Children can read their way to fitness.

Byline: John CONCEISON

COLUMN: RUNNING

It's never easy to get kids reading during the summer. Even after a trip to the library during which three selections came home, bookmarks in all three didn't budge a page.

So when a certain book arrived in my mailbox the day after my 10-year-old daughter Caroline asked to join me on a run for the first time, there was hope for the bookmark to move.

After reading just nine pages of Carol Goodrow's "Kids Running: Have Fun, Get Faster & Go Farther" (Breakaway Books, $10.95), Caroline had the type of comment I've never heard from her lips: "This book is really informative."

For a youth who has just shown interest in running, Goodrow's book, recommended for children in grades 1-6, takes a terrific approach. The emphasis is keeping running fun for kids of all abilities, through entertaining dialogues, poems, riddles, illustrations and lessons designed to gradually build youngsters' confidence and endurance.

"This is a way kids can enjoy running and have fun with it," said Goodrow, who lives in Sturbridge and teaches elementary school at Birch Grove Primary School in Tolland, Conn. "And it can also help kids learning how to read."

This is the third book on children's fitness written by Goodrow, who has conducted a running club at Birch Grove for first- and second-graders for the past 10 years. Her other titles include "Happy Feet, Heathy Food" and "The Treasure of Health and Happiness."

An active runner who enjoys participating in half-marathons, Goodrow is the founding editor of KidsRunning.com, a Runner's World site.

Among those contributing were Runner's World editor Amby Burfoot, the 1968 Boston Marathon winner; Jean Driscoll, an eight-time Boston Marathon wheelchair champion; and Ed Poirier, a youth wellness specialist with the Attleboro YMCA.

From Chapter 1 about the proper footwear and clothing, the book covers just about everything a youngster should know about running without being overwhelmed. Caroline starts sixth grade this week and is capable of completing the book on her own, but we decided to read this together. Sharing the read with your child may be best as there's something for all of us in this book.

Goodrow stresses that all forms of cardio are beneficial to distance running. Of course, that includes dancing, which Caroline has enjoyed since she starting taking classes at age 3.

And she seems to be reaping the benefits from her dancing. While the book includes early workouts of running in three-minute intervals, Caroline felt she was ready to take on two laps around the neighborhood - nearly 1.5 miles, with a couple of tricky hills - for her first run.

Heeding the advice in bold on Page 10, "You should be able to talk while you walk or jog," Caroline yakked my ear off while maintaining a comfortable pace, extolling the virtues of Hannah Montana while expressing utter disdain for the Jonas Brothers. Nonetheless, it kept the exercise fun and had her asking to run up at the track the next day.

Yes, there was more and more yakking while she did another mile and a half around the track, but she's actually enjoying this, and that sure beats pantings of agony.

Still, Caroline is learning her lessons the hard way from the book. While vacationing in Maine recently, she insisted on bypassing Chapter 1 and running barefoot on the beach. Somehow, the dancer in her pulled off a cartwheel in stride while covering the 1.8 miles with relative ease, but her soles were a hurtin' for the next couple of days. Same with Dad, who gave in to the run.

One day last week, she didn't make it through the second lap around the neighborhood, complaining her body didn't feel right. "I guess I didn't drink enough water; I kind of felt dehydrated," Caroline admitted that night after reading over Chapter 4.

That section of the book - "Eat-to-Run" - presents the proper eating habits for a young runner. Caroline enjoys junk food as much as any kid, and can be stubborn about it, but she has started to clean the plate of her meat for protein, eat more nuts for their healthy fats and take in more fruits and vegetables.

While Goodrow's book also introduces cross-training (specifically cycling) and working on speed and endurance for the mile and other fun runs, it is also promoting a healthy lifestyle for our youth.

"For me, writing this book was a joy," Goodrow said. "I love running, and have a lot of enthusiasm for the sport, and I wanted all kids to be able to relate to this. They should know that if you run wisely, it's good for your body."

The book can be purchased through www.carolgoodrow.com and other Internet sites like amazon.com.

With Caroline continuing to want to hit this book and the roads, it looks like she may have been bitten by the bug. Hope she can keep it up.

Murphy 5K coming up

Among the many fine events slated for September is the fourth annual Alison Murphy 5K in Lancaster. The event goes off at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6.

The race committee has decided to call the event a "walk/run" and took the word "race" out of the title to encourage entrants to move at their own pace over the flat, paved, scenic course. There is also a popular 1-kilometer fun run for kids.

Still, competition remains a hallmark at the event as officials hope for more than 300 entries. Over the first three years, more than 1,000 have participated.

The event benefits the Alison Murphy Foundation, which provides funds to the Lancaster schools and scholarships to local high school students in memory of Alison Murphy, a popular scholar-athlete at Nashoba Regional High who died at age 17 from injuries suffered in a skiing accident in 2005.

The entry fee for a 5K runner or walker is $20, $5 for the 1K kids' fun run. You can register at www.signmeup.com/61201; for more information, contact race director Pattie Dalconzo at [e-mail].

John Conceison can be reached by e-mail at [e-mail].