Running with ponies

It was an extraordinary run. Way before the crack of dawn, dozens of runners gathered around. The dozens turned to hundreds, the hundreds to almost two thousand. But many of the would-be runners were children, mostly little girls, a good number wearing tutus. And it wasn’t an intense competition. Instead, it was a celebration of friendship.

The second My Little Pony Friendship Run at the Mall of Asia grounds pulled in almost 2,000 participants, despite the long weekend which saw hundreds of confirmed families head out of town, instead. Organizers Global Procurement, Inc. put together the event based on the hit cartoon series which have spawned an endless line of toys and at least one hit movie. Its six main equine characters Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie all showed up in mascot form, nearly causing a frantic, squealing stampede. The fervor never faded, as little girls ran or dragged their parents in the direction of the herd of colorful ponies. Another incident unheard of in other road races.

This is an effective way of introducing kids to sports, by extracting the one-upmanship associated with competitive sporting events. Research has shown that some of the early stresses in children’s lives come from being coerced into participating in sports that they don’t really like, or competing at an early age, before they even have an inkling what competition is about. This has spawned corrective movements like the Positive Coaching Alliance in the United States, which has parents sign a covenant that they would not be a disruptive influence in any of their offspring’s games.

The sad truth is, for lack of awareness, many parents take the easy way out and push their kids toward the same path they took. In this writer’s case, I had my two sons try out a variety of sports, from swimming to wall climbing, tennis to aikido. Happily, they settled on basketball, and the benefits continue to pile up. Vincent and Daniel have, of their own volition, developed the discipline to work out religiously. Vincent has transitioned into a part-time career as a sports broadcaster. Both have become models in their spare time, and are an endless source of pride. But I can’t really take credit. Parents can only open doors; our children create their own lives.

Outdoor activity is also becoming a more important component in children’s lives, as the density of populations in urban centers increases. Finding open space for children to walk, rub and jump is harder and harder. In fact, anthropometric history is able to correlate the height of a population with its density. It says that Americans are gradually getting shorter because of the stress if being crammed into smaller and smaller areas. So space is more critical to human development. It is an often ignored factor in growth. This partly explains why the people of the Netherlands and Africa are among the tallest in the world.

Also, the increasingly sedentary lifestyle necessitates more effort on parents’ part to keep their children moving. Early lack of activity makes the youth more prone to a variety of illnesses later on. Plus, physical activity stimulates growth of muscles, increase of bone density and better circulation, among other benefits. In other words, you can’t go wrong by getting your kids into sports. All you need to do is light the spark, and help your child find his or her passion.

What is important for parents to realize is that children don’t have to compete to love sports. The Friendship Run is, at its core, a party that happens to involve running. That kind of atmosphere – in any sport – encourages children to be active in a safe environment, where personal growth is the goal. Having a foundation of being physically active launches a child onto a path of self-discovery and better health. Without the pressure to compete, a kid can stay a kid longer, free to play and have fun. The enjoyment will lead to seeking other activities, other sports. Then and only then will a child decide if it is the time to compete, and be the better for it. 

My six-year old daughter and I learn a lot from this fictional pack of ponies.