Should a child be running this much?

eminenz2

eminenz2

Cathlete
So I had a 2nd grade girl in my music class this morning who could not play a dancing game we were doing because she said she ran 3.5 miles on Sunday in a race that apparently included kids and grownups. I'm thinking it was a 5K, with a 1k fun run for the kiddies. She ran the entire 5k.

She's 8 years old! She said she ran with her mom and couldn't walk yesterday!

WTF?


Susan L.G.
 
I ran in a 5k over the weekend that had TONS of kids running in it of all ages.

I guess it depends on who's idea it was...HERS or her parents!
 
I'm with Wendy on this one. I remember doing our elementary school's walk a thon and walking for an entire day, it was a ton of miles. I was sore but I was really proud of myself!
 
I agree it depends on whose idea it was. If it was hers then it will be a boost for her self esteem and she has a lot to be proud of. If it were a chronic problem, that's something very different.

By the way, I've been meaning to tell you for sometime that your CATS are lovely! And they seem to be able to get along well enough to be next to each other. I only wish.
 
They were curious to see what we were doing outside. Any other time, the old-lady tabby stays far away from the other two. The yellow guy and the tortie are good buddies, and frequently rough-house and chase each other.

Thanks for the compliment!

Susan L.G.
 
I ran a 5K on Saturday and saw a lot of kids running-they even drew bib numbers and had door prizes for the 12 and under runners, too! There was even one boy who looked about 8 who was running with his Ipod! Looked liked a pro!

Klaudia
 
The overall 3rd place winner in my 5k was a 12 year old girl who ran it in 21 minutes. :eek: We figured out that we used to run that fast, too! :p Well, kinda... I recall being able to run an 8 minute mile and I was in much worse shape than I'm in now! So if she's in good shape a 7 minute mile is pretty possible.
 
I just ran a 5K with my 3 children last weekend. They can do it without even trying! They are 9, 11, 11. My daughter has been running 5Ks for a couple of years now (she's 11). She and I are training for a 10K in August. I've heard that kids are allowed in up to half marathon races as long as they are accompanied by a grown up.

Our elementary school sponsors a family 5K each spring and it is of course loaded with kids.

My kids do triathlons too (shorter distances of course!)
 
My 7 yr old did the race for the cure this past year. He walked and ran. I think it is good for the kids. Everyone is always saying kids don't get enough exercise.
LD
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL395/10721112/19111645/307955868.jpg[/IMG]
 
I played competitive soccer from the age of 9. We didn't do mile long races, but we definitely covered a lot of ground throughout the week.

Colleen
 
I ran the 10.6 mile run of the Big Sur Marathon and we had a couple of 10 year old boys who were "tag teaming" us. They'd run until they couldn't run any more, then they'd walk. We did a steady slow run. I saw them again after the run and they were wearing their medals proudly. Said their parents run, and this was their first "distance run".
 
At 7 years old, my ds ran a 10K (6.2 miles) and made it seem so easy. I had tears in my eyes when he crossed the finish line because I couldn't believe it! Of course, he trained with the school. He ran with my DH, but at the last mile, my DH told him to go on ahead because he was holding him back. He is 21 now and still enjoys running.
I think it is fine as long as they train and stretch properly,etc.

Gin:)
 
I think it is wonderful for the kids if they want to do it - my older son and I have bonded over the last two 5ks. He feels so accomplished, and it's such good exercise. My 10 year old is more of the "couch potato" - chunkier, does the least he can to get by and is the carb loader. He did run a 1k last weekend and thought he was going to die, but is doing one with the whole family on Memorial Day. I told him he could walk some,run some. I think it was a boost for his self-esteem, and he really needs it.

Hey, it beats them sitting in on that damn guitar hero all the time:eek:

Heidi
 
My son is 11 and ran his first 2.6 mile super run at age 9 and easily beat me. He nags me to let him run half marathons with me but I tell him he has to wait until his school lets him in Grade 7. Kim
 
I don't think it is too much...kids are just plain active and tougher than nails! She might have been "playing it up" so other people would notice and she could "brag" (in a good way) about her race. She was just proud and probably wanted a bit of attention.
Sara
 
Back in the olden days we didn't run with adults. We ran through the woods and on trails, building forts, playing cops and robbers, and using our imaginations and having fun. We didn't run in structured races with boring grown ups.
 
I ran a 5k with my four boys over this past weekend. They are 13, 12, 9 and 6. I was the last one in my family to cross the finish line at 33:26.

My youngest ran his first 5k when he was 5 years and a couple of months old. He beat me then too. I kept telling him to slow down. When we got close to the end and he saw my husband at the finish line waiting for him, he took off and left me in the dust without ever looking back.

There is only one person in my whole family who complains about being sore the next day...me. :)
 
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