Children and recommended age limits for road races...

I got an e-mail recently from a race organiser who had to deal with a query about children taking part in a road race that he was organising.

As a rule, children are not encouraged to run long distances or on hard surfaces as they are still growing. Most races for children and teenagers are on soft surfaces and are of a short duration. Examples might be say cross country or track races.

When organisers apply for a licence for a road race from Athletics Ireland, the permit states the following....

9. Athletes must be 18 years of age to compete in events of 10,000m and over. The recommended age groups for juveniles are: Up to U11 – 1 mile /  12 – 13 years of age = 2 kms / 14 - 15  years of age = 3 kms / 16 – 18  years of age = 5 kms.

This also applies to the Athletics Ireland insurance i.e. underage runners are not insured.

If you are someone organising an event like a fun run or are thinking of bringing your child to a race, you should consider these guidelines.