What do you think?
Rate this book
Young Runners: The Complete Guide to Healthy Running for Kids From 5 to 18
Loaded with clear and practical information that parents, coaches, and children can put to quick use, Young Runners is a comprehensive guide to recreational and competitive running for children of all ages. Former running coach Marc Bloom draws on years of experience, as well as on some of the most successful youth running programs in the United States today, to offer a safe start for our youngest runners and continued healthy running through adolescence. Young Runners • Training programs for children aged 3 to 11, 12 to 14, and 15 to 18, including warm-ups and stretches for injury prevention • Information about speed and distance, as well as weekly training programs • A guide to youth races across America Bloom also outlines the different basics for boys and girls, cross-training for enhanced performance in other sports, and the best way to add running to the lives of special-needs children. Filled with inspiring stories and straightforward advice, Young Runners focuses above all on the enjoyment of running that should be a part of every kid's life.
- GenresNonfiction
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2009
4 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 22, 2016
This took me awhile to read because there was so much good information that I took lots of notes which I will post below (mostly so I have them for myself to refer to, in an easy to remember place online). I loved all the information from ages and distances to differences between male and female runners, suggestions on nutrition and training, training schedules etc.
Book quotes:
Young runners by Marc bloom:
No soda, potato chips, processed meat, bacon, hotdogs. eat veggies, trail mix, peanut butter and jelly on whole grain bread.
Have fun. not a thoroughbred. The night before race eat pasta and salad. for breakfast whole-wheat pancakes /waffles with syrup. three hours before, no milk or milk products, no orange juice with pulp, margarine, sausage, or bacon. drink 32 ounces of water before race. If hot to stay in shade as much as possible before race just in light colors and loose clothes and wear a cap. Postrace eat trailmix or pb and jelly on whole wheat bread and water. Pg 113-115
Girls cross country in high school has more injuries than football and wrestling pg 145
Parents should adopt a calm demeanor because excessive stress and adults will make children that much more anxious.
Age 5 to 8 can run up to half-mile, a mile tops. 9 to 12 can run 2 miles. Pg 102
The key is finding that every loss is an opportunity to get better pg 100
Training: off-season (winter)on Saturdays. March through August train 3 days a week; easy jogging a few days a week to help get in shape. for competitive advantage more speed and structure advised. age 5 to 8 run eight 300s and two sets of four with complete rest between runs starting with eight minutes rest and working down to two minutes through season. Age 9-12, run 8 400s in 2 sets of 4 (same rest) pg 105
Sample training session:
1) jogging warm-up: two laps/800 m/half-mile
2) stretching
3) drills and strideouts (several short, fast runs of about 50 m at less than full speed) high knees, skipping, butt kicks
4) The main part of workout with distance and/or sprints
5)cool down jogging one lap
6)final stretching
Pg 106
"boys are better at seeing action, while girls see nuance and texture; teachers need to engage boys energy rather than inhibit it." Pg 164
"It was hard training that conquered pain, enabling a faster pace at longer distances." Boys need to be challenged to run to their limits. Pg 171
Replace ASAP with BPAT (be patient and thrive) pg 180
Consistent mileage trumps everything, including talent, which applies more to sprints and power events than distance. How do you endure a consistent mileage increase? With modest increases; remember, no rushing. The more you rush, the greater the risk of injury. " 183
Studies have shown that runners feel less fatigue in group efforts, and there's extra motivation in holding a good pace with teammates in tow." 186
Hills: 1) shorten your stride 2)move your arms up and back (not side to side) 3) keep your back straight with a slight forward lean, not letting your torso droop 4) look straight ahead, not looking down, or your shoulders and neck will tighten
Tempo runs: short distance runs at a brisk pace, roughly 30-45 seconds slower than 5k race pace at about 80% of max effort; so if you run a 5k at 6 min per mile then your tempo workout would be a 3 to 5 mile run at 6:30 to 6:45...they raise your aerobic threshold, the point at which leg-tiring lactic acid will build up in the muscle.
Long intervals: repeats runs of 800 meters, 1000 meters or 1 mile at a fast pace that tax your system to the max. They give you strength and give you "callusing" for competition.
Short intervals: speed work like repeat 200s and 400s in which you run faster than race pace(usually last few weeks of season)
Become a cross trainer (bike, swim, elliptical etc) to give body a break from the pounding; reduces injury risk and helps you recover if you're hurt
Stretching: warm up body first with 5-10 min easy running before stretching & can do a combo of static (hold stretch in one position) and dynamic ( moving body through range of motion) stretches before and after workout
Weight training: gains muscle and helps prevent injury. Must be strong so form doesn't break down late in a race. (2-3 times a week. Upper body and core)
Fix form flaws: relax arms and shoulders "opening the chest" to breathe in more air and have more oxygen for the muscles. This also leads to a smoother stride and less energy expenditure for a given effort. Move your arms up and back elbows at a 90° angle for faster leg movement, swing your arms low at the waist, to prevent knees from rising to high resulting in over striding; keep shoulders relaxed so the entire body is relaxed and flowing and keep shoulders quiet as opposed to turning them back-and-forth which wastes energy and brings hands inward, hindering breathing.
Good is 90 strides per minute (counting one leg). Runners with lower strides, say 80, tend to get more injuries because they're in the air longer, over striding, and strike the ground harder with each strike.
Work on mind power: relax. Yoga. Breathing and visualization are good.
Book quotes:
Young runners by Marc bloom:
No soda, potato chips, processed meat, bacon, hotdogs. eat veggies, trail mix, peanut butter and jelly on whole grain bread.
Have fun. not a thoroughbred. The night before race eat pasta and salad. for breakfast whole-wheat pancakes /waffles with syrup. three hours before, no milk or milk products, no orange juice with pulp, margarine, sausage, or bacon. drink 32 ounces of water before race. If hot to stay in shade as much as possible before race just in light colors and loose clothes and wear a cap. Postrace eat trailmix or pb and jelly on whole wheat bread and water. Pg 113-115
Girls cross country in high school has more injuries than football and wrestling pg 145
Parents should adopt a calm demeanor because excessive stress and adults will make children that much more anxious.
Age 5 to 8 can run up to half-mile, a mile tops. 9 to 12 can run 2 miles. Pg 102
The key is finding that every loss is an opportunity to get better pg 100
Training: off-season (winter)on Saturdays. March through August train 3 days a week; easy jogging a few days a week to help get in shape. for competitive advantage more speed and structure advised. age 5 to 8 run eight 300s and two sets of four with complete rest between runs starting with eight minutes rest and working down to two minutes through season. Age 9-12, run 8 400s in 2 sets of 4 (same rest) pg 105
Sample training session:
1) jogging warm-up: two laps/800 m/half-mile
2) stretching
3) drills and strideouts (several short, fast runs of about 50 m at less than full speed) high knees, skipping, butt kicks
4) The main part of workout with distance and/or sprints
5)cool down jogging one lap
6)final stretching
Pg 106
"boys are better at seeing action, while girls see nuance and texture; teachers need to engage boys energy rather than inhibit it." Pg 164
"It was hard training that conquered pain, enabling a faster pace at longer distances." Boys need to be challenged to run to their limits. Pg 171
Replace ASAP with BPAT (be patient and thrive) pg 180
Consistent mileage trumps everything, including talent, which applies more to sprints and power events than distance. How do you endure a consistent mileage increase? With modest increases; remember, no rushing. The more you rush, the greater the risk of injury. " 183
Studies have shown that runners feel less fatigue in group efforts, and there's extra motivation in holding a good pace with teammates in tow." 186
Hills: 1) shorten your stride 2)move your arms up and back (not side to side) 3) keep your back straight with a slight forward lean, not letting your torso droop 4) look straight ahead, not looking down, or your shoulders and neck will tighten
Tempo runs: short distance runs at a brisk pace, roughly 30-45 seconds slower than 5k race pace at about 80% of max effort; so if you run a 5k at 6 min per mile then your tempo workout would be a 3 to 5 mile run at 6:30 to 6:45...they raise your aerobic threshold, the point at which leg-tiring lactic acid will build up in the muscle.
Long intervals: repeats runs of 800 meters, 1000 meters or 1 mile at a fast pace that tax your system to the max. They give you strength and give you "callusing" for competition.
Short intervals: speed work like repeat 200s and 400s in which you run faster than race pace(usually last few weeks of season)
Become a cross trainer (bike, swim, elliptical etc) to give body a break from the pounding; reduces injury risk and helps you recover if you're hurt
Stretching: warm up body first with 5-10 min easy running before stretching & can do a combo of static (hold stretch in one position) and dynamic ( moving body through range of motion) stretches before and after workout
Weight training: gains muscle and helps prevent injury. Must be strong so form doesn't break down late in a race. (2-3 times a week. Upper body and core)
Fix form flaws: relax arms and shoulders "opening the chest" to breathe in more air and have more oxygen for the muscles. This also leads to a smoother stride and less energy expenditure for a given effort. Move your arms up and back elbows at a 90° angle for faster leg movement, swing your arms low at the waist, to prevent knees from rising to high resulting in over striding; keep shoulders relaxed so the entire body is relaxed and flowing and keep shoulders quiet as opposed to turning them back-and-forth which wastes energy and brings hands inward, hindering breathing.
Good is 90 strides per minute (counting one leg). Runners with lower strides, say 80, tend to get more injuries because they're in the air longer, over striding, and strike the ground harder with each strike.
Work on mind power: relax. Yoga. Breathing and visualization are good.
November 14, 2011
I'll give it 4 stars for what it actually is, but 1 star for a misleading description. I was expecting, from the subtitle, that it would give practical tips on how to run with kids, training programs, etc. Instead, it was more anecdotal, about school running programs, clubs, etc. Maybe the how-to just wasn't enough to fill an entire book.
Read
February 8, 2010I am reading this book!!!I LOVE RUNNING!!!!HaHa
December 7, 2012
I have been reading this for months. It's not a book with a plot, it's more of a guide to being a successful runner. The information in it was helpful and insightful.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews