TRAINING WITH MY YOUNG GRANDDAUGHTER Is it safe? April 2006 Dear Carol, I am a 47-year-old female with a soon to be 5-year-old granddaughter. I am just attempting a running program and I walk/run 1.5 miles, 3 or 4 times a week. How can I safely add my granddaughter to a running program? What is a safe distance for her? Thank you, Fran Dear Fran, What a lucky grandchild to be included in her grandmother's run/walk program! Please start her at a MUCH shorter distance and gradually build as you see fit. Pay close attention to how she reacts. Every 5-year-old is different with respect to fitness level. Some 5-year-olds would be raring to go. But others would tire too soon. Get to know your grandchild's fitness level, gradually increase the distance till her distance matches yours and you should be all set. However, if you plan on increasing your distance beyond the mile and a half, it will be too much for a young child. Kids do a lot of sprinting and walking. It can be difficult and unnatural for a very young child to keep a steady pace with an adult, so make sure to build in some child's play. Sometimes take your granddaughter to a park where she can just run around at her own pace. Just pay close attention to how she reacts. Continue your training with your granddaughter if she thinks it's fun and if she is running with ease. Just let her know that you will still "run" with her even if she doesn't come with you on your official training runs. Good luck, Carol IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM FRAN! July 2006 My granddaughter and I try to walk/run whenever we go from farm to farm (around an eighth of a mile or so), anywhere's from 3 to 4 times a week. We walk/sprint/follow the leader type things and she really likes it. She will even say (if it has been a few days), "When are we going to run again, Grandma?" Thank you for the advice. As for me, I am running 2 miles now and it is great! I never thought I could or would like running, but as you know there is just something about it, it hooks you. I have entered my first 1 mile fun run for the end of this month. Feel free to email the kid's editor at rwedit@rodale.com.