I had mentioned that the first Jingle Bell 5K was held in 1988 and that it was also the first “Kids 1K Run” in San Marcos. The kids 1K run became an additional part of most 5K and 10K runs in the area. The run was usually in an area free from traffic and with visibility for the majority of the course. Some of the very young runners were paced alongside their parents who were encouraging them to keep running.
As to the age of the kids, it was usually 12 years and under. Some people had read that a child should not run more miles in a week than their age. An eightyear- old youngster was only required to run eight miles in a week. I am not sure where this recommendation had its start and I am not sure how many parents or race organizers followed the recommendation. It probably had some origin from the fact that a child’s bones are still developing and too much pressure from running may damage possible growth of the bone. Stress on a bone makes it stronger and the process may stop the potential growth as the theory goes.
And the same for the development of muscles in a child at an early age. Most wanted the kid to develop muscle growth from natural playing outside. I spent my childhood climbing trees and jumping off garage roofs for bone strength and muscle development. About the time I reached 12 years of age I was one of the smallest kids in the neighborhood. My dad dug up a well and took out a 10-foot 3-inch pipe that weighed 45 pounds. I could lift it three times. But it helped me stay out of neighborhood fights because now I won a few of those fights.
And the 1K distance was only an estimate of the distance. The distance was whatever the enclosed course for the kids was. Most were around a parking area or path around the race location. It was a “kids run” and if a race organizer happened to drive the course in their car it was called a 1K distance. The age range for the 5K was usually 19 and under or some added a 14-19 age group for the younger children starting to play sports.
The reason for mentioning information about a “kid’s run” comes from my observation at the last few races here in San Marcos. At the Kiwanis Pumpkin Dash and the Bluebonnet Thankful Turkey 5Ks, the age group included a 10-and-under for the 5K. And there were kids under 10 years old that entered the 5K distance. At the Thankful Turkey turnaround point where I was stationed, I saw several of these very young runners in the top third of the runners. And they were running at a very decent pace, keeping up with many of the older runners. The practice of these runners under 12 years of age entering the 5K race is becoming a regular practice lately.
It reminds me of the early races where the upper age limit was 40 and over. That was because we never had many runners over 40 years enter our races. A senior age runner told me after a race that the reason we don’t have older runners past 40 is that you don’t have an age group for them. We added age groups to over 60 years and the senior aged runners started to show up. The Jingle Bell 5K has the upper age at 85+ years and I’m betting there will be a runner in that age group. The same is true at the opposite end of the age ranges. Youngsters don’t stand much of a chance of winning an award when the 5K age range is 19 and under. Maybe races need to start adding that lower age range to 12 years and under for these young runners that are entering the 5K race. Now they will have competition in their age range and not competing against runners that are 15 or 16 years old.
The only caution I will add is that starting to run at a young age must continue to be fun. Don’t stress the “run faster and farther” at that age or to get an award in a race. Run for fun
