Training for kids

Just go run with the kid. It might sound too simplistic, but the best training for running is running. I started around that same age, about ten years old, simply running the last mile or so of my dad's runs. Sometimes on Saturdays I would join him at the track and run some track workout with him (looking back it was a light workout for him, but it was "real training" for me), followed by breakfast somewhere. Once, maybe twice, a year, I would run a race of a mile or so (we had a few local road mile races). By twelve I raced a four mile race in the summer after I unwittingly built my training up. I kept running those runs with my dad at the end of his runs but didn't realize we were going further each time (long before the days of GPS, I didn't even have a watch). He suggested I run Steamboat, our local big race, and I said I can't run four miles. Then he told me we had just finished four miles. Have been running ever since. The appeal for me was the camaraderie, running with my dad and his friends, listening to their conversations, learning how to be an adult, etc. Eventually kids learn to embrace the training, but it needs to begin with some genuine love of running.

Thank you, that is a very solid and reassuring advice.

I would still very much appreciate if anyone could point me to a valuable literature on the subject.

Have them do fartlek runs through fields and the forest. Free flowing, surging by feel.

Two books. I'm biased as I Larry Green was my writing instructor in college and Mick Grant is featured on High School Running Coach site. I have no doubt if you reach out to Mick he'd help with specifics. He does a great job.

https://www.amazon.com/Training-Distance-Runners-Laurence-Greene/dp/1450468845/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544036234&sr=8-1&keywords=training+young+distance+runners

https://www.amazon.com/Running-Encyclopedia-Complete-Distance-Runners-ebook/dp/B00AG7CXJ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544036350&sr=8-1&keywords=training+young+distance+runners+mick+grant

I would argue the soccer/swimming combo until freshman year of HS is the best background for kids. Athleticism is key at the highest level of the sport. Sometime this spring there were some Instagram posts from Kara Goucher, and perhaps with Lauren Fleshmen as well, talking about being multi-sport HS athletes.

This is a really good read - may have it's own thread (it should).

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/08/sports/katelyn-tuohy.html

May be of interest: Out of all of the guys in my class at CU, plus the class above and below me, I was the only one who ran age group Hearsey summer track. I loved it. And 8 of the 9 were All-Americans in cross country, and probably all but two were All-Americans in track, and I was never close to being an All-American.

Finally, I have elementary age girls, their mom was DI All-American, their dad has a running camp, and I doubt they'll run middle school cross country. Middle school track is awesome and I will encourage that - it's snows in late April here when kids are running the 4x400 and it's a fun to be a part of.

Thank you Jay! Just two weeks ago I re-read running with buffaloes, then visited your website and here you are answering my questions! Great to have such active people in running scene, really appreciate your effort spreading good practices and knowledge. Will take a look and probably order those books.

Happy to help.

I think gender is key here. If a 14 year-old boy wants to run most days, and run hard a few of those days, great. I'm not convinced a girl should do the same at that age.

It would be interesting to hear what coaches, especially those who have coached girls who ran in college and had a great experience, have to say about 8-12 year-olds running, which was your original question. Better yet, coaches who have coached young women who, 10-20 years later, as adult women, email the coach and said, "I run most days and I want to think you for helping me love the sport. What a gift." Actually, it would be great to hear from women who ran seriously at a young age and still love the sport now.

Again, a thoughtful thread on this article would be great.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/08/sports/katelyn-tuohy.html

Read The Long Term Athletic Model by Istvan Balyi

I didn't start running until I was 14, but do thank (some of) my coaches 18 years later. A good coach should be able to coach either gender. Of course there are differences in physical development and motivation for running, but as a coach you should adapt for the individual. That said, it's unfortunately rare to find coaches like that, especially at the youth and high school levels.

Thank you, LTAD definitely looks very interesting!