My Forum

I have been a run for fitness bloke for for nearly 40yrs. To cut a long story short my 8yr old daughter has signed up for the school cross country team. Naturally I am over the moon that she wants to run and she has assured me it because she wants to, not because she thinks that 'Daddy wants her to.'

Since  the day she was born I have looked forward to the possibility that she might one day say "Do you want to go fro a run Dad?.

So far she has run round the school sports field three times, stopping to walk when she feels 'puffed'. (Every journey begins with the first step).

That day happened yesterday and I was quire emotional. We ran and walked at her pace, stopping when she needed a walk, running when she wanted to and listening to good old dad constantly telling her how proud he is. We were out for 35 minutes.

My concern is that she may still be too young run/train too often. All my experinece of training has been as a youth football player and boxer. I then joined the army at 16yrs and became a PTI when I was 18. I ahve no experience of running/ training with children.

Is my little girl too young want to run competively  or am I being an over-protective Dad?

Any advice would be very welcome...........she's in a competition on Wednesday!