5k training for 8 year old

Dad,

8 years old, stay the hell away from any kind of formal training. If he's really keen, take him out for a jog, and see how far he'd like to go. Try a mile one day. Then maybe a mile and a half or two miles a couple of weeks later. And so on.

Maybe try and get him out to a couple of track meets. Or even get out and jog a 5k for fun, just to see how it feels for him.

Unless he really wants to get out there and try 3 miles right off. In which case, head out and see how it goes. But stay away from any kind of formal structure. Sounds like he's already doing a lot of running, anyway.

8 year old is too early to push a kid into a running training program, imho.

pete is completely wrong. get that kid doing 10x400 in 65 t times a week as soon as possible. fashion a whip out of rope and scrap metal in case he slacks off.

i knew a kid who tore up the 5ks in elementary high school. He trained quite a bit; I think he even did a half marathon. Needless to say he peaked in 8th grade and never got any better. No training at all! I wouldn't start training until 6th grade at the earliest.

I was in the same boat as a youngster, played all the ball sports, never ran except during soccer games, etc. I "ran" a 5k at about 9 years old in 27 minutes or so, and it was fun, don't do any training, he'll easily be able to finish the race if he is very active, and who cares about the time.

As a rule, dont train any kid until they are about 12-13 (starting gr7 in aus language). My coaches son has just started training in the last few months having started gr7 this year. Before that he has done lots of sports including running (his dad wouldnt let him train though). I think if the kid is only 8, if you are training or something, just get him to run the warm up and cool down laps if he can, that should be around 4-5km or so.

Also, my coach also has a daughter who is 2 1/2 years old. He told me tonight that she competed in a 1Mile XC on the weekend (her older brother ran with her the whole way). And she RAN the whole way! in about 12minutes! I couldnt run for 12minutes when i was 13, this girl is 2 1/2! i think this was just a 1 off to see if she could do it, you know one for the home videos.

Make him run to School - if thats down the block then move further away - make sure he carries books in bioth arms so he doesnt have one lazy one - then he can grow up to be the next Geb!!

Leave the kid alone he doesnt need to train and if he wants to run let him do it on an informal basis!!

is this thread serious, leave the kid alone, by no means should you be given him any kind of shedule, the kid is 8, READ IT 8,8,8,8,8,8...... let him be a normal active kid who perhaps trains twice a week at most with a group of other kids, then when he gets early teens start thinking about prop training. to many kids give up from parents pressure at an ealy age. seen it myself

My daughter wanted to try a 5K this winter at age 9 (4th grade) and my wife and I agreed to let her do it since she had completed probably ten one-mile fun runs over the past several years and enjoyed those experiences. She is active (in dancing and soccer) and very healthy but not highly competitive and we thought it would be fine. I would certainly not recommend that you put your son on a training schedule of any sort. My daughter and I went out once or twice a week the month leading up to her 5K and jogged and walked 1 to 1.5 miles each time and no more. She just wanted to "practice" a little and maybe it helped her feel she was ready for the 5K, but it wasn't "training" in any other sense of the word. On race day she ran and walked the 5K with a few friends and had a blast even though it was a hilly course. I think she finished in about 35 minutes but no one was concerned with time. She hasn't accompanied me to a race since but is talking about wanting to run in a Memorial Day event so we'll see. I'd recommend you go out on a few jogs with your son but otherwise don't even discuss training at this age. He'll do fine.