[GlamourGirl827]

Before my most recent pregnancy, I did a 5K and my son did the kids fun run. Shortly after I registered us for a 1 mile fun run, and he and I did it together. He was 4 then.

He is 6 now, and he has said he would like to run with me, though right now I am on the treadmill all the time bc its cold and snowy out..and bc I'm still too big to feel comfortable with running out side (<---90% that reason, 10% the cold)

I have thought about signing up for a big 5K that happens 10 mins from my house, its in the middle of May. I thought about instead of running it for me signing up myself and my son.

There's another issue...my son is autistic, high functioning, but he can be inappropriate at times. Now he and I haven't "run" together since before I was pregnant, but when we did, instead of saying he needed to walk, he would start yelling that he hates this or just screaming out loud noises, not even using words..I have talked to him about it (and I know the more he runs the easier it will get) and he INSISTS that he wants to run with me again. But when we actually do it, he can make a scene...especially if we were on a track and he was not able to "stop" (go home as soon as he wanted) he will moan and shout, saying he can't walk amymore. He is too big for me to carry.

Now all *that* aside, is 5K too long for a 6 year old? I have no frame of reference since I was never allowed any sport like stuff as a kid...I didnt even have a yard to go out in. I was kept in..(I've told this warped sad story before, not going to rehash it...)

I thought about just taking him out "running" and see how he does and registering us last minute if he can handle it. Or maybe I should sign us up for som 1 mile runs again first...Its hard because I'm getting back into running again and he'll say he wants to do races with me, and I think its a nice way for us to have some mom and [his name] time, but then he gets angry when we actually run..or even walk. I did take him on walks around the neighborhood when I was in my last 2 trimesters, NO running, and he still got mad after a while, and these were short walks...and btw at the 1 mile fun run we did he did make a scene there too, but when I offered for us to stop he screams he HAS to finish it...He still wears his medals from that race! He really is proud of himself and wants to do more...

btw he's not over weight at all, does karate year round and soccer in fall n spring so he is active.

idk..any advice ???

[alaskanlaughter]

how does he handle karate and soccer practice? I'm just curious...does he scream and fuss when the coaches push him to work harder or when he's ready to be done? i'm wondering if that's a similar reaction to the walking/running

i do think that a 5K is a long ways for little legs...especially temperamental ones although a 1 mile run seems like a good distance

i would do a few things...i would take him to practice walking/running short distances with you and see how his behavior is...can he learn to use his words when he wants to stop? can he self-regulate his behavior enough to stop a screaming meltdown or whatever level that behavior is at? ...work up to the distance of a 1 mile race and see if he can "earn" doing that with you by practicing self-regulation on the walks/runs leading up to that time

[GlamourGirl827]

I started to reply to this yesterday! lol..but baby had other plans..
thank you for your reply! it really got me thinking.

I'm glad you asked about his behavoir in his other activities. thinking about it, in karate which is very clear on their expectations, and routine..he doesnt misbehave there. He knows what is expected of him. In soccer they are less organized, more unpredictable more down time and his behavoir is good, but he does wander off (during down time) and gets frustrated because there is not a routine. This is pretty expected with kids on the scectrum.

I think you are right, and I'm going to stick to 1 mile fun runs for him for now. I'll keep the 5k for just myself at this point.

I think, after some thought on his behavoir, that if he were to have a watch that say, beeped every minute or whatever, and he know exactly when to run when to walk and what time we are done (down to the minute!) that this would be helpful for him. Even going to the bus stop, for me we walk out around 8:35ish...for him we must walk out at 8:36 exactly...if the clock changes to 8:37 then he starts to get anxious that we are late.

I have some time till its warmer out, so I think I will look into a relatively inexpensive watch that would serve this function and see if that helps any.

[alaskanlaughter]

my older son has ADHD and autistic traits although he is only diagnosed ADHD....when he was around the same age as your son, going to school involved an exact structure...if we so much as put the hat on after the gloves, that threw him off...it had to be hat, boots, gloves in that order...he's gotten better about that as he's grown older and developed more independence and more coping skills