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Original poster

Why do girls run shorter distances in long distance?

39 replies

TurquoiseOwl · 17/07/2017 19:23

This was the case at my school. There must be a reason, but I'm not sure what it is, so just want to educate myself.

Thank you Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
TurquoiseOwl · 17/07/2017 19:45

Yes, it was for secondary Smile

OP posts:
WhatHaveIFound · 17/07/2017 19:43

As far as i know the event guidelines are issued by British Athletics. They recommend the distances that children should run due to bone growth so maybe it's got something to do with that.

Is your school secondary? My DC's high school has different distances for boys & girls and no one ever volunteers for 1500m so you're not alone.

treaclesoda · 17/07/2017 19:36

Wasn't the case at my school either. I left school in the mid 90s.

When my mum was at school the girls at her school didn't do PE at all, it was only for boys.

SonicBoomBoom · 17/07/2017 19:35

If it was the case in some schools, I imagine it's a combination of what Ouch says and that because women/girls are slower, there is only time in a PE lesson for a shorter distance to be covered

Original poster
TurquoiseOwl · 17/07/2017 19:34

Wow, never realised it was just my school. It was a really good school too. I only left 2 years ago! They were still doing it like that then.

OP posts:
OuchBollocks · 17/07/2017 19:34

I went to an all girls school, so we only hated PE because it was shit not because it was set up to show we were inferior to boys

PurpleDaisies · 17/07/2017 19:33

At school in the 80s, now a teacher and none of the schools I've worked in do this.

SonicBoomBoom · 17/07/2017 19:32

Primary in the early 90s and secondary in the late 90s/early 2000s.

SonicBoomBoom · 17/07/2017 19:31

Never heard of this. It was always the same distance in my experience.

Original poster
TurquoiseOwl · 17/07/2017 19:30

Ah, maybe just my school then, which is a bit strange! If you don't mind me asking, when where you at school?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 17/07/2017 19:30

Wasn't the case in my school.

Isn't the case in any of the races I do as an adult or in top level athletics.

OuchBollocks · 17/07/2017 19:29

Women and men run the same distances in the Olympics.

I suppose if there was only a set amount of time for PE, it might make sense to have girls race a slightly shorter distance as by the time puberty hits girls are, on average, a bit slower than boys and the whole class could complete 4k in the time available but not 5k?

Original poster
TurquoiseOwl · 17/07/2017 19:28

Oh? The boys also had a mini obstacle thing in the middle and had to do the field 5 times, the girls only 3 and no obstacle thing.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 17/07/2017 19:25

Not at my school.

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