Youth Running: Where's The Wisdom In Overkill?

I am very exited that kids are running in school. Running is a very natural activity for children, and it's a great way for them to learn the value of exercise and to stay in cardiovascular shape.

However, I don't believe that the emphasis should be "RUN RUN RUN" for children that have not been taught how to run. Before a fitness professional (or PE teacher) can expect healthy results from any activity, that activity has to be taught and implemented correctly. To expect a child to run for 20 minutes without stopping before that child has been taught running posture, how to step, how to pace, or any technique whatsoever is reckless.

Certainly running is a natural movement that some kids can do efficiently and safely without instruction, but to mandate a program without a preliminary assessment of running form, endurance, and general health can be dangerous.

Furthermore, a program designed to save children from obesity is not a program that will necessarily benefit children who are already very active. In fact, over exercising can cause injury, exhaustion, and eventually cause the child to "burn out" on the very behavior that should be encouraged. If a child needs to walk during a running exercise, his/her PE instructor should not reprimand this need for rest, but gradually limit the amount of rest allowed over the period of the curriculum. If a child indicates an injury, that child should NEVER be punished for not participating in an activity that could further complicate or aggravate the injury.

In a country where more than a third of the population is obese, exercise is certainly an important virtue to instill in our youth. However, an overzealous and reactionary response is not the answer. The safety of the children should always come first, and a more scalable implementation is always preferable to a uniform and sweeping solution.

-Coach Geoff Craft

Check out this chart detailing healthy running distances. Walking is included in all the long distances until the children are 13. In fact, the distances that are being run by some at "Road Runners" are indicated as alternating walking and running!
Running Distances