It's RACE Season! Bring Your Kids!

It’s that time of the year!  Race season!  It is so fun to get out and run races with our families there cheering us on.  I love having my kiddos watch me race as it shows what a healthy lifestyle looks like and that mom is strong. But how can I get them more involved?  How can I get out there and have them run with me experiencing the racing fun?  Here are my top tips for getting your kiddos out on the race course with you!

1) Find a race that offers a kid run.  There are tons of races that offer kid races in addition to the normal racing distances.  These races are usually pretty cheap, relatively short (1K) and include a medal and a shirt.  This is a fantastic way to introduce your kiddos to having their own experience in road running.  The races are filled with all ages and sizes.  At the end, when they receive their medal and shirt, they are so jazzed and proud of themselves!

2) Take them on runs in the stroller. Also encourage them to get out and walk or run the last little bit with you!  This gets them used to seeing you run and how fun it can be.  They can also explore the nature around them and get fresh air while you push them around. We often bring our Mountain Buggy duet for both kids to come. Pushing the stroller is a really good workout for you and after you are done with your run, your kiddos get to be “like mommy” and run!

3) Play chase or race at home!  We like to set up a little "track" at our house and we run around it playing chase.  We also like to play other running/active games around the track such as Run and Kiss.  This involves doing a lap around the “track” then stopping to give mom a kiss before continuing on to the next. 

4) See if there is a Girls on the Run in your area.  This program encourages young kiddos to run and be empowered to do so.  They pair the kiddos up with mentor runners that help and encourage them throughout the race course.  It is a great way to show young girls that they are strong and capable.

So, now that race season is here, get out there with your kiddos!