Races that are Family Traditions

I actually started running, not for fitness, but to spend time with family.  Of course I like the whole race atmosphere and actually running the courses, and who better to share that with than the ones you love.


Here are a few races that I've done with family that have become traditions over the years.



1.  Disney- Our love of races started with Disney races. In fact, this is probably the best race to do with family! This became a tradition for a few years, then we moved on to some other races.


2. April Fools - I've been doing this race with either my mom, sister, or both for the past 5 years. I missed it last year due to the Hershey 10K. I look forward to running April Fools again this year. This race always makes for a great girls weekend at the beach!



3. Harvest Festival - This race has definitely become a tradition. It's a local race that I run with my dad (and sometimes Sister). It's a favorite because the atmosphere is always festive and my pap comes to watch every year! Usually someone in my family will win an AG award.

The next two races are ones I've only run with my family one time, but now that we've run them we will probably make them traditions as well.


4. The Monumental Mile- This race is held in conjunction with our county's 4th of July veterans parade. I ran the inaugural race with my dad ( who won an AG award) last year before the parade started. This is another race that is so festive because people are there to watch the parade. Since it supports the veterans, I think this is a race we will continue to do each year.



5. The Running of the Elves-  I've run this race twice so far but only last year did my family run it too.  My mom and sister both earned AG awards. This usually takes place the second week in December and is a great way to get in the holiday spirit. We'll probably run it again this year. It's another local race so why not?

What races do you run with your family? (or is there a race that your family accompanies you to each year?)  -M

36 comments:

  1. I bet the runners who come to the Harvest Festival are like, "I wonder if the Steel family is going to show up and snatch my AG award!?"

    I have done races with my dad but we didn't stick together. I ran Philly with my bro but again we didn't stick together.

    I'm a lone wolf.

    Though I do run trail with my dad a lot for "fun".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes my family actually "runs together" on the course but sometimes we do not. I guess it just depends on the race. It's been a few years since I've earned an AG award at the harvest festival but I get just as much joy from watching my family earn one!

      Delete
  2. I don’t do races but if I did Disney sounds awesome to do it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They make a great first race Patrick! (just in case you ever feel like running one..lol).

      Delete
  3. My family doesn't do races, so it's just me! Unless you count them coming to spectate...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love how excited you all get about doing races together! Can't get my family on board for those

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hah, my family won't run with me at all! My husband usually is a good sherpa but when the races have easy logistics he stays home. ... It's so great that your family enjoys running togheter!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's great that your husband will accompany you to some races. My husband sometimes comes to local ones.

      Delete
  6. How lucky you are to have runners in your family! My family doesn't run. My brother does a little, but not much, and he lives on the West Coast anyway. Mr. Judy comes to most (but not all) of my halfs, but no other member of my family ever has -- of course they also don't live close to me.

    My parents made noises about me running a half where they used to live, but I know they would get antsy quickly since there really isn't that much to see (and of course now they really couldn't do it).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know how much longer my parents will be running with me, but it is certainly fun to have them be a part of our races in someway whether its just walking the course or being a spectator.

      Delete
  7. I love that your family runs together!! This is awesome.

    It's only me for running and races but I can count on cheerleaders when I run/race where my family lives (and from the husband in big races!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is awesome that your family will come cheer for you when they can!

      Delete
  8. How fun that you guys have races that are family traditions! My friends and I have some local races that we do every year and have turned into kind of a tradition.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's awesome! I'ts nice to have races to look forward to that you will do with friends every year!

      Delete
  9. I'm so jealous your family is involved. My parents have never even been at a finish line waiting on me... much less seen what a race is like. I love seeing active families together. I love Julie (our oldest daughter) has her sons doing races with her already - get them feeling the family vibe of running together young. I always smile at families doing races... all ages together. That's just the sweetest thing. Gotta be a cool experience to cheer each other on

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You need to invite your parents to come to your next 5K. I bet they would!

      Delete
  10. My family aren't runners, but I do a lot of races with my friends who are like family!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's great when running friends are like family. You are very lucky!

      Delete
  11. There's no one race I do for tradition, but I do try to do spring and fall races. They're something to aim for with my training and keep me active. My parents used to do Disney each January, but haven't done it in 4 years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A Spring race and a Fall race sound like a great tradition to have. I try to do something similar even if it's not always the same race.

      Delete
  12. I love all the family racing pictures!! How amazing!!

    My sister and I have been doing the Kennett Run for 6 years, and recently, we added the Bird In Hand 5K. Now, if we could just get my Mom to do a run with us...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's awesome Ana that you and your sister have a race that you run together each year.

      Delete
  13. Disney races used to be a family tradition for me too. Now my mom can no longer race, and we lost my dad last year, so it's just me running for my family!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sorry to hear about your dad. Is your mom able to spectate at any of your races?

      Delete
  14. I love that you have race traditions with your family! The only person in my family that runs is my mom and we usually do a turkey trot together every year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's awesome that you do that race together every year. I keep saying I'm going to do a Turkey trot each year but then I never do!

      Delete
  15. Kudos to you for the family racing thing you have going on ;-) I've only gotten my sis to do one race, ever. The hubby, though, has done a lot of events with me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's awesome your husbands runs with you. My husband ran one race with me and I think he is one and done....maybe.

      Delete
  16. These look like such fun races! Its so nice that your family runs together.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What great traditions! This year my brother and I will be running Berlin together - it's his first marathon ever! I'm hoping that doing marathons together can be a new tradition for us :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, Berlin sounds amazing! Best of luck to you and your brother!

      Delete
  18. Yea, same here, We don't always stick together on the course but its great to have them to celebrate with at the end!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love when races become family traditions! My mom and I have run quite a few together, but there's only one we've done twice. Now that I've moved it's become harder for us to return to that race together.

    ReplyDelete

Fairytales and Fitness is a personal blog authored and edited by us, Meranda and Lacey. The thoughts expressed here represent only our own and are not meant to be taken as professional advice. Please note that our thoughts and opinions change from time to time. We consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind in an ever changing society. Any thoughts and opinions expressed within our out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those we may express today. Some links may contain affiliate links. Some links are just to pages we'd like to share.