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Original poster

Running with children. Anyone done it?

18 replies

Quangle · 07/05/2013 19:39

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/may/04/why-take-sons-running-polly-williams.

Timely article because I was thinking about running with my six yo and wondered if anyone had done it. I'm very slow and only run for 30 mins so she could probably do it but wondered if anyone had any tips. Is six too young?

OP posts:

EauRouge · 07/05/2013 20:05

No idea but watching with interest. DD1 has been pestering me for ages but she's only 4.7yo so has a way to go yet! There are always lots of children at my local Parkrun but they seem to be around 9 or 10+.

mazzi2fly · 07/05/2013 20:12

When I did Week 1 of Couch to 5k I took my DD(7yo) and she was fine but she hasn't wanted to come since (I'm on week 2 now). She likes running but I only run on Saturday's when she's awake, otherwise I run after her bed time.

Restorer · 07/05/2013 20:24

I don't think children should run for running's sake that young. I run with a club and runners are always injured, I wouldn't want to inflict that possibility on a young child, although 30 mins slowly every now and again, should be OK, I'd only take her if she's very keen. Apart from anything else, you don't want her wining getting fed up and spoiling/cutting short your run!

My DCs often come with me on their bikes/scooters when I run.

scaevola · 07/05/2013 20:28

We're just beginning to take DD running - she's 9 and can do 0.5 mile easily, and we go 1 mile sometimes, always a steady pace and not every week. 6 seems a bit young for anything other than an occasional treat.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 07/05/2013 20:31

When I was wee I used to go on long runs with my dad - I would ride my bike - is this a possibility?

I also would be worried about damaging young bones.

BellsaRinging · 07/05/2013 20:42

I go with my 8 year old to parkrun. he asked to join in when he got bored sitting watching with his dad in the cafe. he loves it, and so do I. I don't think it's too far for him-he is very active generally though. He runs when he wants...and when he doesn't he watches or stays in bed. It has made us healthier and has improved our relationship. It is lovely to have a passtime we both enjoy.

PoppyWearer · 07/05/2013 20:44

I used to run/cycle when my DDad went jogging, used to love it!

Lizzylou · 07/05/2013 20:48

Ds1 is 9 and he wanted to come to parkrun with me, so we went for a 2.5km run round the local reservoir. It took almost 40 minutes as he wanted to walk all the time .
He is a fit lad (swims for 50 lengths at a time) but didn't really enjoy running tbh.
I was gutted as I'd have loved for it to have been our thing to do together.

I would see how you go, try it

HeySoulSister · 07/05/2013 22:15

I run with a club also

dd is 18 and i'm doing c25k with her to get her running before she goes to uni (proof my love of fitness is rubbing off) we are doing race for life together.....a great bonding experience

also ds 1 and 2 are asking for running shoes now. they are 14 and 10. older ds is doing the Northampton 'colour run' with me and his sister as well as parkrun with me

10 year old does a 1 or maybe a 2 k with me and loves it

ds3 is now 5 and wants to join in too

why worry about hurting them? humans were designed to run!! they do PE. kids are supposed to be active

VerySmallSqueak · 07/05/2013 22:18

I think running for a child is fine so long as it's built up steadily and warm up and cool downs are strictly stuck to.
It's weight bearing exercise that I wouldn't do with a child (ie resistance training).

Restorer · 07/05/2013 22:21

Designed to run, HeySoul, but not on tarmac/concrete! Also, our bodies aren't designed to last 80 years. If we only expected our bodies to last 30/40 years, then the wear and tear wouldn't matter so much.

I worry about hurting them because it is a fact running causes a lot of damage. I run a lot and am fit because of it, but there are lot of bits of me that don't quite work the way they should.

meglet · 09/05/2013 14:05

They haven't run with me yet but the DC's run with Grandad + Grandma sometimes. My stepdad can do 10 miles easily so will take 6yo DS out for a gentle 15 min run when he's over there or when we go on holiday together. DS loves it.

Even 4yo DD gets a go with my mum (65yrs), although obviously DD gets distracted and dawdles pretty quickly.

I'm going to take them both out on Parkrun in a couple of years. I think DS would be ok now but I don't have a babysitter for saturday mornings so I need to wait for DD to grow up and mature a little.

DoingItForMyself · 09/05/2013 14:55

I've tried having my DCs on their bikes while I run, which wasn't entirely successful (either cutting across in front of me and tripping me up or falling off their bikes while behind me and I didn't notice for a while as I had music on!)

Asked DS (12) if he fancied running with me, but he wasn't keen, but my DB's boys run with him and SIL and they all really enjoy it as a family !

Clure · 12/05/2013 18:15

my DD (who is 8) and I have just entered Race for life (I am a marathon runner/triathlete so pretty fit) At the moment my DD has been out running with DH (who is also a duathlete) we are keeping it light and easy. She has run 1 and half km then we stop and walk. We run round the park on grass. Again keeping the distances short and stop when she wants to!

Secondme · 12/05/2013 18:20

We all do the parkrun together as a family, some of us slower than others. ds1 is a really good runner-much better than me. He's 9.

BetsyBell · 12/05/2013 18:28

I've taken my 8yo out running with me before to the local park - he's very active but didn't really have the stamina for keeping on going so we did lots of short runs with some sprinting and then we both went to climb the huge climbing frame! So it wasn't a 'proper' run that I'd normally do but it was great fun and lovely to spend time with just one of the DCs and he was keen to stretch out the trip with a longer walk home (rather than running). Having one of the DCs join me on a bike would be nice, if they could keep my slow pace!

Curlybrunette · 22/05/2013 22:31

I go running with DS, he's been doing it about a year and is now 7.2. He can do about 2 miles but is off it at the moment. He also likes biking next to me, means I can go a little quicker.
I absolutely love running with him (as does he). We chat away merrily and it's such a lovely 1 on 1 time.

I tried to find out if it was safe and no one seems to be able to commit to an answer. Ds plays a lot of football and figured if he can run around a football pitch for what seems hours on end a 20 minute jog won't do him any harm?????

Tiggles · 24/05/2013 22:13

We often take our 4, 6 and 11 year old running in the woods, we go between 2 and 3 miles. They really enjoy it. We do lots of stretches first and at the end. They do walk up some of the really steep hills - but so do I

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