Track is one of the most popular sports among teens.
Track and field sports originated with the Olympic Games of ancient Greece and today include sprint, hurdle and relay races. No matter what the reason for running track in the eighth grade --- to get and stay fit, meet personal goals, develop lasting friendships or become a high-school track star --- following age-specific guidelines helps turn an average runner into a formidable competitor.
Train Appropriately
Strength training improves performance on the track and protects muscles and joints from injury. For young people in particular, the Mayo Clinic recommends light resistance and controlled movement using one's own body weight, a resistance band or free weights. It advises against weightlifting or bodybuilding, as those can strain young muscles, tendons and cartilage that hasn't turned into bone yet. Craig Sharp, a professor of sports science, notes at HurdleCentral.com that complete fusion of tendons on bones occurs between ages 12 and 20, depending on the particular body part.
Hydrate
Sports drinks contain electrolytes, but stick to those without much sugar.
Because you sweat while running, consuming enough water avoids dehydration, which can make a runner sick. But it can be tricky for a 13- or 14-year-old to know just how much is enough. A 2007 position statement from the American College of Sports Medicine notes that while children sweat less than adults because of lower body mass, the amount of fluid needed varies from individual to individual To find out how much you sweat, weigh yourself before and after exercise. Always drink before a workout, and refuel during and after with water or drinks that contain electrolytes.
Eat Well
Whole-grain bread and fruit provide athletes with healthy carbohydrates.
The non-profit Helpguide.com's "Nutrition for Children and Teens" states that teens have special nutritional needs because they grow so rapidly, and they should pay special attention to calcium and iron intake. They need 1,200 mg calcium, and boys should aim for 12 mg iron, while girls need 15 mg iron. USA Track and Field, the governing body for track and field sports, recommends eating a meal (high carbohydrate, moderate protein, low fat and fiber) three to four hours before a workout; a snack (high carbohydrate, low protein) about 30 minutes before it; a high-carbohydrate snack one hour into it; and a meal as soon as possible after it.
Set Goals
Running coach Sean Coster encourages young runners to set 12-week goals, 9- to 12-month goals and 24-month goals; that allows athletes to prioritize and develop strengths while improving weaknesses, he writes in "Youth Runner Magazine." Frank Pucher, a coach and personal trainer, tells runners to assess what they did well after a race: "Under-achieving athletes always focus on what they did wrong," he writes at the Everything Track and Field website. "High achieving athletes often focus on what went right and can't wait to repeat it."
Considerations
Athletes who do not get enough sleep underperform in sports and academics.
Sharp says that because children grow in fits and starts in pre-teen or early teen years, that can have drawbacks where athletics are concerned: "Those who enter the growth spurt early often do very well in age-group athletics, so become used to success without training very hard," Sharp writes. As they age, their peers catch up, making competition more challenging.
It's imperative for athletes to get enough sleep because it allows the body and mind to recover. The Mayo Clinic recommends 10 to 11 uninterrupted hours for school-age children. Runners should aim for more.
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