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Original poster

6 year old running 2k with no adult

173 replies

user2319978 · 07/08/2017 21:14

Posting here for traffic :)

My just turned 6 year old loves running. He regularly attends junior parkrun events. The courses are 2k. Recently we've not been in a position to run with him and I've felt really uneasy allowing him to run the 2k on his own. He is out of my sight for about 6 minutes while he completes lap one, then another 6 minutes to complete lap 2.

I am buying him a GPS watch so I can track him, and he can SOS me if needed. I have lots of friends with 5 year olds who run the races with no parents.

What are people's thoughts on the junior park run events? (if you don't know what they are - they are weekly organised runs for 4 to 14 year olds - 2k distance, marshalls round the course. In our local event there are about 150 children running each week)

Am I being unreasonable to worry like hell for the whole 6miutes he's out of my sight? (that someone will kidnapp him, he'll get whisked away by a paedophile, he'll fall and no-one will help him .... etc ....) Is the GPS phone (with SOS and I can listen to him as he runs) enough? would you let your 5 or 6 year old run in these events with a GPS watch?

thanks for your tips!

OP posts:
thepumpk1neater · 07/08/2017 22:28

The Parkruns I've seen struck me as casual, disorganised affairs. There can sometimes be a lot of children, too, possibly because they're a free event. I'm not a particular fan generally, but I can see why they appeal to some.

Blatherskite · 07/08/2017 22:30

I just bought the parkrun wristband for my DD. DS has had one for a while. They have not only their barcodes on so they wont get lost but their names, allergies and mine and DH's phone numbers too so we use them for days out too when I'm worried about getting separated. I got DS to wear his when we were in London last weekend.

OP posts:
Normanpriceisnotarolemodel · 07/08/2017 22:38

Junior Parkrun 2K at 6, alone and a keen runner? Loads of marshals, no chance of getting lost, no problem. Ours is twice round a large field so never out of sight and my 6 year old does it alone.
Like others have said these races are set up so kids can run without the need to be accompanied. Not the same as Parkrun where they have to be accompanied.

Ohmyfuck · 07/08/2017 22:42

Mine ran for the first time at 11 and I made sure I stood in the middle of the arena so I could see him at all times and if he was out of my sight (behind another runner) for even a few seconds, I felt sick. I wouldn't do it at 6.

GrannyD57 · 07/08/2017 22:42

thepumpk1neater this thread is about Junior Parkrun, not the adult 5k event which you appear to have seen and the marshalling is very different and as described in previous posts. I am disappointed to hear your description of Parkruns you have observed, as my experience of the 10+ courses I have attended is the complete opposite. IMO Parkrun is a fantastic concept and well run (pardon the pun!)

TheresTheFlyingFuckIDontGive · 07/08/2017 22:44

OP, that watch would do the trick, but I wouldn't get one for a 6yo who's running such a well-controlled 2k. It makes it too serious a run, plus it might make him too fearful in case something happens.

Mumof56 · 07/08/2017 22:47

@Ohmyfuck "Mine ran for the first time at 11 and I made sure I stood in the middle of the arena so I could see him at all times and if he was out of my sight (behind another runner) for even a few seconds, I felt sick. I wouldn't do it at 6."

Hmm an 11 year old out of your sight behind another runner for a few seconds made you feel sick? That seems a bit much.

TheresTheFlyingFuckIDontGive · 07/08/2017 22:49

Oh, I've just looked at that watch and it's not a running watch, so ignore what I've said about it making running too serious and competitive.

Original poster
user2319978 · 07/08/2017 22:49

thanks therestheflying... i hadn't really thought about making him worried by using the watch, but based on this thread, have discussed with DH tonight! we will probably use the watch (because otherwise I'll not be able to control my worrying!!!) - but we won't make it out to be anything more than a cool new watch with a cool walkie talkie type function, that he can use to call me if he needs to (he's very very confident (have NO idea where he gets that from! definitely not me!!), so this really won't worry him! or make him anxious! he will just think it's cool!! .. but we will be careful how we discuss it with him, just in case! thanks for making us mindful of that)

OP posts:
Blatherskite · 07/08/2017 22:53

I agree with GrannyD57. I've done 50 different courses over the years and would never have described one as a disorganised affair!

Goldenbear · 07/08/2017 22:53

I wouldn't and I have a 6 year old DD. This out of sight comes up frequently for me as we have a park opposite the school that my 10 year old wants to play football in and my 6 year old wants to be in a completely different area that's wooded but not that far from a road that parallels the park. There are loads of children around but that has meant a false sense of security in the past. I relaxed about it as felt I was being paranoid, only to find my DD and her little friend had wondered off from the group they'd been playing with in the wooded area, chatting to some teen boys on the grassed area near the road. They were behaving in a wild way and they had no uniform on at a time that was school home time. My 10 year old DS had found them to be unsettling as they had taken their football earlier (found this out later). Ds had seen DD from afar talking with them so was actually on his way over to return her to me knowing I didn't know about this. Of course they may have been fine but Ds is not easily unsettled by older children and is very confident so I was quite annoyed with myself tbh.

TheresTheFlyingFuckIDontGive · 07/08/2017 22:57

If you look at the reviews on that watch, there are some good descriptions by parents who own the watch, which might give you some help in discussing it as a fun thing. Probably not the 'stalker' quote though Wink

Original poster
user2319978 · 07/08/2017 22:58

thanks therestheflying..!

OP posts:
TheresTheFlyingFuckIDontGive · 07/08/2017 22:59

blatherskite, you should come to my parkrun. I'm ED and regularly RD and the week before last gave the run brief entirely in reverse Grin

BertrandRussell · 07/08/2017 22:59

"Mine ran for the first time at 11 and I made sure I stood in the middle of the arena so I could see him at all times and if he was out of my sight (behind another runner) for even a few seconds, I felt sick. "

That is not a normal response- honestly.

DixieNormas · 07/08/2017 23:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BertrandRussell · 07/08/2017 23:00

Golden bear- the circumstances are entirely different!

DixieNormas · 07/08/2017 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Blatherskite · 07/08/2017 23:02

Just let me know which one it is TheresTheFlyingFuckIDontGive and I'll try to get there :)

thepumpk1neater · 07/08/2017 23:03

thepumpk1neater this thread is about Junior Parkrun, not the adult 5k event which you appear to have seen*
I know it is. Hence us discussing a 6 year old boy. I didn't mention the adult race, but do feel free to point out otherwise.
I think OP was posting for reassurance, and had already decided in any case, so...

TheresTheFlyingFuckIDontGive · 07/08/2017 23:05

Blatherskite, that would totally out me, but I will say that it's in Yorkshire Wink

Blatherskite · 07/08/2017 23:07

Oooh, I have done a few in Yorkshire as that's where my family live. PM me :)

Goldenbear · 07/08/2017 23:07

In my mind she wasn't wondering around the park, she was in the wooded right next to the park cafe. Sometimes you can see them then they might be behind a bush and you can't. The small area has thise carved wooden animals and toadstools so they're often playing fairies. All the other parents are fine about this as they assume the out of sight bit is just behind a bush. My point is that sometimes 6 year olds cannot be relied upon to not be distracted by someone or something especially if they're naturally curios.

BertrandRussell · 07/08/2017 23:11

"My point is that sometimes 6 year olds cannot be relied upon to not be distracted by someone or something especially if they're naturally curios."

Well, they can if hey are running a set out 2k course with marshals.......