Helping Fast Teens Become Lifelong Runners

Fans of running love to watch teens rewrite the record books. We love their exuberance, their unpolished style, and the way they morph from serious athlete to gleeful child in the time it takes to cross a finish line.

- JULIA LUCAS

Even with limited chances to compete during the past year’s quarantine, young runners have given us a lot to cheer for. Already this year, Hobbs Kessler, at 17 years old, set a new high school boys’ indoor mile record of 3:57.66, and last fall 16-year-old Jenna Hutchins became the first high school girl ever to break 16 minutes in a cross-country 5K.

Perhaps brightest of all, 18-year-old Athing Mu, a freshman at Texas A&M, ran an astounding 1:58.4 in the indoor 800 meters. That’s not only an NCAA record, it ranks her amongst the fastest women in the world. As she rounds the track far ahead of her competitors, it’s hard not to skip straight to the future— how much faster can she go?

These teens are at the highest level in the sport, but they share a circumstance with many other young runners. After a breakthrough race, excited by their own talent and eager to explore their potential, it can be hard for them to imagine a future beyond the next race.

This is a moment when it’s especially important for a young athlete to have a support network that prioritizes their long-term success and wellness. To both support and protect a young runner is a big task, and they can benefit from thoughtful consideration by parents, coaches, and even fans—when does encouragement turn to expectation? When does excitement turn to pressure or hard work to compulsion? Is it possible to run fast now, and still find running rewarding for the rest of their lives?

Pay attention to small changes

One of the most important elements in guiding an athlete is to note small emotional shifts. “If something seems off—it doesn’t have to be the extreme—any shift in the overall mood or the way they’re approaching the sport can be an indication of larger issues,” says Magin Day, a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology and a former Division I NCAA runner.