re: Could an athletic kid run a 10k with zero training?

Depends on your definition of “run”. By em today’s standard, people “run “ them at 12 minute per mile paces and are happy with their accomplishment. By that measure, sure. However running something respectable in the sub 8 range usually requires a little bit of training, even for athletic kids. It’s just different to plod along continuously...pacing is usually the biggest issu for fit people who haven’t trained. They run too fast early and then fade and stop to walk and recover.