Are you making ... wrote:
Rod Dixon was a teenage 800m/880 yard runner.
Yeah I know Dixon was an 800 yard guy but it's a similar concept (except 5.5 something miles more) but there's plenty of people who started running earlier and got better because of it like heck take the Kenyan and Ethiopian lifestyle.
But the difference is trying to replicate the conditions here. For them some kids have to run to school but forcing your own kid when they have the means to drive to school could cause some resent so it's not like you can fully replicate it.
But doing some running and not burning the kid out would ensure that this 38:30 10k kid grows stronger and doesn't think about breaking age-group world records but just having fun.
I will add that since you mentioned Rod was an 800 guy. It's not bad to try and get him to really work on shorter stuff right now. Get the kid fast and strong and you'll open him up to the possibility of a sub 2:00 800 early in high school. Which is around 1:59-4:25-9:23 and that 2 mile converts to around 15:20 and 31:51. Don't limit him but get him fast and strong, those mid-distance gains help with the longer stuff down the road.