How old should you be running a marathon? (Read 909 times)

Naysayers? Old farts? Geez. It's the International Marathon Medical Directors Association! As the mother of a 15-year-old who could EASILY train for a marathon (mile PR is currently 4:46, 5k PR is 17:06, 10K at barely 15 was 37:15, and the longer the distance the more he likes it) I think it's offensive to tell a 16-year-old she should ignore advice like the article below (previously posted). If you want to let your own child do it, fine, but please don't give "advice" like that to other young people. IMMDA ADVISORY STATEMENT ON CHILDREN AND MARATHONING How Young is Too Young This paper and statement were prepared for IMMDA by: Stephen G. Rice, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., FAAP, FACSM Program Director, Sports Medicine Fellowship, Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune, New Jersey; Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey; And Susan Waniewski, M.D. Fellow in Sports Medicine, Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune, New Jersey This statement was unanimously approved at the IMMDA General Assembly, Fall 2001. This paper was editorially prepared for publication by an IMMDA committee of Drs.; Steve Van Camp, M.D.,FACSM (Chair), Lewis G. Maharam, M.D., FACSM; Pedro Pujol, M.D., FACSM; and Jan Thorsall, M.D. Marathon running should be reserved only for those individuals who have reached their eighteenth birthday. See previous post for rest of article.