 5K Run at Red Bank Regional High School on Sunday, October 1st. This exciting community event offers something for all ages including a 5K run, 1-mile run, and kiddie dashes.

Are your kids planning on participating in this great event, but don’t know where to begin their running training? No worries, RTC Training has some tips to help you and your family stay on track to successfully completing the Little Silver Run.

Physical activity is an important component of a healthy lifestyle for adults and kids. Many studies suggest that kids should participate in 60 minutes of exercise per day. Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit sleep better and are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges — from running to catch a bus to studying for a test.

Running is a great activity to help kids build endurance, which is developed when kids regularly engage in aerobic activity. Running offers kids the sense of freedom and the sense of reward and achievement when they finish.

While everyone can benefit from regular exercise, kids who are active will:

have stronger muscles and bones be less likely to become overweight
decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
possibly have lower blood pressure
have potentially lower blood cholesterol levels
have a leaner body from burned body fat.

Like so many individual sports that rely on self-motivation and hard work to achieve success, running teaches kids self-respect, commitment, and builds self-esteem, all of which are important values for kids to learn and build on in their lives.

Here are a few simple tips to getting your kids prepared:

Start with a running plan:
Developing a running plan will help you stay on track to achieving your goals. Start out by running only a few days a week and begin to build your speed and distance at your own pace and comfort level.

Run with your kids:
You can help your child succeed in running by being an active participant. Start out by going to a local track or park with your kids. Start slowly, and as time goes on, they will build endurance and feel like they can run without walking. This is a great family activity that can help improve the fitness of everyone in your home.

Running Camp
RTC Training is excited to once again offer a kids running camp, leading up to the Little Silver 5k. This camp will be held on 5 consecutive Thursday’s from 5:30 -6:30 p.m. at Sickles Park, starting on September 7.

RTC Training’s running camps are designed to provide a fun, positive environment, while developing fitness and endurance. These camps focus on proper form and technique, and specific training for all abilities and distances.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the Little Silver 5k on Sunday, October 1st!

Learn More About Little Silver
Kids Running Camp

3 Reasons Why Our Small Town Has A Big Heart - And A Big Race Too!

8/15/2017

By Normajean Swiss

Little Silver -- I love this town! Its name suggests something small and something special. There are so many things I love about our town: the people, our proximity to the city and the beach, our parks, our downtown and our schools.

On Sunday, October 1, 2017, our town will host the Annual Little Silver 5K, one of the largest fundraisers for the Little Silver PTO. It’s amazing to think this race was started by caring parents and townspeople twenty-four years ago and is still a favorite day for local families, weekend warriors, and serious runners from all over. More recently, the Little Silver 5K has become a USATF NJ Long Distance Running Open Women's Championship Race.

Little Silver still feels to many like the small town it was twenty years ago. Our kids still bike and walk to school, they play sports on the same town fields, and sled down the hill at Markham. Everyone gets psyched for town activities in the Fall like our 5K Run, and the fun after-party that never disappoints!

My experience with the Little Silver 5K started when I stood at the end of my street several years ago and cheered for passing runners, my toddlers clapping by my side. Years later we did a family sponsorship and then last year I joined the planning committee.

Helping the PTO and supporting the Little Silver 5K is something I hold near and dear to my heart. When I saw how passionate our PTO, Little Silver parents, Police, Fire, EMS and all volunteers were, and how they stepped up to make this sizable race happen, I knew Little Silver was a special place.

Here are 3 reasons why our small town has a big heart -- and a big race too!

1. Community Pride

We love our community and are surrounded by so many great neighboring towns like Rumson, Fair Haven, Shrewsbury, Red Bank, and Oceanport that are involved not just in their own towns, but support our activities as well.

Local businesses and families provide financial support by sponsoring the Little Silver 5K and provide food for our runners and after-party. Other local businesses provide entertainment and activities for our children for the after-party while the adults enjoy music from local bands.

People come from all over to challenge themselves for different reasons. I love reconnecting with neighbors and friends, and watching our kids grow into amazing young adults wearing their LS5K Family Sponsorship t-shirts with pride years after a race.

Regardless of where people are from, on "Race Day," we are all one community!

2. It’s "Run Well" By Our Own People

The race was started all those years ago by residents Kevin and Colleen Brennan, and their friend Wendy Jennings, for the sole purpose of helping our schools. As the race grew, so many individuals have contributed so much to the success of the LS5K.

In 2007, Dawn Wilcox, began organizing a town running clinic for kids which ultimately led to her becoming race director. Dawn and her small committee grew the LS5K from under 400 runners to almost 800. In 2015, Dawn and her co-race director Stacey Crow, helped get the race USATF Certified.

Michelle Koster and Stacey Tietjen, took over as co-race directors in 2016 and are building upon the race's success and are ensuring that the race upholds the standards of a USATF NJ Long Distance Running Open Women's Championship Race. As a member of their race committee, I'm in awe of how they and all of our volunteers manage so many moving parts.

We can never say enough how grateful we are for the amazing planning, support and protection provided to our race by our local Little Silver Police Department, EMS and Fire Department.

3. The LS5K Makes A Positive, Direct Impact On Our Kids

Every dollar earned from the race is used directly to enhance the experience of students at Point Road Elementary and Markham Place Schools. Giving our children enriched cultural programs and experiences is something very close to the heart of all parents and members of our community.

A small town with a big heart can make big things happen! Our once small 5K has grown into a very serious race that still appeals to runners of all skill levels.

The course is flat, fast and USATF Certified and the timing is done by Elite Racing Systems. There are prizes for different age groups as well as a One Mile Fun-Run for kids and Kiddie Dashes for little ones.

After 20 years, things come and go, but some things do not change. People still like to get outside and exercise, support their local schools and attend a fun family community event. Our small town loves our 5K, its runners from near and far, and all the sponsors and volunteers who make it all possible. Our small town really does have a big heart and we're looking forward to another big race!

To Register for the 2017 Little Silver 5K, CLICK HERE

Running Teaches Kids Self-Respect, Commitment, And Builds Self-Esteem

3 Reasons Why Our Small Town Has A Big Heart - And A Big Race Too!

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