Positive Running
The Positive Running Program empowers children and youth by using athletics as a catalyst to harness their physical abilities and in doing so, develop the confidence to pursue an active, healthy and holistic lifestyle. The mission of the Positive Running Program is to enable self-sufficiency in children living with HIV and help them lead healthy and productive lives. It incorporates age-appropriate daily running & endurance training, nutrition, and confidence-building. This program positively impacts the physical and psychological health of the individuals who participate.
The objectives of the Positive Running Program are to:
- Incorporate running as a routine physical fitness endeavor among children that will promote improved well-being.
- Provide children with appropriate nutritional knowledge and support that will enable robust participation and healthy living.
The program encourages the children to participate in regional and national running events, to help them achieve greater heights, but at the same time, fostering the feeling of family and community.
The essence of the Positive Running Program is to create not winners of the race, but winners for life.
Positive Running Program is executed across Karnataka and in one district in Tamil Nadu, in southern India. The program is implemented by senior captains and captains, those with the role to monitor and mentos participants in the program. In 2023 about 250 young people aged 8 – 21 years, living with, or affected by HIV, are reached through this program.
Curriculum
Strength & Conditioning: Build foundational knowledge in basic strength training and running exercises, utilizing bodyweight and resistance bands. Emphasize the vital role of consistent physical activity within a healthy lifestyle.
Flexibility & Stability: Highlight a diverse of exercises and techniques designed to enhance joint mobility, muscle flexibility, and core stability.
Injury Prevention: Introduce essential exercises and strategies crucial for maintaining optimal health during physical activity. Stress the significance of rest and recovery in health maintenance. Educate participants on preventive drills for daily exercise routines, promote proper footwear and equipment usage, and teach correct techniques to mitigate injury risks.
Health Education: Offer insights into core scientific components forming the foundation of exercise theory, encompassing anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and hygiene. Promote physical wellness, hygiene, regular health monitoring, and awareness of common health risks and preventive lifestyle measures.
Nutrition: Provide practical guidance on cultivating healthy eating habits, maintaining balanced diets, and understanding the role of nutrition in supporting physical activity and overall well-being. Teach basic nutrition (macronutrients, vitamins, minerals), encourage mindful eating, stress hydration’s significance pre/post-exercise, and address special dietary needs/disorders.
Mental Health & Mindset: Challenge participants to adopt a growth mindset, recognizing mental health as a pivotal factor in enhancing overall physical performance and holistic health. Promote positive self-talk, tackle depression, anxiety, body image issues, provide mental health resources/support, and integrate mental and physical health for holistic wellness.
Activities
Digital Sessions: To improve monitoring and intensify exercise routines, recorded strengthening workouts are shared with program implementors and community participants. These digital sessions maintain consistency in training content. Senior Captains oversee exercise activity and duration, with videos available in three durations (30 minutes, 45 minutes, and 1 hour) for flexible practice. Participants can choose any video according to their availability, ensuring flexibility. This approach will be consistent across participating institutions, supporting effective leadership and program consistency.
Camp RunRise (Running Camp): Two camps are organized annually, in July and September, with the primary aim of enhancing the knowledge and skills of the participants and fostering collaboration and networking among them. We empower the appointed Captains with the necessary expertise to lead their respective groups of participants and create an environment conducive to learning and growth, maximizing the benefits and outcomes of the camp. We develop a well-structured curriculum for the camp, incorporating relevant topics, interactive sessions, and practical exercises, and engage experienced and skilled facilitators to conduct the training. The RunRise Camp is a transformative event that unites participants, partners, experts, and volunteers in a shared commitment to holistic well-being, growth, and leadership.
Regional and National Running Events: Throughout the year, we aim to facilitate the participation of approximately five running events which serve as motivation, personal growth benchmarks as well as celebrations of program achievement. This approach encourages increased participation promotes inclusivity and equal opportunities for participation.
Program Progress From 2021-2023
From the year 2021, the Positive Running Program has successfully extended 6 distinct institutions that support children and youth, from various districts of Karnataka and the participants are HIV infected/affected. All participants are between the ages of 8 and 21. As of 2023, the program has reached 170 individuals within institutions and 39 from community with four Captains leading the program at each site.