Dear Parents and Caregivers,
With the One Mile Time Trial already completed, we are turning our attention toward the benefits of physical activity and having gratitude for the opportunities available to improve our health.
The CDC recommends that kids get 60 minutes of daily physical activity with aerobic activity making up the majority of that movement. The health benefits multiply when done outside with others on a consistent basis. We are committed to providing opportunities for children to meet these needs, but our hope is after experiencing the benefits through this program your Kilometer Kids will seek out more opportunities to get active outside of practice. Some other examples of aerobic physical activities are hiking, biking, swimming, and skating: anything that increases heart rate, blood flow, and breathing.
Whichever mode of physical activity your child chooses when it comes to achieving a goal, consistency is important. My high school coach used to say, "In order to run, you have to run." In other words, the benefits of running become more obvious the more fitness you acquire. If a Kilometer Kid shows up to each practice and focuses on working hard then they are practicing being consistent. Overtime they will begin to experience the rewards of building fitness. This is true both during one Kilometer Kids season and also over long periods of time.
An excellent opportunity to notice how consistency is paying off is during the One Mile Time Trial. As a professional runner for Atlanta Track Club Elite, I use time trials and certain races as an opportunity to gather information. Where is my fitness? How am I handling the experience emotionally? How close am I to my bigger goals? What do I need to do to get closer to my bigger goals? How have I improved from the last time I did this? These are questions I might reflect on after a time trial. They could serve as a guide for a Walk and Talk with your Kilometer Kid.
Before we go, we would like to reinforce our gratitude for you and your family. We recognize that our mission to create a healthy and active Atlanta by providing youth access to engage in physical activity wouldn't be possible without your help. We want to thank you again for believing in our program and choosing to enroll your child. Furthermore, thank you for all the ways you strengthen the effectiveness of our program by bringing your child to practices, supporting your child's learning and growth at home, cheering on your Kilometer Kid at events, volunteering, and modeling behaviors yourself. We hope you and your child are experiencing the powerful benefits of running and sharing meaningful experiences full of joy and growth. As a reminder, if you have any questions, suggestions, or insights about the program you can reach me by email at shenderson@atlantatrackclub.org.
Sincerely,
-Sadi Henderson, Professional Runner (Atlanta Track Club Elite) & Program Coordinator - Kilometer Kids, shenderson@atlantatrackclub.org