We are in the unofficial last few weeks of summer and hopefully you’ve been getting outside and moving with the kids. With just a few weeks left before back-to-school and fall activities start it can be hard to keep that summer motivation alive. You are probably in the thick of your training and could use extra motivation as schedules begin to change. Here are a few tips to keep that motivation going for the whole family while we begin to transition into fall and look forward to race day!
Continuing Modeling Healthy Behavior
We know that children model behavior from parents, caregivers, and other adults. As transitions occur, continue to model that running and movement are a priority for you. Are you getting up early to run to fit it all in during the day? Do you have a group run you attend? Are you trying to fit in all the family walks and park play dates before the end of summer?
Make plans a few weeks out to continue some of those summer activities. Even if they don’t happen as often, having a plan and making a commitment is a great behavior to model. Continuing these commitments and showing your kid that you make running and movement a priority will ensure that it stays a priority for them, too.
Let Your Kid Motivate You
If your child has run a race before, ask them what their favorite part of the race was. If they haven’t run a race before and TCM will be their first, ask them what they are most excited about and share your excitement. Maybe you have a competitive kid who wants to show how fast they are and try to beat everyone. Whatever their motivation is, let that also motivate you!
Motivation can be hard to come by while you are in the middle of a training cycle but kids sometimes have a refreshing way of reframing things for adults. Need some extra motivation for you or the kids? The medals and T-shirts for this year's 5K and 10K are amazing and how fun will it be to run with your kid and then wear matching shirts and medals? And yes, kids under 18 run for free in the 5k and 10k and still get all the swag!
There is something for everyone at the Saturday events!
The TC 5K, presented by Fredrikson, is fit for all movers. It is a walker and stroller-friendly event with a 25-minute per-mile pace cut-off time. The TC 10K, presented by Dermatology Consultants, has a generous 16-minute per mile cut-off time. Both events will have TCM volunteers at the back of the pack to help you finish in time.
If your kid(s) aren’t quite ready for those distances that’s okay. Have them cheer you on for your race and then you can cheer them on at the Medtronic TC Family Events which take place after the 5K and 10K. With a mile, half mile, diaper dash, and toddler trot, there is something for all ages. If your kids want to run the same distance together, great! If they want their own race, they can cheer each other on for different distances. After everyone enjoys their event, you can enjoy the family activity area with music, free books, food trucks, and more.
Makara Fairman is a TCM Ambassador, RRCA Level 1 Certified Run Coach, and a Girls on the Run Coach. Follow her on Instagram here.