Reaching new distances: nine-time New York City Marathon runner Grete Waitz shares her perspective on youth fitness.

When Grete Waitz entered her first marathon, she was 25 years old and had never run longer than 12 miles. But her entry into the New York City Marathon in November 1978 was a fluke. After being turned down initially because she had never run a full marathon, then president and race director Fred Lebow of the New York Road Runners (NYRR) Club asked her to run because he needed a fast female runner who could set the pace for the other participants; he never thought she would actually complete the race. Waitz proved her worth when she not only finished first among the females, but set the record of 2:32:29. She continued to finish first for an unprecedented nine times in the marathon, set the world record of 2:27:29 in 1979, and then beat that record with 2:25:41 in 1980. She also became the first woman to break 2:80:00 in the marathon. Besides New York, Waitz developed an international reputation as the five-time winner of the International Association of Athletics Federations" World Cross Country Championships and gold medal winner of its 1983 World Championship Marathon. She also took the silver medal in the 1984 Olympics Marathon. Since her retirement from professional racing in 1990, Waitz set her focus on promoting fitness among women and youth. And her relationship with NYRR changed from being a member to becoming chairperson in 1998 of its foundation, which establishes community-based fitness programs in New York lends its expertise toward programs nationwide.

Parks & Recreation: What do you enjoy most about your involvement with the National Road Runners Foundation's Work with children?

Grete Waitz: Being a runner almost all my life, and also schoolteacher for four years, I know first hand how important it is for kids to be involved in sports or some sort of physical activity. I get to meet the kids and run with them in practice and in races. Through running, they learn to set goals for themselves, they learn to be focused and be disciplined, and they experience that practice makes them better. I get letters and drawings from the kids ... and they are all telling me about their running and school work. It is very touching.

P&R: What type of advice do you give the children on the benefits of running and being active?

Waitz: First of all, the kids have to have fun and enjoy what they are doing. That is why we do a variety of things that all involves some running, like playing some form of ball game like basketball or soccer, etc. Building an overall fitness [regimen] is important at that age. Of course I tell them about how important it is to be physically active, to have good health and also to eat a well-balanced diet.

P&R: While you were growing up in Oslo, Norway, what were the public parks and recreational facilities like?

Waitz: Growing up in Oslo, Norway was great. Even though it is a city, there are plenty of parks and open areas. As a young girl, I ran and played on the grass fields around the apartment houses; and in the winter, we made ski tracks for cross country skiing. There are miles and miles of dirt roads and trails for running, walking and biking and cross country skiing in the winter. They are all lit so our short-day light time in the winter is no problem.

P&R: What are some of the challenges facing women, even today, in the sport of running?

Waitz: I don't think young women today are facing more challenges than young men when it comes to running Women's running has come a long way and it is great to see that we now run all the distances men do--even the steeple--and [let's] not forget pole vault and hammer throw.