10-year-old boy's distance running feats raise questions (Page 2)

I wouldn't worry at all about track greatness in the future, it will be or it won't be......I would be worried about injury that causes him to have to stop doing something he obviously loves.  

Did you do 2 HM's 5 weeks apart at 10 years old?

Look, like I said, I agree with much of what you are saying.  And I completely agree that of all the things a 10 year old can be doing, running is fantastic if he loves it, which it appears he does.  There just has to be some oversight......and parents who juist started running and talk about "all the ribbons he's won" (from a video on the kid that I watched) probably aren't the best choice.  I ran a lot as a kid.  I was fast as a kid. I could have been fast as a D1 college miler.....but my dad and the coaches I had at that time were complete boneheads and I became a mess of injuries.   I have ran off and on my entire life.  The first thing I did when my kid started to show signs of running fast and loving it was get him the best youth coach I could find.  Because I know damn well that it's hard to be objective when your kid loves something and wants more and more. 

I applaud this kid and his love of running.  I will never get behind that kind of mileage at that age. 

The danger of these kinds of stories, as far as I'm concerned, are the goofball parents who read it and figure their 10 year old can start running some HM's too since this kid can do it.  It's a recipe for some really dumb running for kids.

IMHO- 

I understand the argument of "but the kid does it on his own" and is not pushed by his parents - BUT, Parents need to make the decisions as to what is best for their children. How good was your decision making process at 10 yrs? The parents need to limit his training (not take it away) especially since he is still young and growing. 

I wonder if the kids desire to do certain races is by copying what his parents are doing.

Sounds like he loves to run. 

Have they exposed him to events and coaches that are geared towards his age and development? Or is he asking to do things he knows about from his parents and their start to running?

I see this a lot in triathlete kids that they want to do what their parents do. Run a 1/2 Mary or do a 1/2 IM when they are 14. Maybe it is these kids are searching from approval from their parents, copying what they are doing or aching to spend time with them or some other not entirely healthy reason to do excess of one activity, Like LB shared, triathlete parents at youth triathlons are often horrible. I recall one that kids were swimming in cold ocean North of Boston, and most of the kids were walking the swimming and one parent was yelling about all the swim lessons you have had why are you walking?  Many parents were screaming at their kids to do this or that faster. Reminded me of parents coaching their kids from the sidelines in soccer or softball but 100x worse as no one was there to reign them in. Another youth tri I was at, parents were at a key corner on bike in and run in and out. They were tracking all the kids (like she is 8th on the run, oh where is Susie she blah blah blah) , talking about who was on the junior Olympic development team, and being incredibly poor sported about the whole thing. It made us want to move and get away from that poison.

I hope he loves running and continues to love running and stays healthy and uninjured.

Unfortunately this is also the natural attrition in sports. Kids want to be the best, and in order to be the best have to bite off quite a large amount of work. Those who can absorb the work and continue to accel go on to great things, while others get tired, stop improving, or lose the fire as the going gets tough. Sometimes it's because of the wrong things (overbearing parent), but more often than not is simply the climb to the top. We have a couple swim programs around here that are known for 2 things: burnout and phenomenal athletes. The 2 go hand in hand. The programs that have low burnout also have very low success rates.

Absolutely.....and the clilmb to the top today, unlike in the days when there weren't as many "specialized" athletes, can be even more grueling.  I know what my own kid goes through to be one of the top Jr. triathlete/runners in the country/region and I couldn't do it.  To go further, we are now watching kids he came up with flame out over injuries, girlfriends, or just no longer willing to deal with the grind of staying at that level.  My eyes have been opened to what it truly takes to be a top athlete......and it's no wonder so few end up there.  The ones who make it to the elite levels make tremendous sacrifices compared to the rest of us, with regard to their chosen sport. 

Seems to me that the whole thing only raises questions that don't matter (or exist).

If the kid is enjoying it, and HE is the one initiating it, and he isn't being dragged into it by overbearing parents... then what's the question?

That track coach and his spewing of whatever about developing speed, etc... please.  Who cares?  We're talking about a kid that enjoys running.... just let the kid enjoy his running and stop trying to make mountains out of molehills that aren't even there.

 I agree.....if you want to let your 10 year old run 2 HM's 5 weeks apart you should be able to.  And he should decide what's best for him.....because, after all, he's 10. 

Oh, look... a moun...errr, molehill!

Yup, because CLEARLY everything will ALWAYS be taken to the ridiculous extremes, so ya know, that's what we roll with.  Yup, that's exactly the point I was making.

I'm not tracking you......you think it's OK for a 10 year old to run two HM's 5 weeks apart, and he should decide?  Because that's what this kid is doing.....this is not the only article on him or his pursuits.  He's been featured quite a bit in the media.  I think that's a dangerous thing....because there are plenty of bonehead parents who will see that and figure it must be OK for their kid too.  Letting a 10 year old run that type of mileage with no supervision other than parents wo also just started running is pretty crazy IMO.  But......he's not my kid, so rock on!

Or......I'll agree with you if it makes more sense to me.  Of course, Fred, I'm talking about the collective "you" since you don't normally have anything.