Can my 9 year old girl run a half marathon (not race) with me?

No. Seriously. Don’t allow that. Just not in her best interest physically at all.

Can she, yes, should she likely not. There are so many things that developmentally are still happening in her bones, muscles, joints, and organs that can be damaged by extreme distances. Sure, she might do it and have nothing happen to her, or she'll break a growth plate and she'll suffer severe atrophy in her leg for the rest of her life. She might also do it, suffer no problems and love every minute of it. If it were my daughter there's no chance she'd be doing that race at that age.

Qualifications: real doctor.

runwithnataly wrote:

Hahah! I work as an orthopedic radiologist! What a ridiculous thing to imply.

Hahah! I work as a master troll hunter and I just caught YOU!

I would not mainly because there is no compelling reason to do so. No upside but some downsides. If she has a chance at some record or something...maybe, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

STick to 10k and less is my advice and I'm not anti kids running. I just think that is too risky. More from a mental/burnout angle than a physical concern.

On the other hand, you know her best and she may have no trouble mentally or physically.

As long as she wants to do it then let her. Let her move at her own pace run jog or walk.

She’ll be fine.

runwithnataly wrote:

She has a run a 5k and a 10k... both placing first in her age division... what is your reasoning?>

Ha ha, the suspected truth comes out.

Go for it! If she can also place first as a nine year old in a half marathon, she's got to be a future Olympic Champion right? Oh yeah, sorry that's being cynical because it REALLY is her pushing to do this right ?

Thank you. You’re probably right! I appreciate your response.

No reason to be an ass. She runs with me when she wants, and loves to race. I don’t expect her to win a half marathon, don’t be ridiculous. You’re clearly here to be negative and have offered no help.

Luckily, I don’t have to explain myself to some internet troll. I don’t care if she “runs” a 16 min mile. It’s all about her personal drive and fostering her passion for running, while trying to maintain what is considered acceptable.

Thanks for nothing, though ??

Should my qualification be “the doctor’s doctor?” ?

Yeah, go for it.

If she runs 5-7 miles at 9 pace, she's very fit.

If she has fun and thinks it's play, why not?

When my son was 8 he did a 24-hour race with me and covered 50+ miles. The previous year he had done a 12-hour.

Admittedly, there is a lot of walking in those kinds of ultras (cue sarcastic remarks), but it's still way beyond what many people would sanction. I can hear them speed-dialing Child Protective Services now.

We had three rules: 1) This is supposed to be fun. 2) We'll do everything (run, walk, stop) as you decide, unless 3) being the parent, I decide you're overdoing it, then I can overrule you.

It was fine and we had a great time. He's still proud of doing it.

He has spent much more of his life not running than running, but it's at his pleasure. He runs on his school cross-country team and last year did his first "official" marathon in under 3:30 (cue sarcastic remarks).

If it's fun and you're both sensible, and, most of all, it's something she wants to do, go for it!

Why?

Because she wants to?

My daughter wants a pony but kids dont always get what they want.

I see no benefit in allowing her to do it.

I'm quite happy if I have been no help to YOU. However if seeding anything in your mind has been of help to your daughter's wellbeing then good.

Your "don't care if she runs a 16 min mile" might sound right in your mind but tellingly there was still some strange need to quantify performance there which isn't a million miles away from the need to tell us her first in age cat placings. Although you probably just can't see that.

She is 9 years old. Just let her enjoy her running, or not if she doesn't. And well done on at least showing some sense in keeping it to 10k max for now...

runwithnataly wrote:

I don’t care if she “runs” a 16 min mile.

The exact pace isn't relevant. What's relevant is whether the pace she maintains is noticeably faster than her walking pace. If it's not, it doesn't count as running.

It's been mentioned before in this thread, but the training needed to run a half marathon without stopping or walking is more than what most 9 year olds can safely handle.

There are too many drawbacks and few potential upsides. High school and college coaches don't care about how fast their athletes ran as 9 year olds. Running and training for this half marathon isn't going to make her faster later in life. Since she's not racing, she's not going to get an age group record.

I appreciate your feedback. My daughter did a running club at school and that’s why I started to run. She love it but she does other sports too. She mentioned running my half with me and I thought it would be okay, but I’m newer to the running world so I’m appreciative of helpful feedback

im with you wrote:

When my son was 8 he did a 24-hour race with me and covered 50+ miles. The previous year he had done a 12-hour.

Admittedly, there is a lot of walking in those kinds of ultras (cue sarcastic remarks), but it's still way beyond what many people would sanction. I can hear them speed-dialing Child Protective Services now.

Covering 50 miles in 24 hours is arguably less strenuous than a nonstop 13 mile run and requires less training as well. You can walk, stop to eat, and even sleep during that 24 hour race.

A reasonably athletic young person could probably do those 50 miles in 24 hours with little if any additional running-specific training. That same person would not be able to run* 13.1 miles unless he/she got a considerable amount of training.

*Running is defined as maintaining a speed faster than walking pace at all times, not just completing the distance.

I, following the advice of many others on here, would recommend not - however, judging by your responses to others you've already made up your mind as to whether she takes part or not.

I agree that the OP came looking for support for a decision already made rather than data/opinions for making a decision.

Covering 13 miles on foot is not really that big a deal. You all make it sound like it's gonna scar the kid for life. The "danger" involved is minimal. Most activities involve some degree of risk. Just because something could go wrong is rarely a plausible reason to avoid doing something. And if the kid gets an owie, the kid gets an owie. The way you measure yourself is by challenging yourself. If it really is the kid who wants to try it, rather than the OP, why not let her give it a shot?

But do races allow kids under 10?

yeahmetoo wrote:

Covering 13 miles on foot is not really that big a deal. You all make it sound like it's gonna scar the kid for life. The "danger" involved is minimal.

It depends on the circumstances. The middle school I went to had a charity event where you could sponsor some kids as they ran laps around the track. You'd donate a dollar for each lap your sponsored kid completed within a three hour timeframe. The kids jogged, walked, and sat down next to the track whenever they felt tired. They could drop out at any time, and it was a safe event even though many of them covered 13+ miles.

But that is not the issue here. The OP is training a kid to run those 13 miles continuously without stopping or slowing down to walking speed. That requires a considerable amount of mileage and sustained weeks at that mileage, which most 9 year olds aren't ready to handle.

yeahmetoo wrote:

I agree that the OP came looking for support for a decision already made rather than data/opinions for making a decision.

Covering 13 miles on foot is not really that big a deal. You all make it sound like it's gonna scar the kid for life. The "danger" involved is minimal. Most activities involve some degree of risk. Just because something could go wrong is rarely a plausible reason to avoid doing something. And if the kid gets an owie, the kid gets an owie. The way you measure yourself is by challenging yourself. If it really is the kid who wants to try it, rather than the OP, why not let her give it a shot?

But do races allow kids under 10?

Good point. She wont be allowed to register so the rest of it doesn't really matter.