Working with Youth Distance Runners: Building Healthy, Resilient, life-long Athletes

9 June

Introduction: Guiding Young Distance Runners with Care and Insight

If you're a parent or coach of a teenage runner, you’ve likely found yourself lying awake some nights wondering: “Are we doing too much?” “Is she eating enough?” “What happens if she gets injured—or loses her spark?”

Those questions aren’t silly. They’re signs that you care deeply—and that you’re aware of how much is at stake when it comes to supporting a young person through one of the most physically and emotionally challenging stages of their life.

Distance running is a wonderful outlet, but it’s not always easy. For runners aged roughly 14–19, their bodies and minds are still growing, adapting, and learning to manage stress. They’re juggling school, social life, emotions, and expectations—sometimes all at once. And in the middle of that, they’re showing up to train for distance running, week in and week out.

They don’t just need another plan. They need thoughtful guidance, consistent encouragement, and space to grow into the athlete—and person—they’re becoming.

This piece is here to offer you practical advice, backed by research, but delivered in a way that feels like a conversation. Whether you’re a parent, coach, or even a young runner yourself, I hope this helps you feel more confident in supporting, training, and caring for youth athletes in the distance running world. We’ll also take a closer look at how to support young girls in the sport better.

Training Fundamentals for Youth Distance Runners

Start Slow and Build Smart

One of the biggest mistakes in youth distance running is treating teenagers like mini-adults. Just because they look grown-up doesn’t mean their bones, tendons, and emotional resilience are fully developed.

Instead of ramping up training too fast, focus on building aerobic capacity with lots of easy running. Speed and race fitness will come later. A good rule of thumb is to keep increases in mileage small—no more than 10% per week—and allow for cutback weeks every few cycles.

📚 Evidence: A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine highlights that early specialisation and high training volumes are linked with increased injury and burnout. Read the study

Keep It Fun and Varied

Teenagers need variety, not just for physical development, but also to stay mentally fresh. Encourage participation in different sports, especially before the age of 16. Activities like swimming, cycling, or even hiking can help build aerobic fitness without the pounding of running.

This helps prevent overuse injuries and gives them a break from always chasing times or comparing results. Running doesn’t need to be their whole identity to be meaningful.

📚 Evidence: Multi-sport athletes are healthier, more engaged, and less likely to drop out of sport entirely. Read the research

Understand Periodisation and Smart Training Structure

Training should follow a rhythm, like waves building and retreating. This is called periodisation. Rather than training hard every week, use 3–4 week blocks that build gradually and then ease off for recovery. This keeps training sustainable and helps the body adapt.

Add in variety with one or two short intervals or threshold sessions per week, especially during race season. These help boost aerobic power and race pace efficiency, but they should always be carefully balanced with easy runs.

And don’t forget the value of cross-training. For runners dealing with small niggles or looking to maintain fitness during busy school weeks, cycling, swimming, or elliptical training can be incredibly effective alternatives to running.

How to Help Prevent Injuries in Youth Runners

Strength Training Is Essential

Many injuries in young runners come from weaknesses in the hips, glutes, and lower legs—not from running itself. Building strength helps their bodies cope with the demands of training, especially as growth spurts can change coordination quickly.

Start with the basics: bodyweight squats, glute bridges, planks, and resistance bands. Two short sessions a week can make a big difference.

📚 Evidence: Resistance training improves movement control, reduces injury risk, and enhances performance in youth athletes. Read the position paper

Watch for Energy Deficiency (RED-S)

If a runner is constantly tired, experiences mood swings, loses interest in food, or appears more irritable than usual, it may be a sign of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport). This happens when they aren’t eating enough to fuel their training and development.

This can impact periods, sleep, growth, and even bone health. Instead of focusing only on performance, check in about how they’re feeling on a day-to-day basis. Create space for honest conversations about rest, recovery, and how their body feels, not just their latest time trial.

📚 Evidence: RED-S affects physical health, performance, and mental well-being. IOC consensus statement

Supporting Female Youth Distance Runners

Periods Are a Vital Sign

For girls, one of the clearest indicators of whether training and nutrition are on track is their menstrual cycle. If a period becomes irregular or disappears for more than 2–3 months, it’s a red flag, not a sign of being “fit.”

Girls need to know that their period is a normal, healthy part of being an athlete. Coaches and parents should treat menstrual health like any other performance metric: important and worth tracking.

📚 Evidence: Irregular or absent periods often indicate energy deficiency and can impact bone health and future fertility. Learn more

Fueling for Growth and Performance

Teenage girls need more iron than boys, especially if they have heavy periods or eat less red meat. They also need enough calcium and vitamin D to support growing bones, which are especially vulnerable during this stage of life.

Be proactive about education regarding food, not just for performance, but also for health. Help them understand that food is fuel, not something to fear or restrict.

📚 Evidence: Poor nutrition in adolescence leads to lower bone density and a higher risk of stress fractures. PubMed source

Celebrate Strength, Not Shape

It’s easy for young girls to fall into comparison traps, especially in a sport where body image and weight can feel like silent pressures. As adults, we need to protect them from that by focusing on what their body can do, not what it looks like.

Praise the effort. Celebrate improvements in mindset, pacing, consistency, and self-belief. The best runners aren’t the leanest—they’re the strongest, most durable, and most confident in who they are.

Mental Health, Balance and Resilience

Help Them Balance the Big Picture

Teenage runners often feel like they’re spinning plates. School, training, social life, exams, part-time jobs, family obligations—it’s a lot. And it’s easy for the pressure to feel overwhelming, even if they seem outwardly fine.

As parents and coaches, we can help by encouraging weekly planning and prioritising recovery, especially during stressful times like exam periods. Some days, it’s okay to run less or swap a session for a walk, a nap, or even a movie night. That flexibility is a sign of maturity, not laziness.

Support Emotional Resilience

Young runners will face challenging days. The key is helping them know that struggle is part of growth, not a reason to quit. Discuss with them the topics of failure, nerves, disappointment, and comparison. Share your own experiences. Let them know they’re not alone.

📚 Evidence: Overtraining and lack of balance in teens is linked to burnout and higher stress levels. Journal of Adolescent Health

Key Takeaways for Parents and Coaches

Build fitness slowly with lots of easy running and rest.
Include basic strength work early to support developing bodies.
Talk about energy, mood, and motivation as much as mileage.
Track menstrual health with the same care as pace and splits.
Celebrate effort and growth over results or appearance.
Use training blocks with built-in recovery and purposeful variety.
Encourage balance across school, sport, and life.

Final Thought

Youth distance running can be one of the most fulfilling, empowering activities in a young person’s life. But that only happens if they feel safe, supported, and seen for more than just their results. You, as a parent or coach, are their safety net and their guide. Your care, patience, and perspective make all the difference.

If this article resonated with you, please share it with another coach, parent, or young athlete who’s navigating this journey.