It is difficult to follow the Runner’s World and Newswire as the Reed family has achieved notoriety and in fairness I will paraphrase some of what has been written about them by Newswire reporter Allison Wade. Here is a link to her article. The Reed siblings are Hannah (age 11), Lauren (age 10), Timmy (age 7), James (age 6), Levi (age 4), Eliana (age 2), John Luke (age-1, deceased), and Natalie (age 4 months). The four oldest children are not content to be just fast, they have set remarkable records. Five year old James set a single-age world record on October 18, 2014 in the Hoofin for Habitat 5K in Duluth of 24:08. This time was a whooping two minutes and nine seconds faster than the current world record for a five year old male. The previous single age world record for a five year old was also held by James himself at 26:17 as ratified by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians. In the same race sister Lauren set a Georgia state record for nine year old females with a 20:52. Lauren currently holds the nine year old female state 5K, 8K, and 10K record. World class speed runs literally in the family as Hannah has run faster than Lauren in the last four races, and more importantly was the top female runner in each of those races. Father Tim to date is able to keep up with the youngsters for now, with a PR 5K time of 18:57.
The day that James and Lauren set their records was a special day for the Reed family. It was brother Luke’s birthday, who was born prematurely and died the same day. Each October 18th, the Reeds remember him “tenderly and privately’. A week before the 18th, James remarked that he wanted to break the world record on Luke’s birthday and he did making the occasion all the more special for the Reed family. Hoofin for habitat is the family’s favorite race because it is Luke’s birthday and the race where James set the world record.
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The Reeds have farmsteaded for the last six years in Crawfordville, GA, and are South Carolina transplants. The children train by running two to five times a week on a dirt road. Tim writes “we don’t let our children run a race until they ‘come of age’ on the dirt road. Training over time, whether it takes weeks or months, we teach them courage, determination, independence, etc. by getting them to complete the dirt road 5K without assistance. We then build up the ‘race day scenario’ in their heads and they become eager to confront the challenge enthusiastically”. Accustomed to small town Georgia life, the children enjoy casual bike riding and adventures on the farm when not training.
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The Reed children began racing in October 2013, along with their father Tim who had been a soccer player but did not consider himself a consistent runner. The initial motivation was physical fitness. Mother Allyson started running in the summer of 2014 and comments “We love that we have stumbled upon a hobby that our whole family can do together, and stay in shape at the same time. Though the records are what add the extra ‘umph” and ‘fun-ness’, we are in this as a whole family.” Breaking records started when Lauren, then age eight, ran a 24:24 5K and the race director advised the family of the possibility of Lauren chasing the Georgia state record for her age group. James ran his first 5K race in 28:28. His incentive then was that he “got to eat bagels and other goodies at the finish”. The Reeds later found a Newswire article about a five year old boy who had set the single-age world record at 26:43, and realized that James had reduced his time below the record though uncertified and not on a record eligible course. After this revelation, the record chase was on for the family. Local accolades are not ignored as the four oldest children were ranked in their age groups in the 2014 and 2015 Run and See Georgia Grand Prix series and the family all received Black Bag Race awards in 2014.
Bob checking out from the back of the pack. Watch for the profile on Kennesaw State Owl Daniel Williams and on Marine Corp mother Debbie Schulte