So I was headed for a short run this afternoon and my 5 year old said he wanted to come. I told him I was running a long way and wouldn’t be able to bring him back. He said “I don’t care, I’m coming with you!” I figured we’d run a little while and he’d get tired and we’d run back so he could go back to the house. 1 mile in and 10 minutes later he was still going. We took a short walking break and got back to running within 100 meters. We ended up running 2 miles together. He’s a whopping 40 pounds, not an ounce of fat, very active and basically runs everywhere he goes. He also talked my ear off the whole time. Told me it was the best part of his day getting to run with me. Now, part of his motivation was probably that his 7 year old brother quit 3 times in the first 800 meters and then bailed out. Anyway. My question is, does anybody have a rule of thumb for distance:age? I’d love for him to continue tagging along on my short runs but I don’t want do it if there’s a chance at bone/tendon/growth plate etc. damage at his age. I’ve found very little info on line other than ones stating he should be running no more than 400 meters. This kid does that in the house on an average morning getting ready for school. I’m just wondering if anybody has any personal experience with their own kids or other kids in general.
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Running with kids
- Thread starter mattr25
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Tips for New Runners: How Much is Too Much?
There are recommendations for level and intensity of training for kids in all sports but the number one rule is to emphasize fun, safety and fitness when it comes to kids.
www.nationwidechildrens.org
Thanks. I’ve already read that. I’m really wondering if anyone has any actual experience with this and what their experience wasTips for New Runners: How Much is Too Much?
There are recommendations for level and intensity of training for kids in all sports but the number one rule is to emphasize fun, safety and fitness when it comes to kids.
sorry. my daughter didn't start running seriously until jr high age and cross country in high school.
IDK when your that age you can do amazing things, your body is really elastic and bounces back quickly. Like him, at that age, I used to run everywhere. Ran non stop to the top of the Washington Monument and the Statue of Liberty, all up steep stairs...but that was back in the 50's when you didnt have to worry so much about fucking child molesters and every type of pervert known to man.
Id say let him be the judge.
Id say let him be the judge.
Honestly until he is tired or showing signs of struggling. No point in inducing early wear and tear. I usually jog with a BOB stroller, that way he can jump in and you can keep working out. Now my 3 older kids ride bikes, we stop at the bike jumps, I get a breather, and then we run. My 3 year old will sit in the stroller and chill. If my son who is 5 wants to run I take the double BOB and he runs a mile or so.. hope that helps
My oldest daughter (17) started running with me when she around 8 or so. Now she is heading off to college this summer on a track and field scholarship. (Long distance)
(My youngest daughter 15 is also a cross country runner.)
How much is to much I can’t tell you that. But my daughter still enjoys it.
She started off just like your kiddo running “short” distance a couple times a week then decided she wanted to be like daddy, and run races.
I started her in 5ks, and she moved up the rankings very fast, so she/we went up from there.
Now it’s not uncommon for us to run 4-5 marathons, and a couple ultra marathons a year. Plus all the track in field at the high school.
If you have a running team in your area get your kids involved in it. We didn’t have one anywhere near me so I teamed up with a couple of the HS track and field coaches and started up a cross country travel team.
With all the support we (the team) travel all over the country doing cross country races.
Thanks,
Jay
(My youngest daughter 15 is also a cross country runner.)
How much is to much I can’t tell you that. But my daughter still enjoys it.
She started off just like your kiddo running “short” distance a couple times a week then decided she wanted to be like daddy, and run races.
I started her in 5ks, and she moved up the rankings very fast, so she/we went up from there.
Now it’s not uncommon for us to run 4-5 marathons, and a couple ultra marathons a year. Plus all the track in field at the high school.
If you have a running team in your area get your kids involved in it. We didn’t have one anywhere near me so I teamed up with a couple of the HS track and field coaches and started up a cross country travel team.
With all the support we (the team) travel all over the country doing cross country races.
Thanks,
Jay
I never ran with my kids but I hunted with them. Hunting in the Missouri Breaks, not tree stand hunting. My oldest daughter at 8 years old tried, but did the, "I'm hungry, I'm tired, I'm thirsty, I want to go home, where are the deer, what time is it, when are we leaving?" She lasted about 2 hours. My son at 7 years old did the same thing and lasted one day. My youngest daughter (at 3 years old) never complained one time, was a real trooper and loved every minute. She always wanted to go hunting after that. We stopped at a pawn shop on one antelope hunt and I bought her a $5 pair of Bushnell binoculars. She spotted every living creature within 5 miles. We went on a couple of memorable long stalks in the breaks and on one occasion got within 75 yards of a young buck coming out of a coulee. We were laying down watching him and my daughter said "Are you going to shoot him?" I said "No he isn't a daddy buck yet we are going to let him grow up." My daughter replies "But he looks so juicy."
Once my two older kids got a little older they both also hunted with me, and to my surprise my son (now 23) asked me to go elk hunting in Montana this year.
My friends a PT and I asked him once about kid exercise, but not running specific. He said he advocated body weight exercises and that it is self limiting. So I’d say let them run whenever and how ever long they want.
My kids are 5 and 3. Not a lot of fat between the two of them. They tag along and from what I’ve discussed with their docs, as long as they are comfortable and hydrating, I let them go till they want to stop, then we walk. They usually start pooping out just before a mile, but don’t show signs of much fatigue, just boredom.
No problem, as long as you, and he, RUN. Do not jog. The impact to all body parts is totally different.
Thank you,
MrSmith
Thank you,
MrSmith
Remember that bone ends are not sealed yet (and for a long time yet). Given that, I don't know at what point impact trauma affects the ends of thigh bones, or ankle, knee, or foot joints. Google the subject, looking for sports medicine articles, and specific injuries to groth plates. At this writing I don't know the answer, but it was the first thing that popped into my mind.
I read this article, and found it very informative. There are a lot of big words, but work through it for a definitive answer. dicsusses both activity injury and results of inactivity, both rasied in the thread above. National Institute of Health, so it is authoritative, and has links next to each paragraph for additional reading. In short, good for them if done carefully.
Worth reading all of it, and digesting the material.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
I read this article, and found it very informative. There are a lot of big words, but work through it for a definitive answer. dicsusses both activity injury and results of inactivity, both rasied in the thread above. National Institute of Health, so it is authoritative, and has links next to each paragraph for additional reading. In short, good for them if done carefully.
Worth reading all of it, and digesting the material.
The Effects of Physical Activity on the Epiphyseal Growth Plates: A Review of the Literature on Normal Physiology and Clinical Implications - PMC
Children need physical activity and generally do this through the aspect of play. Active play in the form of organized sports can appear to be a concern for parents. Clinicians should have a general physiological background on the effects of ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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I’ll work through that article later but these were some of my concerns. Thanks for the link. Just to be clear. We aren’t going to be running 10 miles a week. I normally do an easy 2 mile run on Monday/Tuesday and then 4 in the middle and 5-6 on the weekend. The only one I plan on letting him do is the short one.Remember that bone ends are not sealed yet (and for a long time yet). Given that, I don't know at what point impact trauma affects the ends of thigh bones, or ankle, knee, or foot joints. Google the subject, looking for sports medicine articles, and specific injuries to groth plates. At this writing I don't know the answer, but it was the first thing that popped into my mind.
I read this article, and found it very informative. There are a lot of big words, but work through it for a definitive answer. dicsusses both activity injury and results of inactivity, both rasied in the thread above. National Institute of Health, so it is authoritative, and has links next to each paragraph for additional reading. In short, good for them if done carefully.
Worth reading all of it, and digesting the material.
The Effects of Physical Activity on the Epiphyseal Growth Plates: A Review of the Literature on Normal Physiology and Clinical Implications - PMC
Children need physical activity and generally do this through the aspect of play. Active play in the form of organized sports can appear to be a concern for parents. Clinicians should have a general physiological background on the effects of ...
What's the difference? I tried searching,but only came up with running is faster than jogging.
Running is linear and smoother. Jogging, being slower, has more up and down which can put more impact on the feet and joints. Used to run a lot, but I wasn’t all that fast. It seems like all of the abuse that I put on my body is catching up to me now (age 59). I know that’s not really old, but there is some truth to the old cliche of “ it’s not the years, it’s the miles”. Used to work at the amphib base in Coronado and lived about 10 miles south in I.B. Some days if I couldn’t catch a ride home, I would just run home. No big deal. I’d fall out if I had to do that now. Had some team mates at Mobile Unit 3 who were freaking insane runners.
Gotta be like those new "girls" breaking all the records.
I'd think you could say "I own you bitch", a lot.
May as well learn there are winners and losers.
R
I'd think you could say "I own you bitch", a lot.
May as well learn there are winners and losers.
R
My daughter is going on 14, and this will be her 9th season of running 5Ks. My wife signed up to run one back and 2013 and our daughter said she wanted to try it. We let her, and she finished with no problems. She's been running ever since. We haven't seen any issues with her developement, and the pediatrician has never had a problem with it.
Enjoy it now while you can. In the last two years the damage I've done to my knees has really started to show and I could only hope to be able to keep up with her while she just keeps getting faster.
Enjoy it now while you can. In the last two years the damage I've done to my knees has really started to show and I could only hope to be able to keep up with her while she just keeps getting faster.
My comment comes from past experience. During the mid '70's I shot on a rifle team. The coach was a stickler that, after practicing, the best thing that could be done to improve scores was running. So I started. After about a month my knees, shins and hips hurt enough that my scores fell. Told coach I was going to quit the running. He went out with me and observed my lazy, lackadaisical lope. His instructions were to pick up speed until all movements were fluid. While moving you should feel pushes but no impacts.
I did it his way, the aches and pains went away and scores picked up.
Thank you,
MrSmith
I did it his way, the aches and pains went away and scores picked up.
Thank you,
MrSmith
I understand now. My understanding is your cadence should stay close to the same regardless of your pace up until a sprint. I look to stay in the 165 range. I’m also 6’4” snd 240 lbs so I don’t know if that’s part of the reason mine is a little slower. I run with a lot of folks that average 180 or so.
