Getting Up to Speed

Where can you go running safely in your neighborhood?

Before you begin training:

• Find a running “buddy” to train with you. Ask a friend from school or from your neighborhood, your brother or sister, or a parent or other relative.

• Make sure you have a good pair of running shoes that fit you properly.

• Stay hydrated! Even if you aren’t perspiring visibly, exercise uses up a great deal of your body’s water. Be sure to drink water frequently to keep your energy level up and your body working.

• Snack on healthful foods. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lowfat dairy products all help maintain a healthy body. Have an apple and a piece of cheese, some yogurt sprinkled with granola, or an orange and a handful of whole-grain pretzels. You’ll find that you have plenty of energy to complete the goals you set for yourself.

• Get in the habit of taking a few minutes to stretch before you begin running.

Stretching helps you stay flexible. It can also help protect your body from injury.

1 The best way to begin training is by alternately walking and running. This allows your body to become accustomed to the challenge of running without overdoing it. Begin your first week with running for two minutes and walking for four minutes. Do this sequence five times in a row, four times a week.

2 If you feel comfortable doing this sequence after a week, you’re ready to progress to the next level. If it still feels challenging, continue with it for another week. 3 When you decide to move to the next level, you’ll run three minutes and walk for three minutes. Continue to progress each week, increasing the time you spend running and decreasing the time you spend walking, until you reach 30 minutes of continuous running.

4 When you are running, you should be able to comfortably talk with your running buddy. If you are pushing yourself too hard, talking will be difficult because you’ll be short of breath.

5 The days of the week that you don’t run, try some different kinds of fitness activities, like hiking, ice skating, jumping rope, or playing basketball. You’ll find that these activities use different muscles than running does. This kind of cross-training can help you get into even better shape than only repeating a single activity. Don’t forget to schedule at least one day of rest every week. It’s always a good idea to give your body a chance to recover from your daily workouts.

6 Consider keeping a runner’s log or journal. You can record the weather, your route, the distance you ran, and how you felt. You might notice that you prefer running early in the day or that eating an orange before you go for a run gives you a good boost in energy.

7 Most of all, remember to have fun. Running is just one of many different activities you can do to stay in shape. Vary your routine enough to keep it interesting, and bring along a friend to keep you company.

Spectrum Reading Grade 6

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1. What are some types of fitness activities mentioned in the selection besides running?

2. What do you think cross-training is?

3. What is the best way to begin training?

4. What purpose would a reader have for reading this selection?

for pleasure or entertainment to learn how to become a runner

to form an opinion about running

5. Write a summary sentence for paragraph 5.

6. What kind of information could you record in a runner’s log?

7. Do you think the author is trying to persuade the reader of anything in this selection? Explain.

8. In bullet 3, what does hydrated mean?

9. Are you a runner? If so, explain what you like about it. If not, would you like to take up running? Why or why not?

Spectrum Reading Grade 6

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