Ditch the Stroller for Older Kids?

I've had so much fun the past two weekends watching my three grandchildren run in 1K races. Their mom is a big runner so it's natural that they would run too. The first race they ran was very well organized with the kids lining up by ages. The bigger kids ran first, then the little ones. The second race my grandkids ran was not very well organized but they still had fun. Those medals at the end seem to make it all worthwhile!

An organization called BLEND in our community has really been pushing events to get kids active. They help promote and sponsor running and biking activities. I am really impressed with the work they are doing. The statistics on the number of obese children in our country are shocking (1 in 3) so it's refreshing to see something positive being done to try to combat that.

I found an interesting article about a graduate student and her professor in Utah who came up with the idea of ditching strollers for older children. They are suggesting that preschoolers can walk up to a half-mile and older kids further than that. In their community they are urging caregivers to walk with their children in places they are already visiting,(zoo, park,etc.)They feel that too many parents are using strollers for older children who could and should be walking. I hope the people in Utah make a huge impression on their community and that their idea spreads. Walking is a very simple and inexpensive way to become and stay healthy. Do your children like to walk or run? Do you have any tips or tricks you use to keep your kids active?