Got family? How about running shoes? Ever combine the two?
I don't have a lot of experiences running with my family, per se, but I do have some pretty great memories none the less. Even if they're not always by my side at the start line, they've been a significant part of my support system....and there have been a few races in the mix as well.
Care to hear about my favorites?
***First, there's my sister, Lisa. We are very close in age (like 15 months apart). Although we resemble each other, we are very different in terms of likes, dislikes, and preferences when it comes to fitness. She has laced up and run with me on occasion, though.
In October of 2015, I persuaded her to register for the Principal Financial Road Race 5K (as part of the IMT Des Moines Marathon weekend). My friend, Barb, was also there. Although Lisa had run before, and had trained for this event, it was her first time ever toeing a start line. Although we offered to run with her and keep her company, she wanted to run the race on her own. And that she did! She was able to run the entire race without needing any walk breaks. That was a proud moment, for both of us.
***The 2013 Quad Cities Marathon was my first marathon, and will always be one of my most favorite memories as a runner. My husband and youngest daughter were there with me. Just after passing the 20-mile marker, I spotted them in the crowd, and then again during the last mile.
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| Getting a little mojo for the final stretch to the finish line |
Upon crossing the finish line, I found them a short while later. There's nothing like hugging a loved one moments after such an epic experience. And I do mean NOTHING.
***A year later, I ran the 2014 IMT Des Moines Marathon (recap HERE). Although the course was a bit hillier than Quad Cities, I managed to squeak in a 7-second PR. As I was approaching the 26th mile marker, I spotted the husband and he jumped out on the street and ran briefly with me. Then I spotted our son alongside the road to my left. A few seconds later, I spotted the youngest daughter, camera poised, capturing me as I was about to round the corner and run the final ".2" to the finish line. Another epic moment (I don't know how I was not a blubbering mess)!
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| One of my most favorite pics ever |
***In September of 2016, I recruited three of my cousins to run the
Quad Cities Marathon as a
relay team. Our team, Gunhus Gals, was not only a tribute to our late maternal grandmother, but also a rally in support our aunt Linda (teammate Jessica's mother), who had spent several recent months undergoing cancer treatment (spoiler alert: she's a survivor!). Since the relay teams are supposed to have five runners, and we weren't able to persuade any other family members to run with us, we made Linda our honorary fifth team member.
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| We gave Linda the extra team shirt, and also the extra team medal |
Not only was it a fun (though quite hot and humid) day for the four of us running, we also had some of our families there along the course.
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| L-R-myself and hubby, Rhonda (and hubby and sons), Kelly and Jessica |
***
The No Man's Trench Run was an OCR (obstacle course race) in August of 2016 (
recap HERE). The hubby is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard, and his former unit sponsored this race at Camp Dodge in Johnston, IA. Oh was it fun, but oh was it challenging! Neither of us had ever done an OCR before, and this had a lot of military-inspired obstacles and challenges throughout the seven miles of the course.
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| There were smoke bombs and helicopters flying overhead, mimicking a true war zone |
But we had a fun time doing the event together.
You all have heard me mention Dam to Dam a few times (a favorite race I have run every year since 2008). Well, the hubby has joined me on several Dam mornings....
and, in 2018, our youngest daughter laced up and ran it, too.
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| a very proud day... |
So, there they are...a few of my epic family memories in my running shoes.
Do you have family that supports your (crazy) habit? Ever done a race with your spouse? Or a sibling? Or other family members?
I'm linking this with
Kim and
Zenaida for the
Tuesday Topics Link-Up
**I'm also linking this with Debbie and Marc for the Running Coaches' Corner
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I love the photo of your husband running with you in your marathon - no wonder it's a favourite of yours!
ReplyDeleteMy husband ran for a while but the only race we've done together was the Birmingham 10k the year we'd both had flu. Hm. He left me in the care of some club mates and limped, on, to be horrified by his race photos! However, he is a stalwart at the end of my races, and in the middle if he can, clutching my banana milk and taking photos of random Alaskans as required.
I ran with my best friend Emma, who is more important than a friend, more like the sister I never had, to do her first parkrun! She did so well and beat me by miles but it was cool to be there with her. And I've done parkrun with my cousin Martin, too, when he got into running after beating his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, although he's more of an epic bike guy these days.
I love all my racing friends, but it is fun having some family members along for the "ride" now and then ;-)
DeleteLove that your family supports you 100%. In my family I am the only one that runs and many have asked about my running, etc, but have never been at a race. That is OK. I don't expect them to but I guess it would be nice, right? I remember when my nephew, Ivan, was about 5 or 6 years old and I was training for the Chicago Marathon (?), he told his mom that he wanted to run with me. That made me happy. I signed him up for a Halloween themed race and he got his first medal. He looked so cute and was so proud of it! I think he ran another race or maybe 2 more before deciding running wasn't for him.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great memory with your nephew! Maybe now that the seed's been planted, someday he'll come back to running (?).
DeleteFamily races are the best. We usually do a firecracker run on July 4th - my stepsons do the 1 mile and hubs and I do the 5k. We took our first ever family photo at the race the first year we ran it (back when we were still dating) which is my all time favorite photo of us.
ReplyDeleteThat's neat!! The hubby and I do a few races together, but he's more of a spectator than anything. I tried to rally a couple of our kids to do a 4th of July race with us (honestly, anyone can walk a 5K if they don't want to run it, right?)...but it didn't happen.
DeleteI loved reading this and seeing how your family members supports you 100% and even participate! The run you did with your cousins got me a bit emotional as my mum is undergoing chemo at the moment. She's not a runner (and I don't think has ever had any desire to do it). But she supports me like I'm headed for the Olympics! She always cheers me on and has babysat countless times so I can run.
ReplyDeleteAwh...I hope all is going well for your mother. I bet she gets a lot of strength and inspiration from you!
DeleteYou have definitely had some great moments running with family! That photo of your husband joining you during the last bit of you marathon is still my favorite running photo!
ReplyDeleteThanks ;-) That pic of the hubby with me is pretty epic...I know I've shared it a lot over the years, but it means a lot to me. I'm grateful for that memory ;-)
DeleteI don't think I knew that you had a sister so close in age. It's fun when your family joins in to run with you even if it is only every once in a while. It's great that your husband has been at so many of your more recent races with you.
ReplyDeleteYes, I just have the one sis...she's definitely not as "in to" running as her wiser, older sister LOL
DeleteFamily memories are the best! I also have a sister named Lisa who is not really a runner but will join me for a 5k when we're together. It's so fun!
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky to have your family join you occasionally! My sister tried running very briefly, not very wisely, got injured & swore never again! My brother runs just a little, but I think that was actually more of a family thing -- with his kids.
ReplyDeleteJust taken my family years to get together and move but it's one of the best things I have done together thank you for inspiring families to move together.
ReplyDeleteIt's great having family members that are so active and can enjoy these events with you! Even better, having them out to support you during your races is always a win. I haven't done an OCR in so long....I'd love to do one with my husband one day - he said he'll never do a mud run, haha!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading about how your family supports your running! I usually run with my hubby. It's nice to have that emotional support of running with a loved one, especially for long races. My middle son has run too (he is on hiatus right now) and I have run races with him. After the Eugene Marathon, which was the first one I did after my mom died, he, hubby, and his then-girlfriend and I had a big emotional group hug at the finish line.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to have so much family support for your running. My kids are just getting into running but are definitely my number one supporters!!
ReplyDeleteOh, I just LOVE this post!! I have so many great memories too running with my kids and family members. However, I have to say one of my faves is when we all wore our running shoes and volunteered at IM Lake Placid!!
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