Lindsey Parry advises young runners to avoid rushing into standard marathons

In an interview with SABC Sport, Parry emphasized the importance of competing on the track for a few years before embarking on long-distance races.

He noted that many young athletes move up in distance too quickly, leading to struggles with injuries as their bodies are not adequately prepared for that level of competition.

"I am a big advocate of staying short as long as you can. So, I think in South Africa in particular athletes move away from the track way too young. So, I would love to see people who stay on the track and fully develop on the track as teenagers and then in their early 20s to mid 20s maybe if they are not making it on the track then look at your 10 000 on the road and your half marathons,” Parry said.

“For marathon again, it's only if you are very fast but not quite fast enough then move up when you're a bit younger otherwise, I kinda feel like 26 to 32 is a good age for moving to the marathon."

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Parry has noted a growing trend of runners participating in long-distance events well into their 40s, a phenomenon that is rapidly gaining traction around the globe.

Athletes in track and field often face financial challenges, which may contribute to their transition to longer distances.

Parry acknowledges that the pursuit of better financial opportunities could drive them to move up in distance before they are fully prepared for the demands of the challenge.

"It's an absolute combination of lack of opportunity both financially and to show what they are capable of. So, athletics is nowhere near as popular as it was when I was growing up. There are pockets of it and pockets of excellence but primarily, even before the money, you've got to provide the opportunities and I feel like the opportunities are slimmed down,” he added.

“Then, absolutely, financial incentives play a very important part and on the road, the money is on the road and in particular, the money is on the marathon and up. So, it drags everyone towards those distances earlier than I feel like it should."