Should running the mile in school be an option?

With the childhood obesity rate now so high the current generation of young children has a lower life expectancy than their parents do (Source: http://healthyamericans.org/newsroom/news/?newsid=2098), I think the mile run should still be mandatory.

I survived running it in middle and high school despite asthma, and you can too. In fact, you may find you enjoy running on your own time (without a P.E. coach breathing down your neck.)

It's also a great feeling and something you can say you did. Like climbing a big hill or walking 20 miles.

You will feel tired after but the sense of achievement is good. If you get into the habit of avoiding things you don't want to do then you will get into a bad habit at later life.

After all, who wants to be a fat fck. Don't end up like those other obese people. Take care of your body and it will treat you well in later life.

I did it and I was fat at the time, it's one of the things that kicked me into getting fitter. I looked and sounded like I was going to drop dead from it, but I felt so good when I crossed that finish line.

I wish I could run still but due to breaking my toe and having 3 operations I have to be careful of it. I can walk though so I still do that even though it hurts every time I do.

No pain, no gain.

Why should it be optional!? Do you think that math and science should be optional? No, because they get something out of it, they wouldn't do it if they thought you were not going to benefit from it. Also if you don't try something now you will never do it.

I think that without mandatory sports in school, children just won't get into sport. Without sports at school, I wouldn't be jogger or a rugby player, which I am now. And I owe that to the school making me participate in those sports.

Running the mile is optional. Most kids, whether they can run the whole way or not, start walking before the first lap is over. Most teachers don't even care (at least in my experience).

Ever since 5th grade they've made us run the mile. Now that I'm in college they don't make us do anything we don't want to, except really encourage us to go to class.

My campus is huge though (RIT), so even just walking to and from class to my dorm is about 2 miles a day. Some days I can walk 4 miles, for 2 classes, if I choose to go back to my dorm after the first one is over.

The mile shouldn't be graded on your time, but rather whether you complete it or not. 4 laps around a quarter mile track, run or walk. People in high school are mostly embarrassed to run the mile because they're the last ones to finish and people have no decency anymore.

That was one of my favorite classes growing up! We had a lazy P.E. Teacher that would have us run Green Lake often. That's 2.8 mile (4.5 kilometer), then shower & change in time for our next class. One mile is nothing =0p...

Physical Education (P.E.) (often abbreviated Phys. Ed. or P.E.) or gymnastics (gym or gym class) is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting.

im in the 8th grade too, and as a student i dont think it should be mandatory. it should be up to the family. however, it does help you long term and i'm ok with running every week. (despite how bad i am)

Well, according to this as of today's date 23 September 2012, he's a 10th grader, so this won't be much help now.

I ran the mile when I was in 6th grade, and up to 8th grade in Riverbank State Park's running track, http://goo.gl/lkW41, every day. I think it does help with your stamina, although I lost that stamina a long time ago. You should run that mile everyday, and work up to 2, 3, even 10 miles. Hell, run the NYC marathon which is about 26.2 miles. That would work up a sweat!

should being out of shape and obese optional? yes it is...

give it your best, if you cant finish it then walk, either way you need to try...