How Young Is Too Young for 13.1?

I knew this day would come and I’m glad it did – but, not without some reservation.

If you spectate enough races and hang around at enough finish lines, you can’t help but be inspired - unless you’re this guy and you just want to kill runners, probably because you are jealous.

Three years ago I decided running was cool. Then I decided I really liked triathlons. Ken decided the same thing. This has meant that we have dragged our kids to countless finish lines since January 2009.

Consequently, our kids have mastered the race expo and know how to score the best free stuff. They have gotten very good at cowbell ringing and have added “Looking good! Looking strong” and “Keep it up!” to their cheering repertoires (I long ago told them to NOT yell “You’re almost there” at mile 23 of a marathon). They have come to understand the value of layering clothes when going to watch a race. They are skilled at not looking down when they go into porta potties and know to always bring a change of shorts for mom at the end of a race.

The kids at mile 20 of the Boston Marathon 2011

Now, they want to race themselves and to be part of the action.

Both of our kids have done a few 5Ks and 10Ks. Pretty standard stuff for their ages (14 & 10). But now, my son Sam,14, is enthralled with the Rock ‘n Roll series and wants to do is first half marathon.

Sam and Ken running the 2010 10K Turkey Trot

I am torn.

I want to support him in all things running and I love his enthusiasm for the sport. He has done at least eight 10Ks, his best time being 54 minutes. He runs with his middle school cross country team. Yet, I wonder if the training and running of the 13.1 mile distance is too much for a 14 year old. Will this stunt his growth and keep him from getting hair in all the right places? Will he damage some growth plate and chafe his little nipples? What will become of him?

In regards to running FULL marathons, www.running.about.com says this: “A lot of doctors recommend avoiding extreme distance running for kids and young teens because the repetitive trauma may cause damage to bones that are still growing.”

In looking at the Denver Rock ‘n Roll Half results from last weekend, there were  a total of 25 12-14 year olds who completed the race (9 girls, 16 boys). The youngest age allowed is 12. Most marathons require that an individual be at least 18 before he/she can participate. In the U.K., you have to be at least 17 to do a half marathon race.

I know Sam has his whole life to run races. There is no rush. I also know that with the proper training he could complete a half marathon and he and I would have a great time experiencing this together.  More than likely, we will wait a few years, but who knows? A compromise might be to agree we would walk/run a race rather than run the whole thing.

What do you think the youngest age is a person should run a half marathon?  How about a full?

At what age did you do your first half or full marathon? I was 41 when I did my first full. Three months later, I did my first half (yes, I do things backwards).

SUAR

PS: The winner of the “Day in the Life” contest was Allison from the (Mis)Adventures of the Johnson Jocks. I loved how she incorporated butts and penises into her day. She also teaches a community school class and had them do a “Day in the Life” based on mine. Check out the picture of SUAR on the overhead!

Thank you, thank you to all of you who entered. I read each and every one of your Day in the Life posts. I feel like I know people better when I read about how they spend the little moments of their days!!

Turkey Butt

There are many advantages to having kids.

• Tax cuts
• Little people you can order around to do things you don’t want to do.
• Plates of nuggets and fries you can help yourself to at any time
• Someone to always blame a fart on
• An excuse to get out of doing something you don’t want to do. As in, “Sorry Bertha. I can’t go to that Irish tap dancing class because my child is projective vomiting.”
• A designated driver (anytime from the age of 8 on up)
• A rationalization for buying Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch, but who really needs a reason?
• A reason to get up in the morning when you are having a hard time finding one.

But, perhaps the greatest advantage is that your kids tell it like it is. They call you out on your shit like no one else does. They know your buttons and they freaking push them all day long. Not even your best friend in the world would dare to point out the things your kids do.

• Mom, why are you getting so angry that vein is popping out of your neck?
• Wow, mom, that eye shadow is too much. It looks kind of creepy.
• Mom, that fart smells like something died in your colon. Have you been to the doctor?
• Why are you in such a bad mood and blaming stuff on me? I’m just a kid. Maybe you need to go lay down.

And the occasional heart breaker:

• I know you tried your hardest in that race. Good job, mom. I’m proud of you. (Remember this amazing thing? If you haven’t read what Emma wrote, go do it.)

You know this is leading up to something, right? That I have one of my stories to tell that ties into all of the above? I’m a sucker for a good, pointless story.

Setting: Yesterday morning, 7:30 a.m. My kitchen

The kids were eating breakfast at the counter before school. I was in my go-to outfit that is a combination of pajamas and “active wear.” It is something I can sleep in, but also something I could wear to the grocery store if need be. This cuts down on having to change clothes very often. Yesterday's outfit was a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

I was standing at the stove cooking my oatmeal (yeah, I make the real thing that takes about 15 minutes). I was stirring away, my back to the kids.

Sam: “Hey mom.”
Me: “Yeah?”
Sam: “Doesn’t it bother you the way you have such a wedgie right now? Like, don’t you even feel that?”
Me: “Okay, maybe you shouldn’t be looking at your mother’s butt. Ever think of that?”
Sam: “It wasn’t like I was trying. I was just panning around the room, and-boom!-saw your wedgie.”

And, he was right. My sweats had totally creeped up. Not a pretty sight. But I feel blessed I had some wise 13 year old to point this out to me before I went to the library. Because NO ONE, not even librarians, like to see a turkey butt (def: the condition of having one's clothing stuck between the buttocks.When ones ass gobbles up their pants.”). Gobble, gobble.

At least I did not have this going on (God bless People of Walmart):

At least she is buying TP for those cheeks.

What’s the best thing about having kids?

How do your kids (or, someone else’s) call you out on stuff or push your buttons?

SUAR