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My Child Wants to Run - How to Get your Athlete Started in T&F and XC

You know, you are half-way there: your child "wants" to run, and you should be pleased.

Early Encouragement is the Key

The first thing you should do is encourage it. This probably sounds too basic and simple, but it really is that simple. Parents do not realize how big an impact their words of encouragement can have. If you offer support and encouraging words to your runner ("man, your fast", "you know, that is a great stride - you look good when you run") it will go a long way.

It is tough in today's world to "let go" and depending on where you live (traffic, neighborhood, the age of your athlete, etc.) this may not be an option. But some how, if your youngster wants to run, you need to create a time and a place for the activity. It can be:

•  Phoning the mother of a friend and saying - "my child is on his way - call me when he gets there,"

•  Take the dog out for a run, rather than a walk,

•  Find a friend they can run with,

•  Run with them, or if you are not a runner, bike while they run.

•  If you're a walker, walk around the block the opposite direction from the direction your child is running - minimizing the "out of sight time."

•  If you have younger children, take them to the park and while the runner runs, the rest of you play.

An interesting thing happens when kids hit the 5 th , 6 th and 7 th grades: kids with ability either develop those abilities and improve, or they ignore their abilities and they are wasted. If you think back on this, you will recall that some of the fastest people in your school were girls, but somewhere along the way, someone told them it wasn't cool or "lady-like" to run. those people have no clue. Or, there was a young boy with God-given speed. He was a natural runner. But for whatever reason, other kids gradually got stronger, faster, and pretty soon, because they were not the fastest in their class. they just stopped trying.

The key to all of this is for us to encourage our children, regardless of the activity. Anything you can do to encourage them will pay dividends.

Finding a Program that is Right for You & Your Athlete:

Youth programs vary in both structure and intensity. It is also the case that many "experts" do not agree as to the appropriate level of training for younger athletes.

AAU and USA Track & Field operate the most comprehensive and intense programs. They are locally organized and they hold local, regional and national events.

Every athlete is different and depending on your child's abilities, if your child wants to compete, you should search for a running club/program that will satisfy those needs: workout intensity, frequency of practices, time commitment for meets, etc.

We also suggest that you research the people connected with the program. There are not many opportunities for T&F coaches to get certified, so training for youth coaches is somewhat limited. As you research the program, you want to know: what is the background of the people associated with the program, are any of the coaches certified, what is the level of education of the people connected with the program.

What if My Child "Does Not Want to Run", but I Want Them To:

This is a bit tougher. Running is not for everyone, but we have had young people come through the program and to some degree, "Find their Sport." Some even come in with very little previous athletic involvement, and over the course of a year or two, they become really good runners.

There are several things you can do as a parent to help this happen.

First, get them started. Don't wait till the first practice to start running. If they can get a few runs in before practice starts, they will be more comfortable. Remember, if they run twice each week, that is better than nothing, but it is really just enough to ensure that they are sore. continuously. To get anything out of it, they really need to do it three times per week.

Second, do it with them. Just as we read with our children, there is no reason why this activity cannot be a time for you to spend with your athlete. If your youngster sees you doing it, then they are more likely to do it too. It is difficult for a parent to sit on the couch while they watch their favorite show and suggest to their would-be athlete - "why don't you go for a run." It is much easier to do this if you are doing it as well.

If you are a runner, be sure not to "Beat-up" the new runner physically. Start by encouraging them to do your warm-up/warm down with you. they might even be able to bring the dog! But remember - to start slow and build up.

Building Up :

There are several ways to build up the distances and you may even want to mix these up. Some people find the suggestions below an excellent way to get in some extra "junk miles" or some low-key speed workout in. depending on the shape you are in, and the shape your youngster is in, it may be more difficult on you then on them:

• Set time: Run for two - three minutes. Walk for one minute, and repeat. Do this 3 - 5 times, two or three times a week. The next week, run for four minutes and walk for one minute. The third week, increase the run to five minutes, but one day, simply run for 8 minutes. no repeats.
• Mail Box Run: start out by jogging a mailbox, running a mailbox (if the lots are small - make it two or three.
• Fox and Hound. Give your child a 20 second head start, then run till you catch them. Once you catch them walk for a minute and do it again.

Once you have gotten your athlete to where they can run for 10 minutes without stopping, enter a smaller 1-mile fun run and run it with them. A key here is for you to stay with them. You may be tempted to leave them with a quarter of a mile left - DON'T. Do it together. We suggest a race with enough runners so your athlete will get a sense of the fact that they are not going to come in last, but small enough to be friendly and inviting. There are plenty of local races and terrific organizations who sponsor them. It will not be a problem for you to find a race to run with your athlete. Get the little brothers and sisters to come cheer you both on at the finish and be sure to celebrate the accomplishment: a visit to Dairy Queen or IHOP is always a great reward

A kind word of encouragement from you, a grand parent or two, a youth director, teacher and minister and guess what - you will have a runner on your hands.

Once your athlete has mastered the mile and can run this distance without struggling, you may want to suggest something longer - like a 5K race, but don't over do it. If you enter 2 or three 1 Mile fun runs - they will see athletes running the longer races and they will most likely suggest it when they are ready.

There are parents and families who enter 10Ks and longer races together. This is a great thing but we would caution entering younger runners in these longer races. Every athlete is different and if your child wants to run a longer race, and they are eager to do it, visit with your pediatrician about it before encouraging these more demanding races.

Getting Involved :

You can learn more about Youth Track & Field and Cross Country by visiting the following websites:

USA Track & Field: www.usatf.org/groups/youth

Amateur Athletic Union : www.aauathletics.org

Hershey's Track & Field: www.hersheys.com/trackandfield

Road Runners Club of America : www.rrca.org

Lastly, the best way to make sure your athlete is enjoying themselves is to be involved yourself. Most youth organizations are under-staffed and over-committed. If you think it is un-organized, you can be part of the solution.

One warning to the track & field rookie parent. Meets can last a while. Bring a stop watch and if you want to help move things a long, help to score or time an event, be a field judge. You'll have fun and it will make the day go quickly.

About ERR's Summer T&F Program:

ERR's Summer Youth Track & Field team has several objectives:

1. Teach athletes how to run correctly
2. Develop a life-long love for and appreciation for the sport of running
3. Build up the self-esteem of the athletes.
4. Have fun
5. Compete

There are several established programs in the area. We encourage parents to visit our program as well as others and make the best decision for your athlete before joining a Running Club.

About The Eldersburg Rogue Runners:

The Eldersburg Rogue Runners (ERR) is an affiliate of the Freedom Area Recreation Council. ERR is a nonprofit organization established to foster the sport of running in South Carroll County , MD.