Japan Day Race with NYRR Youth Program, Sunday, June 6/10

On a hot morning this past Sunday, 20 eager Flyers got up early to meet “their kids” and help them run the Japan Day 4-miler as race buddies for the NYRR Youth Program. NYRR has put increased emphasis on youth programs in the last couple of years to foster healthy, fit, and motivated kids by bringing free and low-cost running programs to schools and community centers. The NYRR Youth Program motivates elementary-school through high-school students to set and achieve personal fitness goals using the structure and popularity of a team to help kids learn valuable lessons about how to set goals and make activity part of their daily lives. We all know how much running does for our lives, so many of us wanted to give back to show kids what running can do for them.

Since Glen Wiener, Mr. President, is involved with coaching for Team For Kids, which raises money for these youth programs, he thought it would be a great team effort for the NY Flyers to be involved as race buddies for a day. Once volunteers were recruited everyone had to fill out forms and get a background check to make sure they were fit to work with the kids. Prior to race day we were each assigned a school we would be running with and told to meet at the Young Runners tent at 6:45am on Sunday to meet our kids.

Come race day, our group of Flyers all donned in NYRR red volunteer shirts gathered near the tent getting last minute instruction and waiting for our kids to arrive. One by one we were pulled to meet our kids and assigned to those that needed the most help in completing the 4-mile race. This was the first 4-miler for many of the kids so it was our job to help them through the race and provide encouragement throughout. As we helped our kids with their bibs, D-tags and last minute words of advice the 8am start was fast approaching. We all lined up towards the back of the start line with most of the kids running 13-16 minute/mile paces.

My team, Brooklyn Studio, consisted of 9 kids ages 8-10 with many having this as their first 4-mile race and first time running in Central Park! I was assigned to help 3 kids who had never completed 4 miles to successfully finish the race and have a good time. Having been involved with the youth running program already over the past several months, I had my strategy in place. We would run to a light pole, then walk to the next pole, run to the next pole, walk and repeat until we completed the race. Kind of like a speed workout for kids! I have learned that inexperienced kids don’t understand how to pace themselves and will sprint and then get so tired they can’t continue. So it is best to run at a moderate pace and then walk in order to complete any kind of distance in a race. I passed this advice along to some of my other Flyer race buddies and saw several others doing so successfully (though the kids would still like to get some random sprints in anyway!).

Throughout the race I saw many other Flyers and their teams, which made it so rewarding to see us all out there. Jocelyn and Nick with their Zodiac track team, Janet passing me with her MS 348M team, Ed with his kid from PS 72M and others at the finish who completed their goals of running their kids in. Brian fittingly was assigned to a 7-minute miler, Drew had a sprinter and Siggy helped a kid from IS 220K complete his first race with a strong finish before his friends. As I was coming towards the finish with my 3 kids – Ricky, Katie and Lia – they were tiring quickly but we all agreed to finish strong and cross the line together. As we ran in, my sprinter, Ricky, took the lead, followed by us girls holding hands through the finish line.

They did it – I am so proud of my kids! And so proud of all the Flyers who gave up their Sunday mornings and their own personal race time to run with these well-deserving kids. By the comments after the race and later in the day through Facebook and email, it was a good day had by all and a rewarding experience for everyone involved. We did good my fellow Flyer friends and you should all feel good about passing on our beloved sport of running to much deserved youth who need this to be able to better themselves.

If anyone is interested in getting more involved with the Youth Program please let me know and I would be happy to chat further. I have been active with this group since last fall and have volunteered at many races, track meets and other competitive events at the Armory and Icahn Stadium. I find it very gratifying to help these kids through a sport that has done so much for me. - Deb M.