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Runners- advice for keeping daughter with me for an 8k race?

Lizzypb88
Lizzypb88 Posts: 367 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I know this is kind of kid related, but if any runners have any ideas to offer that would be great!
My daughter is 7, she loves running and has done 3 5ks with us as a family, but we always split up and go at our own pace, as my daughter is much faster than me (she's seriously built to run) but my husband is always the first to finish and waits for her to cross the finish line, and she has no issues as she likes to feel independent... the races she's done are right in our town and max amount of runners last race was 900 people.

We are now doing a turkey trot that is 8k, and not in our town, it's downtown and is one of the largest races in the US... 14,000 racers, which I didn't realize when we signed up. Now knowing that the race is sold out, normally my husband would run with her but he's working and unlikely to even make it to the race, so it's just her and I, and the grandparents waiting at the finish line.
She's already really upset with me (which I don't care about- I want her safe) because I told her she has to slow down and stay with me as this is downtown and an insane amount of people. I'm thinking of just pulling her from the race so she doesn't get mad at me for holding her back... or my other idea is to walk the last mile and let her run the last 1/2 of the final mile while having grandma on the phone knowing she will cross the finish line in about 4-5min? My main concern is her safety, if I can make her happy great, but I'm trying to come up with something that would make her happy, maybe a custom medal of her own at the end etc? Any ideas would be helpful thanks!

Replies

  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Do you have any friends who are running who might be closer to her pace? Is it too late to get her hooked up with a pacer or running group (like Girls on the Run)? Otherwise you are going to have to insist that she run at your pace...

    It's tough, because I can see where you wouldn't want to stifle her enjoyment of the event, but with 14K people it becomes a huge safety issue for someone her age. We run a turkey trot that usually has 10k participants, and even as an adult I get a little intimidated by the crowds. And even though my husband, teenage son, and I have a designated meeting spot at the finish, sometimes it takes a little while to find each other.
  • Lizzypb88
    Lizzypb88 Posts: 367 Member
    mitch16 wrote: »
    Do you have any friends who are running who might be closer to her pace? Is it too late to get her hooked up with a pacer or running group (like Girls on the Run)? Otherwise you are going to have to insist that she run at your pace...

    It's tough, because I can see where you wouldn't want to stifle her enjoyment of the event, but with 14K people it becomes a huge safety issue for someone her age. We run a turkey trot that usually has 10k participants, and even as an adult I get a little intimidated by the crowds. And even though my husband, teenage son, and I have a designated meeting spot at the finish, sometimes it takes a little while to find each other.

    A pacer would have been a great idea, I didn't even know that was a thing!! It's too late though as it's on thanksgiving day... Im the only one of my friends that run so that isn't an option. I feel like I will be intimidated too with so many people, I don't even think I have it in my head just how many it is until race day. She's got her own personality, so I may have to come to terms with disappointing her in order to keep her safe!
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Also--has she done an 8K before? It's kind of a jump from a 5K so her pacing might need to be different anyways.

    My son is much faster than I am at the 5K, and the first time we ran an 8K he was 14. He took off with his normal sub-7-minute-mile pace (with his friends who are now Div I track athletes) and by the 4th mile I had caught up to him--he completely bonked--so I paced him for the end of the race and he finished just seconds in front of me.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Are the start & finish lines close to each other? If they are you could skip the race yourself, stay with her until the start, let her run the race at her own pace and then be waiting for her at the finish line.

    My daughter's soccer team ran in the Ottawa Race Weekend 5K (10,00+ runners) when she was that age and the girls didn't stick together, we just had a meeting spot at the finish line.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    edited November 2017
    Realize, too, that races that large aren't really good opportunities for PRs--you end up doing a lot of running sideways to get around other people, and there are a lot of people (especially at holiday events) that don't understand the concept of start corrals.

    Maybe turn this around and ask her to run slower to help you out--because you are concerned about your ability to run the whole race? Or play up the fun-run aspect of it by letting her wear a costume or a tutu so that she's less focused on going fast? I would consider maybe tying a balloon to her so that you (and her grandparents) can easily find her in the crowd nonetheless.
  • Lizzypb88
    Lizzypb88 Posts: 367 Member
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    Are the start & finish lines close to each other? If they are you could skip the race yourself, stay with her until the start, let her run the race at her own pace and then be waiting for her at the finish line.

    My daughter's soccer team ran in the Ottawa Race Weekend 5K (10,00+ runners) when she was that age and the girls didn't stick together, we just had a meeting spot at the finish line.

    That's a good question I'll have to take a look tonight and find a map online!
  • Lizzypb88
    Lizzypb88 Posts: 367 Member
    mitch16 wrote: »
    Realize, too, that races that large aren't really good opportunities for PRs--you end up doing a lot of running sideways to get around other people, and there are a lot of people (especially at holiday events) that don't understand the concept of start corrals.

    Maybe turn this around and ask her to run slower to help you out--because you are concerned about your ability to run the whole race? Or play up the fun-run aspect of it by letting her wear a costume or a tutu so that she's less focused on going fast? I would consider maybe tying a balloon to her so that you (and her grandparents) can easily find her in the crowd nonetheless.

    Well I'm glad I posted this, you're definitely informative!!! This actually is my first race that I'm not giving it my all-until-I-fall after crossing the finish line, I'm focused still on training to get faster with running and I know that killing myself like I have in other races ends up putting me out of commission until about 5 days post race. The balloon idea is great, maybe a turkey hat or something too, thanks for the ideas!
  • rebben23
    rebben23 Posts: 24 Member
    That's fantastic she's getting into running! There is definitely a difference in running an 8k vs a 5k -- almost a 2mi difference-- and it's noticeable for first timers :)

    I agree with mitch16!
    Definitely make the focus less on her safety and more on you needing her help to get yourself across the finish line. If she does well this race, tell her she can pick the next 8k/longer race in your town :)

    As someone who lives in Chicago and runs/volunteers for large races here, you do NOT want her by herself. It's incredibly difficult to find runners at the finish, so her grandparents may not even see her when she crosses (and vice versa). In many instances, spectators cannot even get right by the finish line. If she's only 7, I can see her getting incredibly panicked!


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