What were they thinking?
Parents Draw Criticism for Having Their Six-Year-Old Son Complete a Marathon
It took him over 8.5 hours and some coaxing with Pringles, which sounds about right.
By Jamie Thompson
Most would agree that kids should enjoy plenty of outdoor playtime. But running for over eight straight hours? Especially when they plead multiple times to take a break? Even the fittest adults would find that excessive, and numerous experts warn it might even be detrimental to a child’s health. Yet that’s exactly what 6-year-old Sam Johnson did when he ran the entire 26.2 miles of Cincinnati’s Flying Pig Marathon last weekend. The resilient boy completed the race alongside his parents and five siblings, finishing in 8 hours and 35 minutes.
Typically, marathon participants train for months, gradually increasing their mileage. Sam’s experience was no different. “Some of the training was tough,” he told a reporter from Good Morning America. “I fell sometimes.” For perspective, middle schoolers, who are twice Sam’s age, usually run cross-country events that are only two miles long.
The family quickly faced criticism for their unconventional, and perhaps unprecedented, choice. In a celebratory Instagram post, his father shared unsettling details about the run, including a picture of a now-smiling child clutching a box of chips. “He was struggling physically and wanted to take a break every three minutes,” Sam’s dad explained, noting that when they didn’t receive an expected handout of Pringles at mile 20, Sam hesitated. “He was crying and we were moving slowly, so I promised him two sleeves if he kept going. I even had to offer him another sleeve to get him in the family photo at the finish line.”
While bribing a child with snacks isn’t inherently bad, and can sometimes be an effective way to motivate them, the rest of the father’s jubilant description sounds alarmingly like poor parenting. Olympic runner Mia Thompson weighed in on the matter, tweeting, “A six-year-old cannot understand the physical toll of running a marathon. They don’t grasp the concept of enduring hardship. If a child is ‘struggling physically,’ they should absolutely have the right to stop.”
In a public letter, marathon organizer Iris Simpson Bush defended the decision to allow the entire Johnson family to participate. She stated, “The father was determined to race with his young child regardless. They had previously done so without registration, and we anticipated he would do it again.” However, she added that in the future, the rule requiring runners to be at least 18 years old will be enforced strictly.
Medical experts also chimed in, emphasizing that allowing a six-year-old to run a marathon—especially one who wants to stop—raises serious health concerns. Dr. Alok Patel remarked, “I worry about potential electrolyte imbalances, nausea, vomiting, heatstroke, and other symptoms that may not be easily recognized in young children.” He also noted that children’s growth plates are still developing, and extreme physical activity could pose risks. While it’s important not to judge other parents too harshly, many draw the line when a child’s safety is jeopardized.
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In summary, the decision of the Johnson family to have their six-year-old son run a marathon sparked widespread criticism. While the parents may have viewed it as a family bonding experience, many experts expressed concern over the potential physical repercussions for the child, emphasizing that young children do not fully comprehend the demands of such extreme physical activity.