Well, this isn’t what usually happens, but it does. Many parents, when they see enough potential in their child, urge their child to seriously pursue whatever he/she is good at. Not a few athletes have such personal history. But while it’s good to encourage children to take up running as a sport, it also has its risks.

Running is a popular exercise or sport since one doesn’t need to belong to a team and have very specialized gear to do it. A kid only got to have a good pair of running shoes, a decent set of clothes suitable for running, and he/she is good to go. And since it’s an individual and non-contact sport, parents worry less about their child getting injured. However, simple as it may seem, distance running is still just like any other sport: it requires physical endurance and has its share of potential risks, which may be greater among children than in adults.

According to studies, the most common running-related problems among children are those that have to do with their muscular and skeletal systems. Such problems are due to the overuse of or mechanical stress imposed on certain body parts and muscles.

One common example of a musculoskeletal problem is the patellofemoral syndrome, a condition wherein the patient experiences soreness under and around the kneecap after walking, running, or sitting for a long time. Physical problems like this are said to be developed, not during the actual run, but during the training where coaches usually add on miles to every session. Overuse of muscles can lead to chronic disability, so parents and running coaches should limit children’s runs to two to three miles, five times every week.

A survey found out that teenage girls are two to eight times more injury prone than boys. It has something to do with their physique, says one professor of orthopedics from a well-known center in Boston. For example, there are more girls who have pronated feet than guys. Pronated feet, or flat footedness, is the condition in which the arches in one’s feet are not that pronounced because most of the body’s weight rests on them instead of the outer sides of the soles.

Another thing to check in children’s marathons is the kid’s ability to cope with temperature change. Extreme hot or cold temperature may not be that bearable for some kids. If their body aren’t able to cope with the temperature well enough, they may suffer heatstroke or hypothermia. And just like grown-up runners, they’re not safe from dehydration. Kids should take plenty of liquids (preferably water) about 10 to 15 minutes before the race. This is to let the body absorb and circulate water for proper hydration.

And, of course, the most important thing when it comes to involving children in sports is the demands that parents impose. Children are still children. So whether they can complete a 26.2-mile distance running leg or not, they should be able to enjoy what they are doing. Parents and coaches should not set very high expectations from them. Otherwise, a kid might do the sport only to satisfy the people around him/her.

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The main event of weekend is the full marathon. This race is run on Sunday and takes places all throughout the Disney properties. The race will begin at Epcot and pass through each of the four parks before returning to Epcot, where the finish line is located. Those who complete this also have other opportunities to medal, as well.

The second major race of the weekend is the half marathon. The Saturday race allows those who aren't up for the challenge of the full race or who just want to run a warm up, a 13.1 mile version of the full marathon. This event also gives each participant who completes the run a medal.

The biggest challenge of marathon weekend is the Goofy Race-And-A-Half Challenge. Entrants who participate in both races will receive a special medal for this outstanding achievement. Completing both of these events is a true challenge and very rewarding for those who go on to finish.

Besides the main events of the weekend, the rest of the family can enjoy a Family Fun Run, as well as the Disney Health and Fitness Expo. All of these events are included in many packages sold to visitors over the weekend. Runners who love the joy of Disney should certainly check out the Disney Marathon Weekend!

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Running is a popular sport with children and adolescents around the world.

Depending on the age and calibre of the young athlete, training may range from the weekly school Physical Education lesson to structured sessions at a local club or to participation in one of the special training plans on The World Keeps Running.

The goals of training may range from simply having fun, to improving fitness and physique, to developing running skills and preparing for an event.

For the youngest age groups, there should be no special need for any change to diet. The main aims are to minimise the risk of gastrointestinal upset and to avoid problems of dehydration on hot days. It may be best to avoid solid food for two to three hours before training and particularly an event as the combination of exercise and nerves can cause some gastric distress.

Children can often be out in the sun for many hours on sports days, and adults should be vigilant to ensure frequent application of sun cream and to be aware of any child who seems to be having problems. Ample fluid should be available, and children may need to be reminded to take small amounts of drinks at regular intervals.

The physiology of children and adolescents differs from that of adults in several ways. The mechanisms of thermoregulation are less efficient in children, and special attention must be paid to the environment, activity patterns, clothing and hydration to avoid problems of hyperthermia or hypothermia.

The growth spurts during childhood and adolescence require nutritional support in terms of adequate intake of energy, protein and minerals.

Active young people may find it difficult to meet their needs for energy and nutrients when the costs of training and growth are added. Young people may not have developed the nutritional knowledge and time management skills to fit in all the eating occasions required to achieve high energy, nutrient-rich eating.

The rate of obesity in children is still rising, but active youngsters do need a plentiful supply of energy from foods and energy-containing drinks.

Young athletes eating a wide range of foods should not need to use dietary supplements, and athletes and coaches should be aware that these do not provide a short cut to success.

Encourage children to become involved in menu planning for the family meals, and for special needs associated with their training and competition sessions. Encourage positive messages that good eating practices, involving good choices of foods and drinks, are part of the formula for sporting success, and a healthy life.

Children often need snacks to meet their energy needs over the day, and the special needs of recovery from sport. These snacks should involve nutrient-rich choices such as fruit, sandwiches, dried fruit and nuts, flavoured dairy products, and cereals and milk. Some planning is needed to have these choices on hand over the day, and before or after sport.

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By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

One in seven preschoolers from low-income families in the United States are considered obese, a new government report shows.

However, the same report finds that the news is not all bad: The childhood obesity epidemic does seem to be leveling off among children in this group.

Among 2- to 4-year-olds from low-income families, the prevalence of obesity increased from 12.4 percent in 1998 to 14.5 percent in 2003. However, it went up only to 14.6 percent in 2008, according to the July 24 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Among lower-income, preschool-aged children, we are actually seeing a stabilization of obesity rates," said report co-author Laurence M. Grummer-Strawn, chief of CDC's Maternal Child Nutrition Branch in the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity.

"For a number of years, we were seeing continuous rises in this obesity epidemic and it looks like over the last five years we have actually seen that rate stabilize," he said. "Of course, we are not where we want to be. We want to see much more improvement, but it's at least good news that things are not continuing to get worse."

Why obesity in this age group is stabilizing is not completely clear, Grummer-Strawn said. "There has been more emphasis on pediatric obesity among low-income populations," he said. "There have been initiatives to promote breast-feeding, initiatives to use low-fat or skim milk, initiatives to reduce television watching and shaping behaviors toward better nutrition and physical activity," he noted.

But there remains a large racial and ethnic disparity in the obesity epidemic among preschoolers, Grummer-Strawn added.

Even though the prevalence of obesity has stayed steady in many parts of the country, it is still increasing among American Indian and Alaska Native children. Among these children, the prevalence of obesity has gone up about a half-percentage point each year from 2003 to 2008, according to the report.

As a matter of fact, American Indian or Alaska Native children had the highest obesity rates in 2008, at 21.2 percent, followed by Hispanic children at 18.5 percent.

The lowest obesity rates were among white children, at 12.6 percent, Asian or Pacific Islander children, at 12.3 percent, and black children, at 11.8 percent, the report found.

Only in Colorado and Hawaii were the obesity rates 10 percent or less among poor preschoolers, and only among Indian Tribal Organizations were the obesity rates over 20 percent.

"We need to be thinking about how to change our communities to be much healthier for our children," Grummer-Strawn said.

There need to be better parks and playgrounds "so that children can get outside and play," he said. "We also need to improve access to healthier foods."

More information

For more on obesity, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: Laurence M. Grummer-Strawn, Ph.D., Chief, Maternal Child Nutrition Branch Division, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; July 24, 2009, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

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If your child’s school isn’t out for the summer, it will be soon. Summer vacation used to mean late nights playing flashlight tag with your friends, riding bikes all over your neighborhood and catching balls with your buddies. Times have changed. Fear keeps kids close to home, and both the hot sun and lure of video games keep them inside.

That may mean safety, but it doesn’t mean health. "It’s so important to keep these kids active in the summer," says Gina Pona, a trainer and owner of Kid-Fit, a company that helps churches and schools set up fitness programs for kids. "Kids really have a tendency to become couch potatoes when school is out, but parents can’t let that happen."

Here’s a guide to keeping your kids healthy and active this summer.

Tip No. 1: Limit Screen Time

While TV, video games and computers do have their benefits, too much screen time is detrimental to your kids’ health.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids under age 2 have no screen time, and that kids older than 2 watch no more than one to two hours a day of quality programming.

"Especially with the computers and MySpace, it seems kids want to be inside more often," says Sherri Brown, fitness director of the Downtown-Marquette YMCA.

"What we’ve found is that most would choose something else if you offer them an alternative," says Paul Jenkins, a physical therapist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Tip No.2: Buy a Few Basics

You don’t have to outfit a whole home gym, but purchasing a few active toys for your kids will give them incentive to move. Pona recommends a few balls (a basketball, soccer ball, even a beach ball), a jump rope and, if you can afford it, a bike.

"These toys encourage a kid to play outside; you can’t play basketball inside," Pona says.

Tip No.3: Get Your Kids Outside

While indoor exercise is certainly possible, kids are much more likely to move in the great outdoors. To get the kids out of the house, you may have to help, even on weekdays when you get off work.

"Sometimes I stop at the park with my child," says Brown, mom to a 2-year-old. "It’s like the gym theory: You have to do it before you get home and don’t want to get back out."

Pona even suggests that parents use a timer or a stopwatch and treat playing outdoors as a reward. "You could say, `You took out the trash "" now you can play outside for 30 minutes.’ "

Tip No.4: Give Them Things to Do

The challenge for these kids, Jenkins says, is finding something that’s available to them. That’s why buying the items in Tip 2 was so important. But if you put a little thought into it, you can make fitness exciting for your kids. Brown suggests a scavenger hunt. "At each station, in addition to the next clue, have an exercise the children need to complete before continuing. It could be 25 jumping jacks, 10 push-ups, run one lap around the yard, jump rope for 30 seconds, hula hoop for one minute, frog hop to the next station "" the options are endless."

Tip No.5: Enroll Them in an Activity

Brown says the planned activity doesn’t have to be athletics-oriented. "Try dance, karate, swimming "" just get a set day and time you are going to do something that forces you to do that every week."

The YMCA offers everything from yoga to boot camp for kids, and you can find a variety of activities at community centers and community colleges.

Tip No.6: Try a Fitness Calendar

Sit with your child and find what activities he or she likes or wants to try, says Brown. Then pick two days each week of summer vacation to try that activity. For example, one week it could be 30 minutes of shooting hoops at the basketball courts on Tuesday and 30 minutes of hiking trails at Castlewood State Park on Thursday. "This could easily be a family event and modified for all ages," Brown says.

Tip No.7: Model Good Behavior

"The first thing we try to tell people is to lead by example," Jenkins says. "Kids want to follow their parents’ lead. So that’s an easy way to inspire them." You can go biking together as a family on the weekends, or go for a nature hike.