How Far Is Too Far? — Appropriate Running Distances For Children (Part One)

We could spend hours talking about the benefits of running. Running has been linked to academic, social, and physiological improvements. All these things are great for kids. But as with anything, running can get out balance, and finding balance is key. So how far is too far?

Motivation

Motivation is foundational to this discussion on distance. Before we can consider how much children should run, we must address why they are running in the first place.

“It is important to let the children choose to run, and leave it up to them how competitive they want to make it,” said Debbie Drake, who has been working with the Mileage Club® for 25 years.

As well-intentioned as encouraging parents and teachers may be, children must have a personal desire to take part in the activity. Forced participation and parental pressure are unhealthy and unsustainable motivations.

But if the desire is there, parents and teachers certainly can foster and help build that interest. Schools can facilitate opportunities by providing a program like Mileage Club®, and sustained motivation through incentives like Toe Tokens®.

Running Frequency and Competition

Drake said there are a lot of program variations, but she recommends three times a week, at least 15 minutes, and a season of at least six weeks.

Drake said some kids run for the social aspects, but others are eager to compete. Ultimately, it is important to leave it up to student to decide if they want to pursue competition.

Some schools track individually, some by class, and others form teams that compete against each other for the most yearly mileage.

Drake said an important balancing factor is to encourage students to define and pursue individual goals. Common race distances such as 5k, 10k, and marathon are great totals for students to strive for over the course of a Mileage Club® season.

Road Race Distances

School programs like Mileage Club® are often a gateway that peak children’s interest in running. Should they want to pursue competition beyond school programs, they may enter the world of road races. Races can range from a quarter mile to 100+ miles, so it can be difficult to determine what is appropriate for beginners.

Peter Finley, Douglas Finley, and Jeffrey Fountain provide insight into this matter in their study “Road Racing and Youth Running: Cross Country Coaches’ Perspectives

.” Their study focused on appropriate distances, as determined by 132 cross country coaches from around the country.

· For lower elementary (K to 2nd grade), over 77% of the coaches said that one mile or shorter is appropriate.

· For upper elementary (3rd to 5th Grade), over 95% of the coaches said 1 mile to 5k was appropriate.

Drake emphasized it is important to make running enjoyable, especially for younger children. “I also encourage one fun race per season,” said Drake. “It is good to do something outside of schools/programs, but certainly not every weekend.”



By keeping the above suggestions in mind, we can feel good about supporting and encouraging the athletic endeavors of the children in our lives. Thank you for helping us Shape America’s Future®.