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Inspired by the Olympics

 

olympics


I am so excited for the upcoming Olympics. Some of the things I love about the Olympics include the obvious dedication and training of all of the athletes, their will and determination to just do their best, the honor and excitement to represent their country, the sportsmanship and camaraderie that is particularly evident at the end when all the athletes attend the closing ceremonies as a group, and the love and support of their families. And I am always left thinking that you don’t have to be the best at something, you just have to do your best, and that hard work will be rewarded.

 

I’ve noticed that each year as the Boston Marathon approaches, there are more runners out and about (or maybe I just pay more attention to them). That got me thinking about how motivating the Olympics could be for physical activity. One of the blogs I like to follow came up with an Olympic Ebook for children. I thought it would be fun to do these activities with my kids and to use this as a way to kick-start my own exercise that has started to lag with all our recent beach time.

So we’ve started doing some “Olympic Balloon Badminton” and “Olympic Shot Put” (maybe I can even race the kids to retrieve the item thrown). I particularly like the "Hurdle Run" that was suggested and think I might be able to set up my own version on a soccer field that could involve intervals with sprinting, and some of my own hurdle jumping while my little ones do a mini-version of this next to me. I can also incorporate concepts like why you keep trying when you don’t get it right the first time (or don’t win) and why dedication and training (and good sportsmanship!) are important. And that exercise can be more than just exercise, it can also be fun.

How will the Olympics inspire you?
 

 

 
 

by PeggyKerans on 07/23/2012 | Share Story With a Friend

tags: motivation, exercise, kids, mommy blog

About the Author

Peggy Kerans

Peggy has worked at HMR since 1997 in a number of departments. She is a woman that wears many hats, and juggles a hectic family life with her husband and 3 small children. She likes to cook, do crafts, be a positive role model for her family and keep things fun.

Comments (1) Post a comment
I loved reading your thoughts, Peggy. When I read " you don’t have to be the best at something, you just have to do your best, and that hard work will be rewarded" I thought how much that applies to everyone participating in an HMR program, working hard at changing our eating habits and achieving a healthier lifestyle. And while I don't think I'm going to attempt to set up hurdles anywhere in the near future (but good on you, for taking that on! :), I do think that using the Olympics as a way to spark interest in different kinds of physical activity for my family is something that I will do.
by PatriciaRNfit on 07/24/2012