Maybe I care too much. Or maybe it’s just the kind of passion that refuses to be silenced.

I was ready to let this go until I heard a legend of South African athletics, Stephen Mokoka, echo the very same concern when asked what advice he would give to a young aspiring runner at a recent engagement I attended.

Mokoka spoke at length about the importance of track and field and cross-country as the foundation of a strong running career. And that struck a nerve, because more and more, I’m seeing young athletes skip that crucial phase entirely.

Children with clear potential are trading in their spikes for super shoes and heading straight to the road.

I keep asking myself: what is a teenager doing in a 10km road race, when they should be inside a track learning the real intricacies of the sport — correct pacing, race strategy, tactical awareness and how to prepare for different distances? Track and cross-country don’t just build fitness; they build runners.

Another worrying trend is the rush to leave local clubs for sponsored ones. Is it because the kit looks better? Because the colours feel more prestigious?

Believe me, joining a professional running club is not the same as joining the Blue Bulls, Kaizer Chiefs or the Eastern Storm academy system. In those environments, athletes progress within structured age groups, with long-term development plans.

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Most of these sponsored clubs don’t operate like that. Their focus is on established athletes, runners who no longer need daily technical coaching, only performance management. There is often very little space for genuine development, patience or learning. Yet young athletes are expected to perform at adult levels almost immediately.

Having covered countless road races, seeing teenagers line up in longer-distance events remains one of my biggest concerns. As Mokoka rightly points out, track and cross-country lay the proper foundation. So why not prioritise that at the age-group level, and only transition to the road once the body and mind are mature enough?

Look at the careers of Glenrose Xaba and Cian Oldknow, for instance. Both built their reputations on the track before moving onto the road. Neither jumped straight into marathons; they progressed through shorter distances first, learning their craft step by step before tackling 42.2km.

Yes, many youngsters idolise Gerda Steyn, and rightly so. But she is a different case altogether. Steyn only started running seriously as an adult, fell in love with the process, and grew into the queen of ultras. Her journey cannot be used as a template for a 14-year-old still discovering the sport.

The real danger is young athletes chasing results instead of development, prestige instead of patience. They see elite success and try to replicate the destination without respecting the journey. But there are no shortcuts in athletics, only foundations.

Resist the urge to sign for a sponsored club when you are not yet ready to meet the expectations that come with it. There is nothing wrong with building yourself at a community club, learning the basics, making mistakes, growing quietly and steadily.

Track and cross-country teach you how to race. The road should come later, not first. Because in the long run, the strongest athletes are not the ones who started fastest, but the ones who built the deepest base.

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