No Running is a feature documentary that focuses on Physical Education in the school system.

Computers, tablets, smartphones, videogames: a short list of what will keep any kid on the couch for hours. None of these devices require any more physical activity than the extreme workout of the fingertips. 

Gone are the days when “go play outside” meant actually running around for a game of tag until the streetlights turn on. Youths’ physical activity is not what it use to be.

Sedentary lifestyles are the new normal and threaten a laundry list of health problems in children and teens: Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and even social discrimination. It boils down to simply the lack of movement — ranking in the top 10 for children’s health concerns. Meanwhile, funding for physical education in schools continues to dwindle.

Sure, the world has changed from the days of “go play outside.” But how much? In many families, both parents work leaving video games and Internet devices to raise their kids; devices that lead to inactive lives.

When it comes to getting kids active, our schools hold a special advantage: they have our kids all week long. They have immediate access to gymnasiums and sports fields. They have their attention.