To enter a child in marathoning, even on a modest scale, a parent ought to do rather expensive screening for heart conditions, least they lose the child. The continuous exertion close to the limits of the cardiovascular system promotes ischemia of the heart. Play is far different from the monotonous, chronic exertion of marathoning. Children need to play.
A father who is dedicated to his son's health and fitness contacted me. His son is a talented athlete and trains hard to be the best football player he can be. The father knows a lot about training (and reads the blog regularly) and uses the best techniques to help his son train. When the boy hit 12, he began to gain weight and slow down. His foot speed dropped and his weight increased. They were both a bit frustrated and asked me what they should do. From what they told me I could see that they were over training. The boy was also going through a growth spurt and needed more rest and variety. He wasn't eating right either.
