Some primary schools are making the annual cross country run optional for pupils.

Some primary schools are choosing to make cross country optional to save children the embarrassment of competing.

The annual running race was once a compulsory rite of passage but schools are now offering alternatives, or the chance to opt out.

Christchurch's Halswell School principal Bruce Topham said pupils could choose whether to participate in cross country, however senior pupils, aged 10 to 12, were strongly encouraged to take part.

FILE PHOTO/STUFF Children at some schools have the option of walking the cross country.

Children who "might be embarrassed by their efforts" were able to walk instead, Topham said.

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"There's definitely a level of fairness and integrity in looking after children's emotional wellbeing," he said.

The Ministry of Education does not require schools to run cross country events but provides physical activity guidelines.

Multisport athlete Steve Gurney said making cross country optional was fine, as long as children were doing some type of physical activity.

Children should be encouraged to participate, he said.

FILE PHOTO/STUFF Cross country used to be compulsory for most school children.

"As a primary school student I was always last at school sports and had low self esteem and believed I was terrible at sports.

"When we had to run the 5km cross country at intermediate [school] I was filled with dread that I would be last."

However, he finished near the middle of the pack.

"It was a light bulb moment when I realised I could do endurance sport."

Dick Tayler, who won a gold medal in the 10,000 metre at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games, said a run around the block every morning was compulsory when he was at school.

"I think it didn't do any harm. It wasn't about who won, you had to participate."

Acclaimed New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard made his track runners, including Peter Snell and Murray Halberg, also train in cross country, Tayler said

"Kids love to run and it's great way of having fun and doing things with your mates."

Recent Sports NZ research found that one in four students aged 6 to 13 did not enjoy the cross country.

It also found parents had a key role to play in kids enjoyment of running. Children who indicated someone in their family helped them practice or train for school cross country were significantly more likely to indicate they liked it "heaps".

Athletics NZ community manager Hamish Meacheam said the Sport NZ research had been a catalyst for their organisation to begin developing "age and stage" appropriate guidelines for cross country, which would be available for use by athletics clubs and possibly schools.

"Running is one of the simplest expressions of physical fitness, health and vitality. It's a really natural activity that undeniably has massive benefits - particularly for young people - but all New Zealanders."

However, cross country was often perceived as not being much fun.

"We're looking at reinvigorating or reinventing what cross country looks like to make it fun for kids."

Athletics NZ did not hold an opinion on whether it should be compulsory in schools but said it should be inclusive for all abilities, Meacheam said.

Queenstown Primary School sport co-ordinator Paula Nicholls said cross country was compulsory and encouraged goal setting.

"We use it to promote resilience and perseverance and for our kids to set goals."



But nearby Remarkables Primary School introduced an optional and shorter fun run this year as an alternative to the competitive cross country for year 5 to 8 pupils.

Principal Debbie Dickson said it followed a noticeable increase in absences on cross country days.

"We had a much greater intake of children being present at school this year," she said.

"All children participated other than those with sickness or injury and lots of them [who did the fun run] did the competitive race as well."

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