Advice re Juvenile Son Running

Lemlin · 13-10-2014 4:25pm #1

Hi folks

Just wanted a bit of advice re my son. Yesterday there was a local 5k run. One of my work colleagues had mentioned that his daughter ran it last year when she was five. I had mentioned it to my son, who turned five on October 4th, last week and he actually decided yesterday morning he wanted to do it. He did very well considering his age and the pair of us finished within 32 minutes. He ran until 2k and then I lifted him for a short while. There was then a hill at 3k so I made him walk up this, before stopping at the top for a minute or so to get a drink at a water station. I then lifted him for a short period twice more before we finished. All in all, he ran at least 4k to 4.5k of the race.

He wasn't overly tired yesterday after it. In fact, he stayed up until nine o'clock which is past his usual bedtime. This morning he was up in plenty of time for school but did mention his legs being a bit sore. My wife has collected him from school today and said he is fine. No mention of the legs again. He is very active and has lots of energy. I would have him outside a lot at home as we've 4 dogs and he swims, plays Gaelic football and I also started him at soccer last week. In creche they previously mentioned that he loves running. Not much interest in toys, he just loves to be active. I contacted the local athletics club about him before but they said they don't take kids for training until they are seven. I'd also point out that he has often walked 3k to 5k with me since a young age.

He has asked about running more races and I'm wondering is this safe for him at his young age? Would it be safe if I did a bit of training with him myself?

rom · 13-10-2014 5:06pm

Lemlin wrote: »

Hi folks

Just wanted a bit of advice re my son. Yesterday there was a local 5k run. One of my work colleagues had mentioned that his daughter ran it last year when she was five. I had mentioned it to my son, who turned five on October 4th, last week and he actually decided yesterday morning he wanted to do it. He did very well considering his age and the pair of us finished within 32 minutes. He ran until 2k and then I lifted him for a short while. There was then a hill at 3k so I made him walk up this, before stopping at the top for a minute or so to get a drink at a water station. I then lifted him for a short period twice more before we finished. All in all, he ran at least 4k to 4.5k of the race.

He wasn't overly tired yesterday after it. In fact, he stayed up until nine o'clock which is past his usual bedtime. This morning he was up in plenty of time for school but did mention his legs being a bit sore. My wife has collected him from school today and said he is fine. No mention of the legs again. He is very active and has lots of energy. I would have him outside a lot at home as we've 4 dogs and he swims, plays Gaelic football and I also started him at soccer last week. In creche they previously mentioned that he loves running. Not much interest in toys, he just loves to be active. I contacted the local athletics club about him before but they said they don't take kids for training until they are seven. I'd also point out that he has often walked 3k to 5k with me since a young age.

He has asked about running more races and I'm wondering is this safe for him at his young age? Would it be safe if I did a bit of training with him myself?

I wouldn't recommend to do training with him yourself as you may end up turning him off the sport. What you want is Little Athletics http://www.athleticsireland.ie/clubs/little-athletics/ . Personally I got turned off the sport at the age of 13 by someone who didn't know what they were doing. Still very annoyed about it and it took about 15 years to go back and I had a destain for the sport as a result.

My eldest daughter can run/walk 5k easy and she is just 3 today. Normally I just kick a ball up in the air and we have a race after it. If she is tried then she doesn't do it. That or running down a steep hill where there is grass. If she falls over she just laughs. Fun is the most important thing tbh. I always ask he what she wants to do rather than asking leading questions.

I have been taking her out in the running buggy for a good while and she has asked if I can get in the buggy and she will push me. All positive things. I would stay away from anything competitive for a long time with her.

I know the stress that I put myself under when I do a race and there is nothing to gain for her feeling that she let daddy down because she didn't run a time or similar. I do think field games at an early age are important also and not just individual sports like athletics. At the end of the day if they do what they enjoy they will do more of it. Number 1 it has to be fun.

RayCun · 13-10-2014 5:47pm

That's too far fir a kid that age. Kids should only be running as far as they can run quite fast. Go back to your local athletics club, and talk to then about setting up a little athletics programme with you as a coach :-)

RoyMcC · 13-10-2014 6:07pm

Couldn't agree more with rom and Ray. It may or may not be 'safe', but for sure he'll get bored with it soon enough. He will probably equate athletics with boring distance running for years to come.

As said, variety and fun is essential for all young athletes. There's something for everyone, including 'distance' running under supervision. Find a club near you that offers such a programme.

HelenAnne · 13-10-2014 9:13pm

My club take kids from 5 into the Little Athletics programme. I've never worked with the 5-7 year olds, but I think it's games, balance etc, all in a fun way at that age. They wouldn't be running middle distances at all - just sprints and play-style precursors to drills.

They seem to really enjoy it. I'd try to get him into something like that.

ThisRegard · 13-10-2014 10:48pm

I wouldn't class a child just turned 5 a juvenile. At this age it should be all about fun, not training programs, imo.

Clearlier · 13-10-2014 11:21pm

Lemlin wrote: »

Hi folks

Just wanted a bit of advice re my son. Yesterday there was a local 5k run. One of my work colleagues had mentioned that his daughter ran it last year when she was five. I had mentioned it to my son, who turned five on October 4th, last week and he actually decided yesterday morning he wanted to do it. He did very well considering his age and the pair of us finished within 32 minutes. He ran until 2k and then I lifted him for a short while. There was then a hill at 3k so I made him walk up this, before stopping at the top for a minute or so to get a drink at a water station. I then lifted him for a short period twice more before we finished. All in all, he ran at least 4k to 4.5k of the race.

He wasn't overly tired yesterday after it. In fact, he stayed up until nine o'clock which is past his usual bedtime. This morning he was up in plenty of time for school but did mention his legs being a bit sore. My wife has collected him from school today and said he is fine. No mention of the legs again. He is very active and has lots of energy. I would have him outside a lot at home as we've 4 dogs and he swims, plays Gaelic football and I also started him at soccer last week. In creche they previously mentioned that he loves running. Not much interest in toys, he just loves to be active. I contacted the local athletics club about him before but they said they don't take kids for training until they are seven. I'd also point out that he has often walked 3k to 5k with me since a young age.

He has asked about running more races and I'm wondering is this safe for him at his young age? Would it be safe if I did a bit of training with him myself?

It's a kid thing not a running thing. You certainly wouldn't dream of preparing a 5 year old for a race. For the next 10 years (with the odd exception of a sport like gymnastics where the peak is at a very young age) it's all about fun, trying loads of different sports, developing skills and developing a lifelong love of sport and physical activity.

RayCun · 14-10-2014 9:16am

HelenAnne wrote: »

My club take kids from 5 into the Little Athletics programme. I've never worked with the 5-7 year olds, but I think it's games, balance etc, all in a fun way at that age. They wouldn't be running middle distances at all - just sprints and play-style precursors to drills.

It is all games, yeah.
Competition doesn't start until the under-9 level, and the long distance track race is 500m (indoors anyway), going up to 800m in cross country championships

Lemlin · 14-10-2014 10:42am

I agree with all of the above points. I think some people may be thinking that by "training" I meant start timing him and have him training like Dolph Lundgren in Rocky IV but I assure people that's not the plan!

My goal is to encourage him and hopefully help him keep at a sport that he appears to be good at.

He plays plenty of football with me, plus walking the dogs and, even when we can't get outside, we have a fairly large kitchen and one of his favourite games is to set up an obstacle course using toys and we do laps of the island hurdling over large teddies and tractors!

I guess just doing this stuff with him is enough. I'll contact the local running club and find out if they would be interested in getting me trained as a Little Athletics coach.

I only started running myself in January 2013 but it is something that I like and have kept at. I also hope to help out the local GAA club with training kids and help out at my son's training when I can at present (don't want to stand on the current coach's toes) and the Athletics coaching would help me with that I'd imagine.

Are any of ye Little Athletics coaches? What training courses are involved?

T runner · 14-10-2014 10:51am

rom wrote: »

I wouldn't recommend to do training with him yourself as you may end up turning him off the sport. What you want is Little Athletics http://www.athleticsireland.ie/clubs/little-athletics/ . Personally I got turned off the sport at the age of 13 by someone who didn't know what they were doing. Still very annoyed about it and it took about 15 years to go back and I had a destain for the sport as a result.

My eldest daughter can run/walk 5k easy and she is just 3 today. Normally I just kick a ball up in the air and we have a race after it. If she is tried then she doesn't do it. That or running down a steep hill where there is grass. If she falls over she just laughs. Fun is the most important thing tbh. I always ask he what she wants to do rather than asking leading questions.

I have been taking her out in the running buggy for a good while and she has asked if I can get in the buggy and she will push me. All positive things. I would stay away from anything competitive for a long time with her.

I know the stress that I put myself under when I do a race and there is nothing to gain for her feeling that she let daddy down because she didn't run a time or similar. I do think field games at an early age are important also and not just individual sports like athletics. At the end of the day if they do what they enjoy they will do more of it. Number 1 it has to be fun.

Hi Lemlin. Ive been taking my 3 year old daughter on orienteering "come and try it" events. Might be a good option to mix it up.
Choices are short course (about 2k, medium 4k and long 5-6k).
She has been doing the short. Theres 8-12 controls and great craic for them punching the controls etc. Heres the fixture List If youre Dublin based I see one in Grifeen Valley Park at the end of November. There was one every week in September but seems to be a couple a month from now on. €3 for nippers, €5 for adults. I just paid for her on the first but she took the map off me just after the start in the second so had to have a map each then. No experience required and the come and trys are buggy friendly. Should be good for both your kids.
I'm hoping to do the standard short courses with my daughter also but may have to carry her on the shoulders for some of those.

EmcD123 · 14-10-2014 10:53am

I'm 18 now ,my sister is 12 and we've been been in athletics for a long time now.
My brother started at the local club though when he was seven and then competing at 8 in the under 9's which have a really brilliant system of having a partner which takes some of the intensity out of the races. He used to come along and do bits with us when we were training though before he was 7. We'd be running 200m sprints and he'd sprint maybe 50m after us and then walk back and it would be great fun for him. The most important thing I see from looking at the athletes across the country when they get to my age is they don't like working hard or doing more than 100m. So just try and make it fun and exciting and that way they'll actually enjoy running when they're older and be more adventurous. In general though the athletes at that ages 7-10 age don't run as far as 5km even their cross country event is about 1.5 maybe 2km. And the track middle distance is 300m for under 9 and 500m for under 10. The training is also usually fun. They make them run round pitches and racing each other ,at that age they're usually a very eager bunch and it makes a huge social thing as well. Some of my best friends I met from running when I was younger

EmcD123 · 14-10-2014 10:58am

I also want to explain the partner system . from age group under 9(which means you turn 8 that year) through to under 11's they had a race partner. You run the county race and the two fastest kids in that race from the club are teamed together. Then their combined times are used as then result. So it allows for one kid to have a slightly slower or not as good race and another to have a really fast one and still win. This takes pressure off them as they won't be under as much pressure to perform as they would individually and they generally become best friends with partner and very often race with the same partner all the way through to under 11. So if you just let your kid run around and enjoy running, then join the club and enter competitions when they come up it'll be grand. Lots of parents don't like entering their kids in the races but if I'm honest the young age races are the best ones ever they're way more fun than the older ages and much less individual

ThisRegard · 14-10-2014 11:15am

Those Come and Try it events actually look good craic to do with the kids.

Rantan · 15-10-2014 10:03pm

not suggesting you are like the step father in this story! It just reminded me of the documentary I saw a year or two ago!

Great story..but a little bizarre

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203687504576655070907941658

ThePiedPiper · 16-10-2014 7:57am

Very interesting topic this, and one I've been thinking about a lot recently with my own kids. Like yourself, my oldest is 5, and the young fella is 3. When we go for walks, they generally run the 1.5k down the hills from our house. It's sort of half running back up. I can already see that my daughter seems to have my longer distance endurance but my son has mrs rfr's speed and keg turnover.

I've long thought that I'd start taking my daughter to athletics at 5-6, but we're not so sure anymore. Mrs RFR was involved from she was 6, and reckons that by the time she was 17, had nearly grown to dislike running as the stress of racing was there even from a young age and a succession of injuries meant she never competed as a senior. On the other side if this, I only really got into running at 23, having spent my youth being just ok at football. I regret sometimes not doing athletics when I was young, but am happier that I have it as a grown-up hobby.

We reckon now well wait until the kids are about 7-8 before going the club route. Until then, the running down the roads and in the garden is fun and enough to keep them interested and fit. The thing about child prodegies is that they usually never advance in the same way as an adult.

RayCun · 16-10-2014 8:44am

Juvenile competition only starts at under-9 level (so, in the year the kid turns 8), and is mostly the team competition EmcD was talking about upthread.
Before that its games
http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1406179/#11

Letyourselfgo · 16-10-2014 9:17am

RunForestRun wrote: »

Very interesting topic this, and one I've been thinking about a lot recently with my own kids. Like yourself, my oldest is 5, and the young fella is 3. When we go for walks, they generally run the 1.5k down the hills from our house. It's sort of half running back up. I can already see that my daughter seems to have my longer distance endurance but my son has mrs rfr's speed and keg turnover.

I've long thought that I'd start taking my daughter to athletics at 5-6, but we're not so sure anymore. Mrs RFR was involved from she was 6, and reckons that by the time she was 17, had nearly grown to dislike running as the stress of racing was there even from a young age and a succession of injuries meant she never competed as a senior. On the other side if this, I only really got into running at 23, having spent my youth being just ok at football. I regret sometimes not doing athletics when I was young, but am happier that I have it as a grown-up hobby.

We reckon now well wait until the kids are about 7-8 before going the club route. Until then, the running down the roads and in the garden is fun and enough to keep them interested and fit. The thing about child prodegies is that they usually never advance in the same way as an adult.

7 or 8 is a great age to start and consider a few different clubs, try them out and make sure you're happy with the balance between fun and competition.

Joeseph Balls · 18-10-2014 12:32pm

Hi Lemlin,
Not sure where you're based but there is a run in the Phoenix Park this Saturday for Make a Wish foundation. There'sa 2.5k option for kids.

Advice re Juvenile Son Running

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