‘Tis The Season
May 16, 2012 in biking, Exercise, Outdoor Activity, Running
It’s been a very busy spring thus far and race season is definitely underway. We have always enjoyed participating in organized events as a fun way to commit, work and train towards a goal. We also like to get the kids involved, one way or another, whenever we can. Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve been up to lately.
Vancouver Sun Run 10K, April 15
When Dawn and I signed up to do the Vancouver Sun Run this year, we both set out to accomplish new personal bests and with each others support and a little help from an Ample Ant (Aunt) who watched and waited with the kids at the finish, we managed to pull it off! The Sun Run organizers do a really good job of making this a family friendly event as there is a Kids Zone set up in BC Place that provides plenty of kids activities and entertainment. If you have kids that want in on the run action or if you would like to do a shorter run with the family, there is a 2.5K Mini Sun Run that starts before the 10K Sun Run and it looks like a fun run for the whole family. We’ve never done it ourselves but perhaps it’s something to consider for the future. If you’ve done the Mini Sun Run with your family, we’d love to know how it went.
Suburban Rush Kids Race, April 28
Suburban Rush is an off-road, trail running and mountain biking adventure race with mystery challenges along the way. Dawn and I opted out of this race and decided instead to register and fully support Malaya in her first kids bike race which was also part of the event. The Kids Race for ages 3-7 years was bike-only and, depending on the age group, covers a short 500m-1km loop with challenges along the way (i.e. a bean bag toss). With Malaya’s new found love for biking, we signed her up for this non-competitive event and she had a blast! I know she looks a little nervous in the photo above but that’s just her intensely listening to the race instructions being given out. At the end, each kid received a participant ribbon and a chocolate chip cookie!
BMO Vancouver Half Marathon, May 6
This was Dawn’s first and my third go at the BMO Half Marathon. A 7:00AM start made this a little too early for us to wake up the kids and bring them to the event. Thanks again to The Ample Ant (Aunt) who watched our girls while we ran. Unless they’re running the race with you, there are definitely other ways to get the kids involved; like cheering the runners on from the sidelines! One of the most uplifting things about this race were all the people that came out to cheer and support the runners along the route. It’s amazing how cheers of encouragement can give you an extra boost to keep going.
Spartan Sprint, May 12
The Spartan Sprint is a 5k race comprised of mud runs, obstacles, trail racing, physical challenges and mental challenges all in one. Dawn did this one on her own as the kids and I cheered her on from the start to the finish line. The event organizers also held a kids race (ages 4-13) as a component of this event and it is a much tamer and cleaner version of the adult race. Our kids are still too young to participate but I watched the older kids race and it looked like a lot of fun. They were divided by age groups and completed 0.5 -1 miles of small obstacles.
Next up:
The Rush, June 23
The Rush is an urban adventure race and scavenger hunt where teams of two scour the streets of Vancouver (and beyond) to find clues, reach checkpoints and complete challenges. It’s a one-day amazing race style challenge and fundraiser event for the B.C. Lung Association. We highly encourage you to join us for this event. The grand prize is a trip for two around the world! Register now.
Are you participating in an a race or special event this summer? We’d love to hear about it. Post in the comments and we might just join you!
