Dear Ma’am,

   Yes, I participated in sports in my youth, fairly much.  At the risk of introducing myself as a pompous, pontificating, pretentious lout, let me say that I think of myself as the greatest distance running coach that ever lived. (Braggart!)   I do many things in a mediocre fashion, but that is one thing I never skimped on.

It seems that your son is young, maybe 12.  That’s fine.  They probably don’t push them too much.  American high school coaches, though, don’t really know all that much about running, and have a tendency to push their young charges too much, which brings on overtraining, injury, and disillusionment … not a prescription for lifelong enjoyment. 

   If your son progresses and evinces greater interest, it would be prudent to make sure he is doing some cross-training, meaning other activities, such as biking, swimming, etc.  Other sports are good too, for variety, but coaches dislike them as they have a tendency to precipitate injuries that take them “out of the race” for awhile.  I broke my arm skateboarding on a half-pipe in high school and my coach about hit the roof because I ran four events per track meet the previous year, usually winning all but the mile relay.  (I’m an old codger, 47.  They no longer run the mile event, 440s, or 880s, or two-mile, alas.)   Even tennis and basketball come under fire from some coaches, as sprained ankles come easily, as do knee injuries, from the lateral movements.  Football?  Oooh, don’t go there. 

But I believe young runners should continue to enjoy freedom all the way through high school, to thrive in a great variety of sports.  And of critical importance is that running, particularly distance running, as opposed to sprints, is something that is often positively benefited by a varied atheletic background in youth, even IF some time was taken out for minor injuries.

To run well in the long run, mental and emotional maturity is essential.  That takes time.  Distance runners do not generally peak before they are out of college.  Europe has a club track system, which has always enjoyed the benefit of being able to bring along their runners at a more appropriate pace.  America has little in the way of track competitions beyond college.  The senior year of college is just too early to try to peak a distance runner. 

American coaches have their charges for but a short time, a few years, before they send them up to the next school level.  They enjoy little incentive to maximize the individual’s lifelong performance, and greater incentive to maximize his output during his tenure at their school, which has them invariably pushing them too hard, with too much/too frequent speedwork (not enough rest days of easy, gentle running and stretching).  Many are guilty merely by neglect, not holding the boys and girls back.  They enjoy success, win a few races, and then of their own accord, begin overtraining.  They are young and immature, and coaches let them do themselves in.  Not good coaches, but then not so many of them ran all that much in their lives, anyway.  Many of them come from a background of participation in other sports and got stuck with coaching running … but that is changing somewhat.  Still, they are not helped by the perverse incentive structure aforementioned.  They want trophies, plaques, prizes, recognition … too much.

Well, this is probably more than you wanted to hear.  But if you ever begin to worry that Charlie’s coach is pushing them too much, with too much speedwork, and insufficient base work (slow distance running with regular stretching, as well as healthy strengthening of countering muscle groups), then feel free to write me and show me their workouts. 

I assume your son keeps a training diary, complete with his running, sleep, and dietary habits.  He should.  Kids get overuse injuries and wonder why.  Looking back in their diary can reveal a lot, too many hard training days or races in the past two weeks, coupled with poor sleep.  Crash. 

Good Luck.