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How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: Aikidoman on 2009-09-29 4:08 PM
I thought I would hear some thoughts before confirming my judgment.
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- Je Ne Regrette Rien
- Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
- Challenges are what make life interesting;
overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
- Maybe strong is just what you have left when you've used up all your weak. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: mmrocker13 on 2009-09-29 4:09 PM
After 18, you can't tell them what to do.... But personally, I'd say at least 18-20 for women; 20+ for men.
Definitely not in HS. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: Aikidoman on 2009-09-29 4:11 PM
So gradeschool would be a no no - I'm guessing?
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- Je Ne Regrette Rien
- Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
- Challenges are what make life interesting;
overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
- Maybe strong is just what you have left when you've used up all your weak. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: crowny2 on 2009-09-29 4:22 PM
Aikidoman - 2009-09-29 4:11 PM So gradeschool would be a no no - I'm guessing?Ummm... from what I remember, can't find the link, anything over 5k is too far for at least up through freshmen and sophomore in HS. THAT kind of mileage can do some serious damage to still developing bones and structure.
I know some of the docs here will quickly link to studies. I would say big time NONO!
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"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." - Rich Strauss
YNWA = You'll Never Walk Alone. A song sung by the Liverpool Football (soccer) Club fans, but also a statement I'm seeing has a lot of application with you lot. ;) -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: Aikidoman on 2009-09-29 4:28 PM
crowny2 - 2009-09-29 2:22 PMAikidoman - 2009-09-29 4:11 PM So gradeschool would be a no no - I'm guessing?Ummm... from what I remember, can't find the link, anything over 5k is too far for at least up through freshmen and sophomore in HS. THAT kind of mileage can do some serious damage to still developing bones and structure.
I know some of the docs here will quickly link to studies. I would say big time NONO!
If you can find it, it would be helpful.
I'm double checking to see if it's really happening. If it is, I may need to voice my objections and some research/documentation would help.
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- Je Ne Regrette Rien
- Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
- Challenges are what make life interesting;
overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
- Maybe strong is just what you have left when you've used up all your weak. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: Baowolf on 2009-09-29 4:37 PM
All the marathons I have seen say minimum age of 18 to enter. No studies here sorry. The growing bone thing makes sense though.
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Steve-> IM Vineman 2017
My pool = SwimEx
Snapple Triathlon Team member -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: Aikidoman on 2009-09-29 4:39 PM
Baowolf - 2009-09-29 2:37 PMAll the marathons I have seen say minimum age of 18 to enter. No studies here sorry. The growing bone thing makes sense though.
Good to know. Then they won't be allowed...
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- Je Ne Regrette Rien
- Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
- Challenges are what make life interesting;
overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
- Maybe strong is just what you have left when you've used up all your weak. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: Aikidoman on 2009-09-29 4:45 PM
I had to do some research..
Apparently, I was a little confused when I was told their kids were "doing the seattle marathon" without the details. To be honest, it's still a little unclear, but none the less, it's safe.
From their site:The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon 2009 is on SATURDAY, November 28th at 10:00 AM at the Seattle Center. Kids begin their final 1.2 miles from the corner of 5th and Harrison.
The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon is structured to allow children — kindergarten through eighth grade — to complete a full 26.2 mile marathon at a rate that is fun and safe for their growing bodies “one mile at a time.” It also encourages them to read 13 books and perform 13 do rights (good deeds).
What is a Marathon?
In ancient Greece, Phidippedes ran from the plains of Marathon to Athens to report about the Persian War. That is where the marathon got its name. Thousands of years later, people still run, but now they do it for fun.
About half a million people run marathons every year! People who run marathons train a lot. Your body must be in good shape to run a marathon. A marathon is 26.2 miles. The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon will get you on your way to being physically fit.
- The Kids Victory Recovery Area is located in the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. Kids will receive their space blanket and water as they cross the finish line in Memorial Stadium and will then proceed through the secured finisher chute to the Victory Recovery area where they will receive their finisher shirts and their Goody Bag containing their finisher certificate and medal, as well as refreshments and post event fun with Radio Disney.
- PLEASE NOTE: Parents/Guardians, you may run with your child if you wish. For safety reasons, you will be required to wear a bib/runners number to accompany your child on the course and each child may have only one parent accompany them. Every child who enters the event will be given two bibs with the same number — one for the child and one for the accompanying adult. For lost parent/child reasons, the child and adult bibs will both contain the child's information. If you have a younger child in a stroller accompanying you, that child will have to be entered in the event and have a bib number to be on the course.
Awards:
You get the following awards for finishing each of these mileposts:13 Books: A special certificate
13 Do Rights: A special certificate
5 miles: Award token, chain and award certificate
10 miles: 10 mile award token and award certificate
15 miles: 15 mile award token
20 miles: 20 mile award token and award certificate
25 miles: 25 mile bonus award token
Final 1.2 miles: Kids will receive their space blanket and water as they cross the finish line in Memorial Stadium and will then proceed through the secured finisher chute to the Victory Recovery Area where they will receive their finisher shirts and their Goody Bag containing their finisher certificate and medal.
Note: Kids receive one t-shirt per entry.
ETA: sorry, pasted the clip twice.
Edited by Aikidoman 2009-09-29 4:52 PM
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- Je Ne Regrette Rien
- Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
- Challenges are what make life interesting;
overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
- Maybe strong is just what you have left when you've used up all your weak. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: crowny2 on 2009-09-29 4:51 PM
Aikidoman - 2009-09-29 4:45 PM I had to do some research..
Apparently, I was a little confused when I was told their kids were "doing the seattle marathon" without the details. To be honest, it's still a little unclear, but none the less, it's safe.
From their site:The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon 2009 is on SATURDAY, November 28th at 10:00 AM at the Seattle Center. Kids begin their final 1.2 miles from the corner of 5th and Harrison.
The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon is structured to allow children — kindergarten through eighth grade — to complete a full 26.2 mile marathon at a rate that is fun and safe for their growing bodies “one mile at a time.” It also encourages them to read 13 books and perform 13 do rights (good deeds).
What is a Marathon?
In ancient Greece, Phidippedes ran from the plains of Marathon to Athens to report about the Persian War. That is where the marathon got its name. Thousands of years later, people still run, but now they do it for fun.
About half a million people run marathons every year! People who run marathons train a lot. Your body must be in good shape to run a marathon. A marathon is 26.2 miles. The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon will get you on your way to being physically fit.
- The Kids Victory Recovery Area is located in the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. Kids will receive their space blanket and water as they cross the finish line in Memorial Stadium and will then proceed through the secured finisher chute to the Victory Recovery area where they will receive their finisher shirts and their Goody Bag containing their finisher certificate and medal, as well as refreshments and post event fun with Radio Disney.
- PLEASE NOTE: Parents/Guardians, you may run with your child if you wish. For safety reasons, you will be required to wear a bib/runners number to accompany your child on the course and each child may have only one parent accompany them. Every child who enters the event will be given two bibs with the same number — one for the child and one for the accompanying adult. For lost parent/child reasons, the child and adult bibs will both contain the child's information. If you have a younger child in a stroller accompanying you, that child will have to be entered in the event and have a bib number to be on the course.
Awards:
You get the following awards for finishing each of these mileposts:13 Books: A special certificate
13 Do Rights: A special certificate
5 miles: Award token, chain and award certificate
10 miles: 10 mile award token and award certificate
15 miles: 15 mile award token
20 miles: 20 mile award token and award certificate
25 miles: 25 mile bonus award token
Final 1.2 miles: Kids will receive their space blanket and water as they cross the finish line in Memorial Stadium and will then proceed through the secured finisher chute to the Victory Recovery Area where they will receive their finisher shirts and their Goody Bag containing their finisher certificate and medal.
Note: Kids receive one t-shirt per entry.The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon 2009 is on SATURDAY, November 28th at 10:00 AM at the Seattle Center. Kids begin their final 1.2 miles from the corner of 5th and Harrison.
The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon is structured to allow children — kindergarten through eighth grade — to complete a full 26.2 mile marathon at a rate that is fun and safe for their growing bodies “one mile at a time.” It also encourages them to read 13 books and perform 13 do rights (good deeds).
What is a Marathon?
In ancient Greece, Phidippedes ran from the plains of Marathon to Athens to report about the Persian War. That is where the marathon got its name. Thousands of years later, people still run, but now they do it for fun.
About half a million people run marathons every year! People who run marathons train a lot. Your body must be in good shape to run a marathon. A marathon is 26.2 miles. The Seattle Children's Kids Marathon will get you on your way to being physically fit.
- The Kids Victory Recovery Area is located in the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. Kids will receive their space blanket and water as they cross the finish line in Memorial Stadium and will then proceed through the secured finisher chute to the Victory Recovery area where they will receive their finisher shirts and their Goody Bag containing their finisher certificate and medal, as well as refreshments and post event fun with Radio Disney.
- PLEASE NOTE: Parents/Guardians, you may run with your child if you wish. For safety reasons, you will be required to wear a bib/runners number to accompany your child on the course and each child may have only one parent accompany them. Every child who enters the event will be given two bibs with the same number — one for the child and one for the accompanying adult. For lost parent/child reasons, the child and adult bibs will both contain the child's information. If you have a younger child in a stroller accompanying you, that child will have to be entered in the event and have a bib number to be on the course.
- Photos from the Seattle Kids Marathon 2008 are available here
Awards:
You get the following awards for finishing each of these mileposts:13 Books: A special certificate
13 Do Rights: A special certificate
5 miles: Award token, chain and award certificate
10 miles: 10 mile award token and award certificate
15 miles: 15 mile award token
20 miles: 20 mile award token and award certificate
25 miles: 25 mile bonus award token
Final 1.2 miles: Kids will receive their space blanket and water as they cross the finish line in Memorial Stadium and will then proceed through the secured finisher chute to the Victory Recovery Area where they will receive their finisher shirts and their Goody Bag containing their finisher certificate and medal.
Note: Kids receive one t-shirt per entry.Ahh... there are other marathons that have done this. I know OKC did it too. And it is the same kind of set up.
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"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." - Rich Strauss
YNWA = You'll Never Walk Alone. A song sung by the Liverpool Football (soccer) Club fans, but also a statement I'm seeing has a lot of application with you lot. ;) -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: bel83 on 2009-09-29 4:55 PM
Yup, Seattle Marathon for Kids is a good one. My nephews have done it. Granted their good deeds consisted of helping their grandpa demolish things for fun
For an Actual Marathon I would definately say waiting until at least they have stopped growing and the growth plates in their long bones have completely come together. If I remember my anatomy correctly that is usually the last part of a person that physically matures.
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"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."
Douglas Adams
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RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: dbrawders on 2009-09-29 4:56 PM
CMM does this as well, kids run the mileage over 6 weeks I believe, and run the last mile the friday before the actual event. They run through the same finish line, etc.. It's actually pretty cool to see their faces...
My son will be doing it this year.. (2010). -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: Aikidoman on 2009-09-29 4:58 PM
crowny2 - 2009-09-29 2:51 PMAhh... there are other marathons that have done this. I know OKC did it too. And it is the same kind of set up.
Yeah, the marathon is done over weeks/months and not in one day. It's a totaly cool idea and would get my kinds (if I ever have any do it).
I just got panicked when I was told they were 'doing a marathon'. I actually thought it was impossible since they are only 3rd or forth grade...
Edited by Aikidoman 2009-09-29 5:00 PM
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- Je Ne Regrette Rien
- Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
- Challenges are what make life interesting;
overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
- Maybe strong is just what you have left when you've used up all your weak. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: thirdsacharm on 2009-09-29 6:47 PM
I ran Applefest Half Marathon this weekend and at one point I came up to a 10yr old boy running the race. Its not a mary but I thought a very long distance for a 10year old running without a parent. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: ultrahip_00 on 2009-09-29 7:01 PM
i did a race in march, Mercer Island half marathon - i saw a kid running pretty far up front towards the start and thought 'this kid will slow down, he is going out way to fast'. . he got 20th overall:1474 M0014 Sammamish WA 20 1/44 17 1:22:27 1:22:34 6:18
needless to say, i never passed him! -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: QueenZipp on 2009-09-29 7:10 PM
Very cool idea.
I let my 13 year old do a 10K last spring. She didn't push her pace to really race, just had fun with it. She's running cross country this fall and has signed up for an 8K in November. She's on the site as miss thing.
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Judi
Not enough time in this life to make me a great swimmer.~~the bear
so many piglets, so little time ~~~rh8463 -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: tricrazy on 2009-09-29 7:24 PM
My siblings and I always ran an annual 10K with our dad and we were much younger than high school and we turned out just fine. None of us did anything longe than that thugh until we were older.
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Rachel
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RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: gsmacleod on 2009-09-29 7:42 PM
IMO and based on the research I have done, youth is the time to get fast and as you get older, then focus on going longer.
For my x-country/track runners, we build up to running 4-7km depending on the category with a healthy dose of VO2max and threshold work. However, for any that will listen (we are talking about high school kids) I strongly encourage a focus on shorter events during track season (some 400m, lots of 800m and 1500m). Ultimately there is only a short period of your life where you are going to have a go at breaking :50/1:00 for 400m, 2:00/2:10 for 800m or 4:00/4:30 for 1500m.
Having said that, the latest research seems to indicate that the growth plate argument, while logical, is not supported by the data. While I still believe there are great reasons to hold off on the distance events (10k+) until after the teen years, the growth plate arguement seems not to be one of them.
Shane
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ScotiaMultisport Coaching -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: ENP on 2009-09-29 7:43 PM
Look up thr record for the youngest person to complete an ironman on google. It's about 12-13 years old. Make up you mind after that.
I'd say no younger than 12. -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: JoshKaptur on 2009-09-30 8:28 AM
suggesting that high school aged kids shouldn't race longer than 5k is rediculous in my opinion. I coached cross country and track&field in HS for years and by far and away my best runners (including those who went on to get track or xc scholarships) were putting in big mileage. Yeah we did some speedwork at appropriate points in the season, but mostly we had them running lots and lots and lots of miles. Virtually every collegiate distance runner I've ever met says they were logging big miles in high school.
Are all of these kids getting damaged by this training regime? -
RE: How young is too young to run a marathon?
BY: Scout7 on 2009-09-30 8:47 AM
JoshKaptur - 2009-09-30 9:28 AM suggesting that high school aged kids shouldn't race longer than 5k is rediculous in my opinion. I coached cross country and track&field in HS for years and by far and away my best runners (including those who went on to get track or xc scholarships) were putting in big mileage. Yeah we did some speedwork at appropriate points in the season, but mostly we had them running lots and lots and lots of miles. Virtually every collegiate distance runner I've ever met says they were logging big miles in high school.
Are all of these kids getting damaged by this training regime?Well, I think there's a difference between high weekly mileage and running a marathon. I don't think that they are "damaging" themselves, but I would be concerned about burn-out. I was reading an article that mentioned that. We put so much focus on HS and collegeiate athletic performance for running that we end up not being able to sustain long-term development.
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