Is this child abuse? Dad makes 12 year old daughter run marathons

Of course it has to become political and ruin every thread like this.

Are you saying no level of running can be considered child abuse? It's been deemed corporal punishment in some schools.

You must be joking.

Just watched one of his videos. The guy is kind and showers his kids with love and support as well as his group of runners he coaches.

This is not a story of a Dad seeking out to live his unfulfilled dreams through his daughter. Nor is it child abuse. this is nothing like that other family that pushed their kid to do a marathon.

Pretty sure I got banned for posting an article of a man who made his adult down syndrome son run marathons

Not sure which is ethically worse to force a tough training plan on, 12 year old or down syndrome person?

12 year old can signal distress easier.

So what? Most non-athletic kids join XC then go smoke pot behind the training room when the coach is not looking. You are such a low life.

I don't understand the notion that a kid can't a) enjoy running and b) work hard at a sport of their own volition. We all run because we enjoy it, right? Why can't a kid do the same? And plenty of kids have way more ambition than the posters here give credit for.

And I also don't understand the complaints that she'll quit running or stop improving at a young age. So what? Life gives us plenty of time to pursue lots of passions. Should you hold back on pursuing your passion today simply because it might not be the same thing that you're passionate about 10 years from now?

I have no idea what this girl's situation is. Maybe something nefarious is going on. But I just don't understand the knee jerk assumptions that there must be some kid of parental coercion going on.

No they don't.

Because this story has been played out many times over and over.

Please find me a young girl at this age that has raced Marathons and continue running into adulthood and has done well.

It's obvious that's Dad's plan is to succeed where he failed at running but it doesn't work that way with how he's going about it.

Alana Hadley v2

If i have a kid that wants to run ill probably tell them to play soccer and that ill join them for a 3 mile run a couple times a week lol

About 98 percent of the male population would never run a 4:31 mile no matter how or when they trained. I agree that preteen kids shouldn't be advertised as the next Jim Ryun just because they run a 5:20 milat age 9 but if the kid likes running, let him run.

1 in 3 American children are diabetic or pre diabetic and you’re talking “child abuse”?

From the thread, I am left wondering if we can't understand that multiple things can be true at once.

America CAN have an obesity and diabetes problem AND running marathons at age 12 can still be excessive.

Running marathons as generally fit adults can be manageable for many people ("hobby jogger stuff") AND running them at age 12 can still be excessive.

Playing soccer endlessly and developing overuse injuries and burning out can be a problem, AND running a marathon at age 12 can still be excessive.

Some kids will continue to run and have some success after running a marathon at a young age AND some will get injured, burn out and want no part of the sport.

There's no issue with kids running at all in my opinion, but young running has some serious pitfalls to avoid. My rules:

1. Run on talent, not training until high school. Run just enough that success comes from talent and not training bc if you win as a kid from training your peers will pass you when their training catches up

2. Stay off social media. The parent managed running Instagram accounts are not good for kids

3. Avoid over the top attention. It will turn your kids worth into what they are as a runner not who they are as a person no matter how supportive you are as a parent

4. Do other sports

That's my TED talk.

I agree. Kid should be doing soccer or basketball or tennis or swimming at that age, not super serious. If she wants to run a couple days per week, fine. If she wants to run a marathon one time to say she did it, fine. But no reason to just run in a single plane versus lateral movement sports at 12 and just having fun. There will be time for training in high school for the more serious runner. 98% chance she isn’t running by junior year.

Youth Track and Cross Country are OK too. I never understand it when people say soccer or basketball are OK but not track. Just please not Marathons.

All you running lifers talk about how dangerous and reckless it is to push a child to do something great because it “might” be unhealthy or the kid “might” quite at an early age. Who cares? Just because she runs now doesn’t mean she must run for life. Frankly, running can be quite dull. So what if she quits after 16? Training for and competing in marathons is a million times better for a developing person than staring at your phone six hours a day like all the other 12 year olds are doing.

Yeah, the dad is a real moron and is wasting his daughters talent. She is a very good runner and could obviously be a generational talent in the coming years, but he has her running marathons which are destroying her body. I remember watching a 10k time trial video of his, where he had his kids run the TT, and he told them that they are now focusing on the marathon so the long run is more important. He told them to focus more on the long run which was the next day. Then why TF were they running a time trial??? He is just another idiot runner who thinks that the marathon is the pinnacle and end-all be-all of running. I really feel sorry for his children.

Well, I agree, as it’s not super serious and driven by the kid. Problem is, 95% of the time, it’s super serious. I’ve seen club running parents. Trust me, I know.

It’s better for overall development and speed development if the kid is doing sports that require movement on other planes, not just running. Also, I can’t think of too many 12 year olds who want to do structured training seven days a week where the parent doesn’t have major influence.