How do I get my daughter to run?

[Notey]

Hello,

It's been a while since I've posted anywhere but I felt like this topic is a good way to get me started again:

My daughter is in 7th grade.  I believe she has the potential to be a very good runner.  Last summer she ran a bit and ended up running in several 5K's and did very well.  She even beat the top x-country runner in her grade in a 5K.

Unfortunately, she didn't keep it up.  She loves theatre.  She is in a regional theatre group of very gifted kids.  In addition, as a 7th grader she was the lead in her school play.  There isn't enough time in her schedule to do x-country in the fall or track in the spring.  She even struggles to find time to get out for a run during the school year.

I try to encourage her to go out for these teams, but she won't because it interferes with her theatre.  I really don't like that she feels the need to do theatre 100% of the time during the school year.  I know I can't force her, but I would like her to take a break and try running on a team.

She is a very good actor and singer and she is on the high honor roll in school.  When I try to encourage her to run in school, she just tells me that she can't, that she is following her passion and that she does so well in school that I should let her do what she wants (I'm not buying that one, but it is her life and I can't force her to do any activity).

She did run last summer and we had fun setting up a training schedule and going to a few 5Ks.  I'm hoping that we can continue that this summer, although she hasn't run much since last fall.  Her interest in it actually seems to be waning.  I was hoping to be able to run with her this summer but that appears to be out of the question again.

What can I do?  Anything?

[McTortle]

Good one!

Honestly - I don't know that you'll be able to get her to run.  I hope you can!  I look back and wish for that kind of time with my dad.

You could try appealing to her keep fit for the stage side - by running she'll be increasing her endurance which will translate nicely to dancing/singing/keeping up on stage.  It's also a good time to run lines.  (Ha!  I crack me up sometimes)

[Arrojo]

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Notey!

At that age, running should be fun, not a chore, not a competetion (unless competing is considered fun).  I have nothing specific though.

[Handsome Jack]

Hi, Notey

My daughter, now 16, has run a couple of 5ks - more for fun with friends than anything serious. I have tried to encourage her, mostly indirectly and through emphasizing the positive aspects of the pursuit. She is very much involved in stage as well, with her it is stage crew. That along with her honors and AP course work keeps her busy. I hope I am setting a good example and I hope she adopts running at some point, but she'll need to embrace it on her own volition I think.

[caito]

I was a theater kid in middle school/high school and loved it so much I never would have sacrificed it for a team sport.  I think theater kids learn all the same stuff re: teamwork, hard work, practice, etc. through putting on productions.

There's nothing my parents could have done or said that would have changed my mind.  And then on my own, I became a runner later in life. 

Don't pressure her but I like the idea of setting the fun, positive example.

[iwuzwilson]

Give her encouragement and opportunity and the rest is up to her.
My son didn't like running through middle school. But he did participate in cross country and track, mostly because his friends did. He wasn't going to do high school but we gave him the option that he had to do some sort of after school activity such as drama, music, or a club. So since his friends were doing running anyway, he signed up and ended up varsity for three years, and was all-region for two. 

[Notey]

Thanks for the replies.  I understand there's not much I can do.  Hopefully I can enough to encourage her to join me this summer.  If I can do that, there's hope that she'll start to enjoy it again.  She is coming off a very busy couple of weeks of theatre, so maybe once her batteries are recharged, she'll start to feel the itch to get out there.

I think what kind of bothers me a little is that I know she could be good and won't get to experience the thrill of competing and winning, although her accomplishments in theatre and school might give her the same kind of excitement.

[Suesquatch]

Notey!

[Richard21142]

When my oldest daughter was her age, she told me she wanted to run on the junior high track team the following year.  I then set up a program to develop her aerobic capacity.  I spent one year getting her up to 10 miles per week (on that kind of mileage, she was able to run under 6 minutes for a mile).  Maybe if you presented her training as something that wouldn't take up a lot of time, maybe she might listen; especially if you explain running will help her project while on the stage. 

[merigayle]

Hi Notey! 

Let her do theater.

[Notey]

There's no way he WON'T let her do theater

You nailed that one.  I can't keep my eyes dry when she's up on stage singing.  I was a mess after her Jr. High play.  I went by myself on opening night and heard so many students and parents raving about how great she was.

[merigayle]

You nailed that one.  I can't keep my eyes dry when she's up on stage singing.  I was a mess after her Jr. High play.  I went by myself on opening night and heard so many students and parents raving about how great she was.

[TwistedFlax]

Part of the glory of running is that you can do it sans team.


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[McTortle]

You nailed that one.  I can't keep my eyes dry when she's up on stage singing.  I was a mess after her Jr. High play.  I went by myself on opening night and heard so many students and parents raving about how great she was.

 

It's understandable that you want her to be successful and that you see she could be with running.  But the response you just stated tells me she already gets that kind of thrill from theatre.  And it's wonderful that you are there to see her be successful like that.

[Mom of Scooby]

How big is the school? Neither one of these activities at that age should be so all consuming that she can't try to fit in both in my opinion.  I hate that kids are needing to specialize at such a young age...

The school my kids went to for high school was so small there was no way they could have students do either or.. I have to say it was quite amusing watching the captain of the football team have the lead in the play.. Or the hockey player doing the trumpet solo in the jazz band concert..

I think it's really important.. the different activities exercise two different sides of the brain I think!

[merigayle]

If they are both after school, I could see why it would be one or the other.

[Plugging Along]

You need to write a screen play about running, and cast your daughter as the lead

[RioG]

i really like Richards suggestion.

[merigayle]

You need to write a screen play about running, and cast your daughter as the lead

FTW!

[Suesquatch]

i really like Richards suggestion.

Me, too.