Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

... to allow my 6 year old to run a 5K race

42 replies

GiveMeSomeSpace · 07/01/2013 21:39

Our 6 year old wants to run a 5k race and we're wondering whether we should let him. Is it too much for a child of this age?

OP posts:

3smellysocks · 07/01/2013 23:10

Well it's not very far is it? 3 miles on grassy park land would only take about 30 or 40 mins I expect which is probably how much running kids do knocking a ball around or playing tag at lunch time.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 07/01/2013 23:13

I don't think it would be a good idea for your son to take up running at his age, no problem with the occasional 5k fun run though.

NoNoNoMYDoIt · 08/01/2013 07:31

fred - no problem with football or any activity that includes running. My son does athletics involving running but the distances are shorter - they don't do more than 800m in any session. As an occasional one off you will get away with a 5k in a 6yr old I am sure. But it is the repetitive nature of a longer distance run which is the problem as far as I am aware

NoNoNoMYDoIt · 08/01/2013 08:17

It is not time on feet that is the issue with the running. Agree that my son spends far longer than 40 mins a day running around / walking each day. A 6yr old playing football for an hour even wouldn't cover 5k. Professional footballers can cover 10k in a match and most kids when they do football training do a mix of the game and drills so there isn't any way they would cover half the distance a footballer would in a match

The issue is with the repetitive striking that happens with running. I know that when I started running I very quickly got an overuse injury in my ankle from very few miles a week comparatively. If that happened to me as an adult who was already active, (I had done sprint triathlons and then decided to train for a 10k) then it wouldn't take a lot for an equivalent injury in a child.

Running around involves stopping, starting, changing direction, swerving etc. not like in a run where your plod relentlessly for 30 minutes.

FredFredGeorge · 08/01/2013 09:12

NoNoNoMYDoIt I think you need to look up the risk factors of osgood-schlatters, because it's not just from repetitive long distance running, footballers indeed are more prone to it because kids because of the stop/start and direction changes.

And yes, an over use injury from "starting running" is very different to a child who is already running a lot. Starting a new activity when unfit takes time to build up, for a child who already runs a lot, or who builds up slowly then the risks are no greater, and the health and intelligence benefits of exercise far outweigh the small risk of what is mostly a minor condition.

Blatherskite · 08/01/2013 09:36

Remember not all Parkruns are on grass too. Ours is all paths so would be harder on little joints.

MrsMelons · 08/01/2013 10:11

There is a big difference with running 5km and training for it properly and playing football or shorter distance running or even running 5km very slowly like many people do with their DCs at the Race for Life.

I run a lot and it does put an awful lot of pressure on joints so it would be much worse for a very young child as are things like ballet (plies in particular). The BUPA great runs do childrens races and they are shorter than 5km I believe.

I think being sensible would mean that your DC would be fine with running 5km on the odd occasion but I would carefully consider running shorter distances if it is going to be a regular thing.

Snowballed · 08/01/2013 10:24

Ds (10) does park run and loves it. There are always much younger kids doing it too.

There are also junior park runs which are done monthly and are only 2k - might be worth considering that?

Jo2508 · 08/01/2013 10:39

I think 6 is a bit young for regular 5km runs/races - although if it's a one-off, that's different. My dd (8) did a few 1km and 2.5km races from the age of 6, she has been going to athletics twice a week since she was 7 but they do shorter distances and field athletics as well so not always running. She did easily run 5km with me a couple of months ago, but I think there's a big difference between a 6 year old and an 8 year old.

If he really wants to do it, then I'd say go for it, but I wouldn't make it a regular thing at that age.

realcoalfire · 08/01/2013 11:08

My DD has done it since she was 5 and runs the whole distance easily

NoNoNoMYDoIt · 08/01/2013 11:09

fred - I was already running and doing triathlons when I got my overuse injury when I started running longer distances. I got the injury really quickly - within about 4 weeks

I do know you can get Osgood Schlatters from other things too. I just know 3 teens who got it from running at a younger age.

DebiTheScot · 08/01/2013 12:29

NoNoNoMYDoIt how quickly did you increase the distances you were running? Could you have added too much too quickly? (no really relevant to thread, just being nosy)

This thread has got me thinking and while I will still allow ds to do parkrun (ours is off road and on a variety of terrain) every few weeks I am going to try and reign him in a bit with trying to get a pb every week.

There are quite a few children at ours who do 1 lap (2.5k) or run/walk it all which is what your ds would probably do to start with anyway Givemesomespace. It took a few times of 1 lap and a couple of run/walk attempts before my ds did it all running.

Original poster

GiveMeSomeSpace · 08/01/2013 12:34

Thanks everyone. This is all great stuff and has made me think a lot.

DW and I do a lot of sport and the children see this and want to get involved. The main thing we want is for them to enjoy it and stay fit and healthy. They themselves enjoy a good variety of sports already but we agree that overdoing it is just as bad as not doing anything at all.

I'm going to get them doing some shorter fun runs/races more regularly - that makes a lot of sense.

If they do these shorter fun runs, then I'm going to let them do the odd parkrun here and there but keep it very infrequent.

Thanks again everyone.

OP posts:

Original poster

GiveMeSomeSpace · 08/01/2013 12:41

Thanks Debi

Our older boy has done a handful and is now getting a bit caught up in running a PB whenever he does one. I think we'll gently rein him in too.

Fun and lots of variety has got to be the way forward at this age

OP posts:

NoNoNoMYDoIt · 08/01/2013 13:18

Debi - yes I probably was a bit too enthusiastic as I was fit and had the cardio strength for it. However I was experienced and didn't go totally over the top

Like with all these things I think the key is moderation. The odd 5k by. 6yr old in all likelihood won't do any harm. Running it every week with another session in the week may do.

Original poster

GiveMeSomeSpace · 08/01/2013 13:32

"the key is moderation"

Agreed 100%

OP posts:

Meglet · 09/01/2013 13:32

at you trying to get your DS to get PB's every week debi. that's the sort of thing I'd probably do

Flip

1 2