Beginner Runners

[tiggerlover]

My 12-1/2 year old DS will be trying out for the track team in the spring and he is going to start coming to the gym with me three times a week to get on the treadmill. Right now he is a fast sprinter, but we want to work on building up his endurance. Are there any runners out there who can suggest how DS should go about getting himself prepared for track season? I would greatly appreciate the advice.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Run longer distances and get off the treadmill. That's boring. Check in your community to see if they have a running group that has races. Nothing to get you going like a nice 5K race and winning your age group.

My son started Cross Country his freshman year. Those races are 3 miles. He's run at the state tournament twice so far. He is running a half marathon with my husband and our friend on Feb 1.

 

[KirstenB]

Either on the treadmill, or on the road, have him cover 1 mile. It doesn't matter right now if he runs the whole thing, or stops, and walks part. As soon as he can cover 1 mile without stopping, add to the distance in 1 mile increments. This is how I started 20 years ago. I hate treadmills, so I used my car odometer, and marked off a 1 mile course in my neighborhood, then kept increasing from there. I still hate treadmills, but hate them MUCH less when it's 20 degrees, out, BTW.

Congratulations on your on weight loss, way to go!!!!!!

 

[Goofyzgurl]

I second getting off the treadmill and running a route or track. You do more off the treadmill than on.

 

[christiane]

I'm another runner who agrees about the treadmill!!

I can fly on the treadmill, but translating that to real world running is not so easy sometimes. I think the treadmill gives you a false sense of your abilities. It's ok for some tuning up, but if he wants to make the team, he needs to get out on real terrain. I am also a big believer in cross-training to build endurance, especially swimming & biking.

My boys all do some degree of dry-land training with their teams for hockey & skiing. But usually the gyms don't allow children under 16, so I was wondering if your gym will allow your son there.

Maybe there is a junior running group in your area where he can receive coaching?