Children Running?

Options
2

Replies

  • AJ_MotherRunner
    AJ_MotherRunner Posts: 175 Member
    Options
    mine run with me! SUPER! GET THEM INVOLVED!

    ^^^this

    My 10 year old daughter is on a competitive travelling soccer team so she runs with me in off season to keep up endurance. The 7 year old daughter does short runs, but usually rides her bike instead. I incorporate my kids into my fitness time as much as earthly possible!!!

    Have fun!
  • TaylorsGranddad
    TaylorsGranddad Posts: 453 Member
    Options
    My 13 year old son wanted come running with me so I did W1D1 of C25K I made sure it was at his pace and he knew to stop if he wanted to, he's starting week 2 tonight and loves it...
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
    Options
    At my last 5K there was an 8 year old in front of me most of the race jogging along with his iPod splashing in all the puddles, talking to the ducks. He finished 2 minutes behind me and waved to his parents when they looped back around. As long as the kid is interested I'd say go for it.
  • tinycowa
    tinycowa Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    We participate in 5Ks as a family. When the boys were under age 5 they used to stand at the finish line and cheer. They couldn't wait until they were old enough to run too. I would say about 6 years old is a great age to try a 5k. If you have other families that like to jog too, chose 2-3 5Ks per year to jog and take turns as adults jogging for fun with the kids and letting one person run for a competitive time. Scooters and bikes make great running partners. With that said, you sound like a GREAT mom and YOU deserve some ME time!
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 932 Member
    Options
    when i work out at home i make my son (he's 5) participate. he does push ups (his scaled down version of course) sit ups, jumping jacks and toe touches. it buys me time so i can do some "me" stuff. if i want to jog i put him on his bike or scooter and i run after him. it puts us at the same speed usually.
  • mommyskis
    mommyskis Posts: 277 Member
    Options
    My 8 year-old son just started running with me. He saw me do a couple of 5Ks and he wanted to try it. You do have to change your expectations though. No more 9 or 10 min. miles and we have walk breaks! I have to think of it as "together time" not "my workout time" and that helps a lot so I don't get frustrated. I run early in the am for me and after supper with him (not every day). We did have to have a long talk about how he wasn't going to place or get a medal, which was really tough. He was sure he'd get a medal:) But the races we do have him in a category with 18 and under (those cross-country high school boys run it in like 15 min!) He had to be okay with we are running for fun and to be healthy. I did not want tears on our first race. Just keep it fun. When he wants to walk, I try to get him to run to the next lightpole or something to push a little but not too much. Go slow and have fun!
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    Options
    I understand your problem here. I think you can incorporate exercise into their day in a variety of ways BUT I am going to come at this from a different angle. I am a teacher and a fellow teacher had a problem with her planning period always being taken up with kids needing to "make up a test" or whatever... My advice to her was that she was going to have to establish a schedule when they did this on HER terms.

    Without down time, we wear ourselves out and we cannot be all that we can be for our children. My suggestion is to be firm with bedtime or a settling down time and don't fall into the guilt trap. You do not owe them every waken hour of your time.. You have to have some time to recharge or in the end, you will not be able to hold out... You have to have time to unwind and deal with things that YOU need ... whether it is exercise or just talking to your husband. When you lack this time in your life, the resulting stress can cause you to be less than you can be... And the boundaries will actually do your 7 year old some good... you run your house... not your children... And bedtime is just that...

    Of course when a child is sick or has special needs, there are times we have to just "suck it up" and deal with it. If the child is healthy, it is ok for him to be told, "honey, there are some things mommy needs to do right now and it is your bedtime". Hope this helps.
  • curiositycat
    curiositycat Posts: 111 Member
    Options
    These are all fantastic ideas, and I've personally had success with many of them: track running so you can go at different paces but still supervise your kids, they bike or scooter while you run, etc. I do lots of workout videos at home, too, and my six-year-old daughter will join in. She has a pair of 2-lb. hand weights, and she even has her own little step for step aerobics. Once kids hit about age 5, there's so much they can do with you while you work out.
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    Options
    Why not get up super early in the morning? Ya, it sucks and is hard to do...................
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Options
    I have read stories about children as young as 6 finishing marathons, while this strikes me as a bit young it seems the current research suggests that there's no reason not to as long as it's something they're really into. (It was believed for a long time that too much running could have a detrimental effect on the growth plates of younger runners but this seems not to be the case)
  • wildhehr2
    wildhehr2 Posts: 122 Member
    Options
    My 7 year old ran a 5k earlier this month in 28:46. He ran last year, finishing in 34:36. Our personal rules are that you have to be 6 to run the 5k (son #2 will run his first next year), just because of the cost. We do "training runs" where we cover the distance without a time goal, and work up to completing it in an hour. If they do an actual race, they'll go much faster.

    BTW, both my sons had heart surgery. Their cardiologist cleared them for activity...but said to make sure they are well hydrated, the weather isn't overly hot/humid, they have good shoes, and they go at THEIR pace, not mine. They run for 15-20 minutes 3x a week at school, so we just do the long distance once a week. My 7 year old is already begging to do the 20k race, but we told him he needs to be at least 10, again, just due to the cost.

    As long as they enjoy it more than hate it, go for it.
  • duplicitous
    duplicitous Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    My daughter is four. She stretches with me and does a few calisthetics. I have hoped to get her to run with me. I just worry that some fool idiot out there will thinkit is child abuse if they see her running with me and think that I am making her run. That would be a sad moment. I would never force my child to run but I do hope she will want to.
  • holliph
    holliph Posts: 88 Member
    Options
    I started both of my boys running with me when they were 4 years old each...now 14 & 11.
    They both do a 5k a week with me.
    The oldest has been in track & cross country since 5th grade competing at an 8th grade level (been to state 3x's & come home with ribbons & trophies each time)
    My youngest does not want to compete, but loves to run. He will run with me each day that is a run day. Very proud of him for staying motivated.
    Each Wednesday we do a fun run with our park district that you can either do a 1k or 5k run/walk. Both turds finished several minutes before me. (So much for being taller & having longer legs).

    So I would say as you start out, start your kids out. Kids are very resilient. You will be amazed at how much farther & faster they will be able to run over our (aged) muscles. (Also they might sleep so much better at night.) Mine sure did when they used to have issues with falling asleep & staying asleep.

    Just be smart about the heat/humidity index when you go. Pack plenty of water...stay away from the sugary energy drinks.
    Hope this helps.
  • DG_Allen
    DG_Allen Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    This is great! I say go for it.

    If you run a race, just make sure you're in the back of the pack. I almost ran a 4 or 5 year old over on Saturday at the start of a 5k race. The Dad have him in the under 30 minute group and it was a pretty tight course.
  • ROBJ3411
    ROBJ3411 Posts: 72 Member
    Options
    There's a woman in my neighborhood who runs in the street while her kids ride their bikes on the sidewalk. I can't wait until my kids can bike!

    I do this with my 6 yo. I run and she rides her bike..We are also getting her into running she has done a few kids Miles and we are signing her up for a kids marathon(run 25 miles over a period of time and run the last mile as a fun run prior to the adult race). But I don't think she could keep up over any big distance.

    Another technique we use is to bring them to a track and let them run or ride on the track while you get your run in. I had my 2 yo doing sprints last week. give him a head start on his tricycle and try to "Catch him" he got a blast and I got a work out. My kids have taken to the fitness thing.
  • mgraue82
    mgraue82 Posts: 168 Member
    Options
    I understand your problem here. I think you can incorporate exercise into their day in a variety of ways BUT I am going to come at this from a different angle. I am a teacher and a fellow teacher had a problem with her planning period always being taken up with kids needing to "make up a test" or whatever... My advice to her was that she was going to have to establish a schedule when they did this on HER terms.

    Without down time, we wear ourselves out and we cannot be all that we can be for our children. My suggestion is to be firm with bedtime or a settling down time and don't fall into the guilt trap. You do not owe them every waken hour of your time.. You have to have some time to recharge or in the end, you will not be able to hold out... You have to have time to unwind and deal with things that YOU need ... whether it is exercise or just talking to your husband. When you lack this time in your life, the resulting stress can cause you to be less than you can be... And the boundaries will actually do your 7 year old some good... you run your house... not your children... And bedtime is just that...

    Of course when a child is sick or has special needs, there are times we have to just "suck it up" and deal with it. If the child is healthy, it is ok for him to be told, "honey, there are some things mommy needs to do right now and it is your bedtime". Hope this helps.


    In tears in a good way... THANK YOU! :) I needed to hear that!
  • mgraue82
    mgraue82 Posts: 168 Member
    Options
    My daughter is four. She stretches with me and does a few calisthetics. I have hoped to get her to run with me. I just worry that some fool idiot out there will thinkit is child abuse if they see her running with me and think that I am making her run. That would be a sad moment. I would never force my child to run but I do hope she will want to.

    I was very worried that is where my "post" would end up.. People bashing me for asking about this, however I am very pleasantly surprised and my heart could burst from all the well wishing, pointers, and kinds words from everyone!
  • mgraue82
    mgraue82 Posts: 168 Member
    Options
    Why not get up super early in the morning? Ya, it sucks and is hard to do...................

    I'm working on this. I have a special needs son as well who ALWAYS has to be with an adult and when he's not under nursing care my husband or I need to be here - so we're trying to figure out schedules for my husband and I both to get in workout time - we have let ourselves go big time after this baby was born, due to stress and worry about him. So now we're taking the bull by the horns!
  • mgraue82
    mgraue82 Posts: 168 Member
    Options
    ******THANK YOU ALL****** I never expected this kind of response much less how POSITIVE a response from everyone. I truly appreciate all of the information and past experience you've all given me and feel so good about this. I know he will be excited to know that he gets to share this one on one time with me as well.

    SHOES??? How did you all pick out shoes for the kids? Would you take them to a running store or just to foot locker and get shoes? Just want to make sure that he's ready to go :)

    Again thank you all so so much! Big stress reliever!
  • nwhitley
    nwhitley Posts: 619
    Options
    Yes your children can run with you!! My son is almost 13 and has run with me since about age 3 or 4. He ran his first 5k at 5. In May, he ran his longest distance- 15K- and beat me by 12 minutes. Last year, when he was in 7th grade he joined the high school xcountry and track team and is one of the fastest runners on the xcountry team. The last track meet of the year he PRed in the 1600 with a time of 5:23. Happy running!

Categories