Lane 6, version 2, week 2: know where you’re from

Lane 6V1 was held at a track, in a slightly more formal setting. But with V2, we’re meeting the kids on their turf, coming into their neighbourhoods and bringing a love of running to them.

Lane 6’s new home in and around Riverdale Park is exciting because it’s allowed so much space to run actives, workouts and games. And better yet, it has facilitated the kids familiarizing themselves with their own neighbourhood because there’s no better way to learn the streets than by running them.

The second week of Lane 6 programming brought lots of familiar and new faces. Coach Brittany led the team through running drills and the kids already improved upon their form from week one. The kids were split into two groups and each began their workouts. Because of the wide age span between this year’s youngest and oldest kids, we’ve decided to run two workouts each week: one for the older or more advanced kids who are looking to improve endurance and technique, and a separate workout for the younger or less experienced kids who are looking to learn about running.

Last week was hills week for the older group, and they were great. Coach Brittany even said the mentees wanted to do more. Many of the older kids are soccer players and are interested in improving their speed and endurance, and hills are a great way to accomplish both of those goals at once.

The younger group did a scavenger hunt to get to know their area better. They were challenged with taking five photos of five different locations in the least amount of time possible. Coach Kate said that the kids got very competitive, but were supportive of each other once they regrouped. And even though the conditions were a little sloppy, mentors did a great job of encouraging the kids to get a little dirty and have fun.

After their respective workouts, both groups met at Spruce Court to discuss their workout with their mentors and set goals for next week and the weeks to follow. After goals were put in place, they did a team stretch and cooldown with Coach Brit. Week three is speed week, where the kids will get an introduction to hard intervals and the fast-paced life on the track.

Special thanks to our main Lane 6 partner Nike. Without their support this amazing program would not be possible.