IRONMAN Training Day 4: Running Club

I was asked to help supervise "Running Club" at my school.  Running Club is a group of students, faculty and parents that get together twice a week for three weeks in the spring to work on stretching, running, and of course, having fun through being active, and if that doesn't qualify as IRONMAN training, I'm at a loss.

Today marked the first day of Running Club.  The group of 150 students and around a dozen adults met in the gymnasium after school.  I got paired up with the 1st graders and three Kindergartners who joined the group.  After some instructions, the kids were released by grade to go out on the pre-made course and jog "slower than your fastest speed" for ten minutes.  I stayed behind with a kid who was tying his shoes.  That gave the rest of the group a one minute head start. 

I did not want him to fall behind so we ran slightly faster than slower than our fastest speed to catch up.  By the time we reached the rest of the first graders, we had sprinted through the first half of the course.  I slowed to a jog, taking in the sunshine as I felt the endorphines overtake my frame.  Now that I think about it, I don't know what became of the kid who was running with me.  He kept up really well at least as far as when we re-connected with his group, but after that... I'm sure he's fine.

I took in a total of two laps, slowing to a trot to talk with some students and parents.  After ten minutes were up, I went back to the gym for some cool-down stretches.  I felt so motivated by Running Club that I spent the evening at the gym playing basketball, so I guess I got some extra basketball training in today too.  Aaron, what two activities did you do to train for the IRONMAN today?