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5K

10 week running program

The Spark Foundation mission is to positively impact our community by providing access to health and fitness opportunities and financially supporting academic excellence.

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CONGRATULATIONS COACH!,! Congratulations on your decision to implement The Spark Foundation running program and be a coach to elementary students. Remember that you are way more than a coach- you are a confidant, a mentor, and an encourager. This may be a child’s first exposure to sports and being a part of a team; the quality of their first sports experiences may have a significant influence on their personal growth, development, and continued participation. Make this the most positive, enriching, fun, and enjoyable experience that you can!

THE ELEMENTARY STUDENT Students at this age are highly influenced by peers and environmental factors. The major focus for this age group is introduction to athletics and participation. It is important that all students have realistic goals and feel a sense of accomplishment throughout the year. Having individual goals and team goals will allow the students to grow personally as well as understand teamwork and develop friendships. Students should feel worthy, competent, and accepted. Make sure you are encouraging all students and creating an atmosphere that all students are having fun and want to continue!

COACH RESPONSIBILITIES Being a coach is a demanding, time-consuming, fulfilling role. The coach is responsible for many roles: friend, mentor, fundraiser, leader, teacher, recruiter, and equipment manager. In order to be the best coach possible, please consider the following coaching responsibilities: develop physical and technical abilities, identify individual differences, communication with young students, facilitate lifelong lessons, help students grow mentally, effect change in students and in program. Most importantly, your athletes need a balance between their biggest cheerleader and best coach, this balance will be different for each student.

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10-WEEK RUNNING CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE

DAY1

WEEK1

DEVELOP TEAM TRUST. LEARN RUNNING & STRETCHING BASICS.

Running drills: 2 x 20 m Build up run: 5 x 50 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Running games of choice for 30 minutes

WEEK2

SLOW DOWNPRACTICE CORRECT TECHNIQUE

WEEK3!

WEEKLY DISTANCE

CUM. DISTANCE

Running drills: 2 x 20 m Build up run: 5 x 50 m Running games of choice for 30 minutes

500 M

500 M

Running drills: 2 x 20 m Build up run: 3 x 50 m, 1 x 100 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Running games of choice for 30 minutes

Running drills: 2 x 20 m Build up run: 5 x 50 m, 1 x 100 m Running games of choice for 30 minutes

600 M

1.1 KM

TEAMWORK & ENCOURAGING OTHERS

Running drills: 2 x 30 m Build up run: 5 X 50 m, 3 x 100 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Running games of choice for 30 minutes: choose games that require students to cheer for their team

Running drills: 2 x 20 m Build up run: 2 x 100 m, 3 x 400 m Obstacle course instead of running games.

1.95 KM

3.05 KM

HEART RATE MONITORING

Running drills: 2 x 30 m Build up run: 4 x 100 m, 1 x 800 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile runteach students how to measure their own heart rate & practice Running games of choice for 30 minutes

Running drills: 2 x 30 m Build up run: 3 x 800 m Running games of choice for 30 minutes Have students measure their own heart rate

3.6 KM

6.65 KM

Running drills: 2 x 30 m Build up run: 1 x 800 m, 1 x 1600 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Help each student set a goal 5K time. Work towards this goal for the rest of the program Running games of choice for 30 minutes

Running drills: 2 x 30 m Build up run: 1 x 3200 m Running games of choice for 30 minutes

5.6 KM

12.25 KM

WEEK4! GOAL SETTING

WEEK5!

DAY2

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WEEK6

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

HEALTHY FOOD

WEEK7 TECHNIQUE

WEEK8 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS FUN

WEEK9

WEEK10

PREPARE FOR 5K RACE

Running drills: 2 x 40 m Build up run: 2 x 1600 m, 3 x 800 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Running games of choice for 30 minutes Talk about mental toughness and its effects on running

Running drills: 2 x 30 m Build up run: 1 x 3600 m Obstacle course instead of running games Remind students about mental toughness & how they can have it

Running drills: 2 x 40 m Build up run: 2 x 3200 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Running games of choice for 30 minutes Discuss healthy food options & what makes a food healthy. Have snacks after practice.

Running drills: 2 x 40 m Build up run: 1 x 4200 m Running games of choice for 30 minutes Discuss healthy food options & what makes a food healthy. Have snacks after practice.

Running drills: 2 x 40 m Build up run: 2 x 3200 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Running games of choice for 30 minutes Talk about technique again and make sure students are continuing to do this when they’re running.

Running drills: 2 x 40 m Build up run: 1 x 5000 m Running games of choice for 30 minutes Talk about technique again and make sure students are continuing to do this when they’re running.

Running drills: 2 x 50 m Build up run: 3 x 1500 m Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Running games of choice for 30 minutes Discuss how physical activity is fun & things they can do at home to be activelet students take home a jump rope or hula hoop!

Running drills: 2 x 40 m Build up run: 2 x 1000 m, 4 x 500 m Obstacle course instead of running games Discuss how physical activity is fun & things they can do at home to be active- let students take home a jump rope or hula hoop!

Running drills: 2 x 50 m Build up run: 2 x 1500 Measure heart rate during 1 mile run Running games of choice for 30 minutes

5K- Friday Cow Paddy Run!

9.2 KM

21.45 KM

10.6 KM

32.05 KM

11.4 KM

43.45 KM

8.5 KM

51.5 KM

8 KM

59.95 KM

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60 MINUTE CLASS OUTLINE! 2 5 5 8 10 20 5 5 !

Assemble team and make announcements Warm up jog around track Stretching Running drills Build up runs Running games Cool down jog around track Cool down exercises, snack time, put sticker on “I did it!” poster, PRAISE & ENCOURAGEMENT, announcements about next meeting

WARM UP JOG The objective of the warm up jog is to warm up the student’s muscles to prevent injury. It allows the heart rate and body temperature to rise gradually. Have all of the students run for 5 minutes at an easy pace around the track in one group. You should do this with the students to keep them motivated and having fun.

STRETCHES For 5 minutes after the warm up jog, do 5 minutes of stretching. Muscles that are warmed and stretched are less prone to injury. Each pose should be held for about 10 seconds at the point of first discomfort. Running tends to tighten the muscles and they should be stretched out to relieve soreness and increase muscle resiliency. Try to stretch on soft surfaces like grass and encourage slow breathing. Side Bends Stand with your feet slightly larger than hip distance apart. Extend your right arm over your head and lean to your left. Hold for 10 seconds. Extend your left arm over your head and lean to your right. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times. Hanging Stretch Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Extend your arms, then slowly bend over and reach toward your toes, keeping your legs straight. Do not bounce. Repeat 5 times. Thigh Stretch Stand on one leg. Lift your right foot toward your butt and reach down and grab your right ankle with your left hand. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.

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Calf Stretch Stand with legs together and heels flat on the ground. Lean forward until you feel the stretch in your calves. Hold for 10 counts. Bend your knees and repeat keeping your heels on the ground. Runner’s Lunge Stretch Standing with both feet together, step forward with your left foot. Keep your right leg straight and put your right heel toward the ground. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other leg. Butterfly Stretch Sit on the ground with the soles of your feet together. Put your knees down toward the ground. Keep your feet together. Hold for 10 seconds. Pizza Stretch Sit on the ground with both legs extended. Flex your toes. Reach your arms to your toes 10 times. Hurdler Stretch Sit on the ground with both legs extended. Bend the right leg to the inside, as if making a “4”. Grab the left ankle and pull your torso to your left leg for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other leg. Pretzel Stretch Sit on the ground with both legs directly in front of you. Place your left foot across your right knee, reach your right elbow across your left knee and look behind you for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

RUNNING DRILLS Have students do fun running drills to build leg muscles and reduce the amount of long-distance running. These drills should be fun and made into a race or competition between the students. Set a distance and ensure form isn’t sacrificed in the competitive speed to finish the drill. Increase the distance of the drills weekly. Follow the curriculum calendar on pages 2 & 3. Walking/Running with high knees Running butt kicks Power skipping Walking with a straight leg kick up

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BUILD UP RUNS Students will gradually run farther each week to building up to 3.11 miles. Please see the Curriculum Calendar to see how far the students should run each day to gradually increase their distance and reduce risk of injury.

RUNNING GAMES The object of running games is to keep the students moving as much as possible. Avoid games like baseball or red rover where the majority of students wait while one student runs. Examples of active running games are below. Rats and Rabbits Create pairs of students, one is a rabbit and the other is a rat. Each pair stands back to back, a couple of feet apart. When the coach calls rats, the rats run as fast as they can to the line or cones, while the rabbits turn around and chase, intending to catch their partner. This game is good for speed work. Partner tag Create pairs of students, one starts off as “it”. The student that is not “it” runs off. When the first runner catches their partner, number 2 turns around three times where they are standing, then goes in pursuit of their partner. Paarlaufs Set up several teams with even numbers and split them into two. Half the team stays at one line and the other half goes to another line about 50 feet away. The first runner goes to their front runner at the other line and passes off an item (tennis ball, baton, etc.) this one then runs back to where the first runner started to hand the baton over to the next runner. This can go on for as long as the students can keep going. Fun relays Several teams of athletes 1. Hopscotch 2. Balls passed through the legs, overhead, round body. 3. Skipping 4. Slalom 5. Speed bounces Robbing the Nest

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Collect 5 hula hoops and 12 tennis balls, and organize students into teams of 4. One member of each team collects a ball from the central hoop and takes it to their team hoop. The next member of the team collects a ball from the center hoop and brings it back. Once all the balls have disappeared from the central hoop, teams need to steal balls from the other teams. The winners are the team who collects 4 balls in their hoop first. Trains Split students into a couple teams matching students of similar abilities. The teams will run in line at a steady pace. One the whistle, the runners at the back sprints to the front and becomes the leader of the train. Continue until the students get tired and start dropping out. Collect the cones Set up several teams. Put the same number of cones in a hoop as number of runners in each team. The runners take turns to collect a cone and bring it back to their starting line. Then each member returns the cone to the hoop until the game is back as it was at the start. Jump the River Create groups of three: A, B, and C. A produces a standing long jump. Where A lands B jumps from and C jumps from the landing point of B. The total distance of ABC is the distance scored. This can continue across a court, track, or designated grassy area. Hop to it Get 10 empty shoe boxes (or any object to jump over). Mark start & finish lines 20 feet apart. Set up two parallel lines with the shoe boxes (5 boxes in each line). Students form two teams. Each child runs as fast as they can, hopping over the boxes on the way to the finish line, then they hop back tagging their next team mate. First team to finish wins! Cups and domes Set up a field with cones: half the cones pointing upwards like a cup and half the cones pointing downwards like a dome. With two teams, one team must turn the cups over to make them domes and the other team must turn the domes over to make cups. Farmers tag Several athletes are the farmers and must tag (gently) the crows. When the crows are tagged, they are immobilized and turned into scarecrows until another crows release them by going under their arms. Pyramid relays Create two or more teams to run relays of varying distances, of say 25m (A), 50m (B) and 75m (C). The first runner runs to A, then back to team, the second runner runs to B and back, the third runner runs to C, then the next runner runs to B, then the last runner runs to A.

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British Bulldogs One or two athletes stand in the middle of a designated area. The other runners try to get past without being tagged. When they are tagged they join the athletes in the middle, until all athletes have been caught. Fox and Hounds Set a distance, then send one athlete off and after a few seconds all the other athletes try to catch the runners before they reach the set target. Keep changing the leader. Red light, Green light

COOL DOWN JOG & STRETCHES The Thecool cooldown downjog jogshould shouldbebesimilar similartotothe thewarm warmupupjog. jog. Students Studentsshould shouldrun runatatananeasy easypace pace forfor55minutes. minutes.Afterwards, Afterwards,33oror44ofofthe theprevious previousstretches stretchesshould shouldbebecompleted completedtotofully fullycool cool down. down.

OBSTACLE COURSE An obstacle course is a fun way to keep children running and competitive. The coach should set up a course that consists of something like the following: 10 orange cones to weave around, a balance beam to slow down and walk across, 5 hula hoops to bounce between, and a netted rope to crawl under. Students should then sprint to the end and jump to touch a bell that signals their time is over. The coach should time the students and keep track of students improvement. The obstacle course should be done once every 3 weeks.

SAFETY Be aware of common running injuries and how to prevent and treat them. Make sure sunscreen and water are available at every practice to prevent sunburns and dehydration. A first aid kit with treatment for blisters and falls should be on hand.

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TIMED ONE-MILE RUN Students should complete a timed one-mile run every week to measure progress. This is an indicator that when students are progressing, the program does not need to be tweaked. When a student is not progressing, figure out what areas to change to help them get the most out of the program. See the table on the last page for a structure to keep track of student’s heart rates and times in the one-mile run.

AWARDS Students should receive “toe tokens” after reaching milestone distances in the program. Students can add these tokens to their shoelaces as a sign of how far they’ve run. Giving students awards will increase participation and motivation. In addition, have an awards day the last day that the program is occurring. Every student should receive a paper award specific to what they have contribution to the running club- i.e. most improved, funniest, fastest runner, best team spirit, etc. Students can also have a their choice of a staged running picture takeni.e. breaking a banner as they’re crossing the finish line or darting through cones on an obstacle course, etc. The options are unlimited! Be creative! Make sure that students have a great time and want to continue coming back!

CONTINUING THE PROGRAM The best part about this program is it can be repeated multiple times! Students can continue to improve their strength, speed, and technique. The coach or person keeping track of times and heart rates will notice that students get better and healthier every time the program is put into effect.

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STUDENT HEART RATE AND TIME TRACKER FOR WEEKLY 1 MILE RUN STUDENT

WK1 WK2 WK3 WK4 WK5 WK6 WK7 WK8 WK9 WK10 HR TIME HR TIME HR TIME HR TIME HR TIME HR TIME HR TIME HR TIME HR TIME HR TIME