Advice Needed - Helping my son become a runner

rachelr1116

My son is almost 13 and decided he wants to join the Cross Country team this year. He's not what I would call an athletic kid and I am not a runner so I'm not sure how to help him start training so that he won't be completely overwhelmed when practices start in 3 weeks. If I remember right, he'll only be running 1 mile races at meets but the coach wants all the kids to be able to run 2 miles without stopping by the first day of practice. Would C25K be a good program to try or is there something else that would be better?

peleroja

3 weeks isn't really enough time to make significant progress with C25K, unfortunately. Walk/run intervals (like in C25K) are the easiest way for a non-runner to get started, though, so perhaps a modified version of the program might be the most logical thing - even something like 90 seconds of running then 1 min of walking and increasing the run intervals if he feels he can.

The best advice you can probably give him for running two miles without stopping if he's untrained is just to SLOW DOWN. Doesn't matter what the other kids are doing, just run as slowly as he possibly can and then a little slower than that. If he tries to keep up he's just going to get exhausted and out of breath and not be able to maintain it and that is no fun for anyone. Just slow. Like walking pace with a running gait if he has to.

rachelr1116

I've told him he's going to have to run slow. Hopefully he'll listen. He wants to go run on the indoor track at the YMCA tonight to see how far he can go now without stopping. Maybe he'll surprise me, I know he has jogged some on the track when I've gone walking and he can go several laps without even getting winded.

BrianSharpe

It's all about pace. If he comes out too fast at the start of the run he'll probably end up not being able to complete it. Suggest that he try to maintain a conversational pace.

What you may also want to do is time his laps (there are free stopwatch apps for smartphones) and have him run at various paces to get a feel for how the perceived level of exertion translates into actual pace.

lorrpb

What does the coach suggest for preseason prep for a beginner?

_Waffle_

Most kids his age can easily run a 5k with no training if they slow down a bit. I don't see why he can't try out the C25K program to make it easier. He's not going to make amazing progress in 3 weeks but I'm willing to bet he'll be able to run 2 miles if he slows down.

Have him start the program and if the first week or two of it is too easy them move up to the next week of the plan.

litsy3

Tell him to 'jog' not 'run' - that's why beginners go too fast, it's because they hear 'run' and they start sprinting. And kids are notoriously bad at pacing themselves too. But there's no reason he shouldn't be able to jog 2 miles if he keeps it slow.

DrifterBear

He's 13, perfect age to start learning. Start slow, and start small. Maybe set a goal of just jogging for 15-20 minutes. Don't focus on distance or pace other than to go slow. Just encourage him and tell him he can do anything if he puts in the time and effort. He doesn't need c25k, that's for sedentary adults. Just have him go out and have fun and JOG. Don't worry about coaching or lap times at this point. You're not a runner and can't coach him, let him explore his interest until the program starts.

Packerjohn

lorrpb wrote: »

What does the coach suggest for preseason prep for a beginner?

This, the coach most likely actually has some experience with this.

Best of luck.

rachelr1116

lorrpb wrote: »

What does the coach suggest for preseason prep for a beginner?

The only thing he told us was buy good shoes, start drinking more water and eating less sugar, and be running 2 miles without stopping. There were a lot of returning kids and not a lot of new kids so maybe that's why he didn't go into more detail. And of course I didn't think to ask. I do have his contact information though so I'll see what he suggests.

rachelr1116

DrifterBear wrote: »

He's 13, perfect age to start learning. Start slow, and start small. Maybe set a goal of just jogging for 15-20 minutes. Don't focus on distance or pace other than to go slow. Just encourage him and tell him he can do anything if he puts in the time and effort. He doesn't need c25k, that's for sedentary adults. Just have him go out and have fun and JOG. Don't worry about coaching or lap times at this point. You're not a runner and can't coach him, let him explore his interest until the program starts.

Well, since it was his idea to go jog on the track at the Y I'm hoping that's a good sign. Since he's not quite 13 I have to be on the track with him (Y rules) so I'll just stick with walking and let him lap me, he already thinks that's a fun game

yogicathlete

If your son is already fairly physically active, he should be able to just run as preparation for his training...

However, if he isn't getting out and using his body on a very regular basis, I would recommend a program of mobility and glute activations before the training starts to prepare his body a little bit. Lunge variations, fire hydrants, bridges, etc...would be some good things to incorporate.

josavage

At 13 he should have no problem getting to a 2 mile run in 3 weeks. If he runs at a pace where he can maintain a conversation, he can probably do 2 miles without stopping now. Kids have way more endurance than adults.

rsclause

I would focus on distance first doing two miles but with a run walk run interval. Work at slowly increasing the run portion until it becomes easy to run the entire distance. The coach will probably have them do a two mile run on day 1 so it will help if he can already do this. After he hits two miles start working on speed. A good running app will come in handy (use Runtastic) and it can call out your pace and distance. If you are okay with music some bluetooth headphones might make it more fun. I like ones that don't seal so I can hear traffic. Armband for the smartphone and your set. Be prepared that good shoes only last about 400 miles.

Rom3oJuli3tt

Slow and steady distance will help in the beginning; it's to get him acclimated. From there he can get on an alternating program where he picks up speed during certain intervals and dials it back during others. Not an all out sprint, but a quicker pace alternating with a resting pace would help make great progress.

mreichard

I used to coach cross country. The biggest advice I'd give your son is to not do too much too soon. Spend these three weeks building up to steady state running through something like c25k (or any kind of run walk intervals). Kids --- especially boys in my experience --- hate run/walk intervals because they think they should be able to just run. But if he doesn't do a lot of other sports, that's the way to start. Better to go easy and go 6 days a week than try to go hard and then need a couple of days off.

Also - no indoor tracks. They are way too short and he will wind up with shin splints if he tries to run there. Run outside. Best not even on an outdoor track. Tracks are hard on your lower legs.

Finally --- try to get him to think long term. Not about this year, but about what he could do in 4 years. It takes years to build a competitive runner. Have him watch The Long Green Line and listen to what the coach says about freshmen runners --- basically you never know what they will turn into in 4 years.


HTH

tulips_and_tea

Excellent advice from @mreichard! My inexperienced advice is jumping directly into cross country would be tough. Could he try the track team first? Schools here have separate teams, but I don't know if that's the case everywhere.

Either way, he's young enough to condition and train. However, keep in mind, not everyone is a runner. That's okay. Just trying new things is important.

rachelr1116

mreichard wrote: »

I used to coach cross country. The biggest advice I'd give your son is to not do too much too soon. Spend these three weeks building up to steady state running through something like c25k (or any kind of run walk intervals). Kids --- especially boys in my experience --- hate run/walk intervals because they think they should be able to just run. But if he doesn't do a lot of other sports, that's the way to start. Better to go easy and go 6 days a week than try to go hard and then need a couple of days off.

Also - no indoor tracks. They are way too short and he will wind up with shin splints if he tries to run there. Run outside. Best not even on an outdoor track. Tracks are hard on your lower legs.

Finally --- try to get him to think long term. Not about this year, but about what he could do in 4 years. It takes years to build a competitive runner. Have him watch The Long Green Line and listen to what the coach says about freshmen runners --- basically you never know what they will turn into in 4 years.


HTH

Thanks for the tips! The only reason he's wanting to run inside is because our high temperatures have been near 100 for the last two weeks. I'll see if I can talk him into going to one of the local parks that has shade.

jgnatca

The running room store here has a free running club attached, with a couple group runs a week. I suggest you find a local group and the both of you go along. You will be surrounded with a lot of support.

My daughter joined a running team at the same age as your boy and I wish I knew then what I know now. The longevity of a runner has a lot to do with injury avoidance and teens have a distorted view of their own immortality. It would have been so helpful if my daughter had been alerted to signs of strain and learned to treat them seriously. She is in her thirties now and just getting back in to running.