Running club in Galloway encourages kids to get healthy

By Dedra Cordle

Staff Writer

A national non-profit organization that introduces children to running through events that encourage both confidence and self-esteem is set to launch next month in Galloway.

The inaugural Healthy Kids Running Series – Galloway, Ohio is being organized by Rose Lynch. The westside native said she wanted to bring the popular running series to the community to provide local children with opportunities for physical activities and social interactions.

“This program is all about coming together, showing support for one another, and having lots of fun,” she said.

She added that children do not even have to like running all that much in order to enjoy participating in the running series.

“It would probably be helpful, but it is not a requirement,” she said. “I think they will have a good time regardless of their skill level or level of interest.”

Lynch was one of those children who never considering running to be a viable option for her.

“My thought process at the time was that I was too big for the sport, that I didn’t have enough stamina, and that I wasn’t fast enough to do it,” she said. “I would learn that those things were untrue, but that mindset is what kept me away from the sport for so long.”

While attending Westland High School, the 2010 graduate, who was known as Rose Undeutsch at the time, participated in track and field. She said her specialties were more in the field portion rather than on the track.

“I did shot put and discus, but I did run the mile once when they needed someone to step in,” she said.

Four years later, Lynch was a senior at The Ohio State University, looking to join a sport that had a strong sense of comradery. She found what she was looking for on the track team.

“Everyone on the team was so supportive of each other. It was amazing,” she said. “Here I was, a senior but a newbie on the team and all of my coaches, all of my teammates, all of the running community was just so supportive.”

She said she became hooked on how running improved her health, how it allowed her to slowly set and reach goals, and how it allowed her to support causes by participating in racing events such as charity 5Ks and the Columbus Half Marathon.

“It’s just a wonderful feeling to see people you don’t even know cheering you on, giving you high fives, and offering you encouragement to go on,” she said.

Although a recent back injury has prevented her from running, Lynch has been the family cheerleader/lead walker as her husband, Jacob, and daughters, Emma, 6, and Ella, 3, lace up their sneakers and hit the pavement.

She said while loves that her children have taken an interest in running, she would like nothing more than to see dozens of kids lacing up their sneakers and running around in the community.

“That is part of the reason why I wanted to bring the Healthy Kids Running Series to the area,” she said. “Being around here all my life, I know a lot of times there is not a lot of stuff going on for the kids. The Prairie Township Community Center has done a fabulous job of bringing a lot of sports and events here, but there is not really anything running related.

“When I saw the ad for the (Healthy Kids Running Series) on Facebook and heard from friends who participated in the Hilliard running series, I knew that this was something that we needed for our community. I am so passionate about this side of town, it is a great side of town, we just need people to help bring things together and I knew that I could help with this event.”

The Healthy Kids Running Series – Galloway, Ohio is a five-week running program designed for children of all abilities from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The race series will offer age-appropriate running events including the 50- and 75-yard dashes, the quarter mile, half mile, or one-mile runs. There will be a Challenger Division, which is an adaptive 75-yard race for children with disabilities and/or special needs. Parents, siblings, and friends will be allowed on the course with Challenger participants to provide support.

The first running series will take place on April 13 at 3 p.m. at Westland High School. The following races in the running series will take place on April 27, May 4, May 11, and May 18 at the same time and location.

Kids participating in the competitive divisions compete for a chance to earn points that will decide who wins the respective distance trophies. All kids who participate in the series will receive medals at the end of the five-week program. Although some of the age divisions will be competitive, Lynch said the goal for the program is to “do your best.”

“I don’t want any child participating to feel pressured. This is a ‘do your best’ event, especially since this is supposed to be introducing them to running and walking,” she said. “I don’t expect everybody to know how to be able to run. Our motto is crawl, walk, run. That is our progression so wherever they are at in that stage (is how they will compete in this series).”

There are currently 12 children signed up to compete in the inaugural Healthy Kids Running Series. Lynch said children from the South-Western City Schools District, as well as those from the greater central Ohio region and Madison County are invited to sign-up and participate in the event. Lynch is also looking for local business sponsors (Monfredi Family Dental and Whiteboard Marketing have committed for the spring series) and volunteers to support the event and the children as they compete in the running series.

The $50 registration fee includes race bibs for each week, a runner shirt, finisher medals, sponsor giveaways when available, and trophies for top place finishers. Single day registration is also available one hour prior to the start of each race at $20. Registration is open at runsignup.com/race/oh/galloway/healthykidsrunningseriesgallowayoh.

For more information or to help as a volunteer, contact community coordinator Rose Lynch at the Healthy Kids Running Series – Galloway, Ohio Facebook page.