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

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

Cross country running in schools: do they have it in the UK?

13 replies

Medea · 10/04/2007 12:00

My very uncoordinated and dreamy 7-yr-old ds, who is absolutely awful at team sports, is showing a surpising interest in and maybe talent for (?) distance running. I took him to the track with me the other day so I could do some running myself, and he ran 2 miles at a perfect pace (breaking it up occasionally with a quick walk). The next day he did 3 miles. He is a bit of an obsessive type and can't stop talking about running, so I wonder if I ought to encourage it?

I was a cross country runner (not very good) in school in America.

Is cross country an actual sport here that you can do in schools?

Are there races for children of his age? (He's v. competitive and would love the idea of a race.)

Is it at all dangerous that I'm letting him do these big runs? I keep asking him to take it easy, but he insists that he can handle it.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

NadineBaggott · 10/04/2007 12:06

They used to way back my ds1 used to run for his county. Have you tried the local athletics club too?

Gobbledigook · 10/04/2007 12:07

They do at ds's school but it does have quite a strong tradition for sport. I'm not sure if other schools round about do it.

MrsBadger · 10/04/2007 12:08

It is an actual sport, but not all schools offer it (as you need some country to run across!) and is unlikely to be on offer anywhere at primary level.

However, there are lots of youth athletic clubs that do this kind of thing (or long-distance if not specifically cross-country) if school doesn't offer it - this kind of place. If you look they start from under-11 so he's not a million miles away.

No clue on safety though - the only thing I can think of offhand is keeping him reall well hydrated and warming up and cooling down properly, also proper trainers to cushion the impact.

LucyJu · 10/04/2007 12:11

They do cc at dd's school - and they have competitions against other schools, so obviously there are a few primaries around that do this.
I think it's fantastic that your son has found something he enjoys and is good at - and I'm sure it's possible to encourage him without being too pushy and/or over-competitive.

portonovo · 10/04/2007 13:39

In my experience, few primary schools offer cross country running.

However, some local harrier clubs have junior clubs, so that might be worth exploring where you live.

LIZS · 10/04/2007 13:46

Think there are some junior triathlons so almost certain there is cross country running in its own right (our school occasionally competes against others). Have you tried googling for a local club or maybe ask at the local sports centre ?

zippitippitoes · 10/04/2007 14:02

my dcs did it at primary and local competitions for primary schools

zippitippitoes · 10/04/2007 14:04

yep just checked they still do it twice a week

MrsWho · 10/04/2007 20:50

Still have it round here.I see the kids at the shop who are skiving it!

sarflondon · 10/04/2007 21:32

Medea - you must be really proud. Those distances are imo very good for his age. I would contact some running clubs to see if they have a junior section. If you are in London, some of the park based running clubs e.g. Serpentine take part in a summer league which has children's distance races. Also I don;t know if it is still going but Norwich Union were sponsoring a series called Star Track for children from 8up.

Original poster

Medea · 11/04/2007 13:12

Thanks so much everyone for these fab suggestions.

My question #3 asked if he was pushing himself too hard and I think he was a bit. . .I say this because, coincidentally, he came down with a tummy bug in the middle of the night after his big running day and didn't wake up as he was throwing up. . .I imagine he was so exhausted by his running that he was in a very very deep sleep. I'm going to encourage him to build up to these distances a bit more slowly. But he's stubborn!

Yes sarfilondon I am London based. Not too near the Serpentine, but maybe I'll contact them first.

OP posts:

Loshad · 18/04/2007 11:36

in Leeds lots of the primary schools take part in what is known as the leeds league cross country races - very popular with the children, and a very high stnadard of running is shown. Quite a lot of ruinning clubs, even if they don't have junior sections will run a junior race with their own races, so i'm sure you could find a few of those for him to enter.

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 18/04/2007 15:00

Our primary has cross country teams from Year 3 (ages 7/8) upwards. They compete with a few other schools (some primaries have limited curriculums and others only like SATs subjects!) and they have workshops & meet-ups at the nearest secondary school which is a Sports Excellence centre.

I've no idea whether the distance is a problem. Certainly I used to run 2/3 miles at his age with my teenage siblings. By the age of 10 I could beat the pants off them so watch out for the competition

Flip