A year ago, we lined up for our first family road race. This Fourth of July, we celebrated our one-year anniversary of running together—and crushed our personal best in the process.
Friday, July 4th marked a special milestone for our family: the one-year anniversary of our first road race together. We returned to the Avery Brewing 4k on the 4th, the same race that introduced us to the joy of family running in 2024. What started as a tentative experiment with an 8-month-old in a stroller has evolved into a family tradition—and a testament to how quickly kids develop.
From First Steps to Personal Records
Last year’s race was filled with firsts. Our then-6-year-old was tackling their first road race and longest continuous distance ever. Katie was returning to racing for the first time since giving birth to our second child. I had only recently returned to racing myself. We broke the race into run-walk intervals, focusing purely on having fun and finishing together. Our 34:00 finish time (8:30/km pace) felt like a victory just for crossing the line as a family.
Fast forward twelve months, and our now-7-year-old has transformed into a confident runner. And, as a family, we have developed the muscle of running together. This year we’ve already run several races together:
- March: St. Patrick’s Day 5K – 38:34 (7:35/km), running the entire distance
- May: Bolder Boulder 10K – 1:21:41 (~8:00/km), doubling our longest family distance
- June: Pearl Street Mile – Our 7-year-old completing the kids 800m in 3:52, and me completing the stroller mile in 8:38
Each race built confidence and endurance, setting us up perfectly for this year’s 4K anniversary celebration.
Setting Goals for Family Running Races
For this year’s 4K on the 4th, we established five clear objectives:
- Have fun
- Work hard
- Run the entire way
- Stay together as a family
- Beat our 34:00 time from last year
Our strategy was simple: start at our proven 8:00/km pace from the Bolder Boulder and assess whether to pick up the pace each kilometer. Starting from the back due to our stroller meant we’d spend the first kilometer weaving through walkers and other stroller pushers.
Race Day Execution
Colorado’s summer heat and surprising humidity added an extra challenge, but we came prepared with water bottles loaded in the stroller – extra weight for me to push, enhancing my workout!
The starting horn went off, and then our splits tell the story of the race:
- KM 1: 7:08 (faster than target, everyone feeling strong)
- KM 2: 7:16 (slight slowdown, but running by feel, not pace)
- KM 3: 7:21 (maintaining effort, passing runners consistently)
- KM 4: 6:31 (unleashing the sprint finish)
Final time: 28:15 (7:03/km pace)
The 6-minute improvement from last year represented our fastest sustained family effort to date. More importantly, we executed our strategy and achieved our goals – negative splitting while staying together and having a blast.
The Team Sport Transformation
What I love most about family running races is how it transforms an inherently individual sport into a team effort. My team happens to comprise my favorite people in the world, which makes every stride more meaningful. Our 7-year-old’s excitement when passing runners in the final stretch was infectious. Even our 20-month-old squealed with glee at the breeze in their hair during our finishing kick.
We don’t have any delusions: our 7-year-old will likely outpace us within a few years. We’re making the most of this precious window when we can run together as equals. Soon, our toddler will graduate from stroller passenger to active participant, adding another active teammate to our family running adventures.
Beyond the Finish Line
The lessons our kids are absorbing extend far beyond running technique or race strategy. They’re learning to set goals, work hard to achieve them, and feel genuine pride in their performance. These skills compound over time, creating value that extends into every aspect of life.
Running together costs nothing, requires minimal equipment, and creates shared experiences that strengthen family bonds while building physical fitness.
Looking Ahead
As we celebrate this one-year milestone, we’re already thinking about what’s next. The possibilities are endless, but the core mission remains unchanged: having fun, working hard, and supporting each other across the finish line.
Whether you’re considering your first family race or you’re veterans looking for new challenges, remember that the magic isn’t in the times or distances—it’s in the shared journey. Every family’s running story will look different, but the joy of crossing finish lines together is universal.
What goals are you setting with your family this year? Share your family fitness adventures in the comments below.