Have you ever wished there was a place where your kids could yell like crazy, jump around, shouting like maniacs, and nobody would even notice? Have you ever wished you could use all that wonderful kid energy, noise, and enthusiasm for a good cause?
How about taking the kids out to cheer for runners at one of Philadelphia's world class distance running events? Philadelphia is home to one of the fastest, flatest marathon courses in the country (making it a favorite of hopeful Boston qualifiers) as well as a premiere half marathon, the Philadelphia Distance Run (PDR). Both events are coming up-- this Sunday, September 20, is the PDR, and Sunday, November 22 is the Philly Marathon.
My son has been attending events like these for as long as he can remember, and, to this day, when we drive by the Fall's Bridge he still points out, "This is where mom's race was!" We have even planned trips to Florida around my brother's marathon and triathlon events. Most events are kid friendly, sometimes including separate "fun runs" or walks for kids as young as 3.
This year my son got to run through the finish line at the Philly Tri, wearing his first race bib (yes, I framed it!). If you ever get a chance, check out the Miami Man Triathlon, where the run takes place in and around the fabulous Miami Zoo (hello, sea turtle! hello, triathlon runner!). Plus, taking kids to these races highlights the benefits of healthy, active lifestyles in a really tangible way.
Among the highlights of these events: seeing world class athletes close up and for free (Ryan Hall is running the PDR this weekend, and if you have never seen a serious marathoner in action, you will not believe how fast these people are! Seriously, they look like they are in a full out sprint for 26.2 miles!); tons of noise, cheering, and happy people, so kids blend right in; and all that cheering really, truly, matters to the people running. In many cases it is the crowd that keeps them going.
And these days, more and more participants are running for a cause, such as Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. This means a lot of these people are competing in their first event, and have raised hundreds, often thousands of dollars for charity while training. My whole family knows well that whenever we see someone in TNT's purple jerseys (or any other recognizable charity organization) we cheer like crazy ("Go TNT!" or "Way to go, TEAM!"). So all that shouting and yelling, which in your house might make you go nuts, literally supports these runners who have worked so hard, in so many ways, to be where they are.
So, the inside scoop for the Philly events is that from the Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, or Germantown neighborhoods, the best place to be is Fall's Bridge. For both the marathon and PDR you get to see runners go by with 3-4 tough miles to go (in the marathon you will see them go by twice, once as they head down into Manayunk and once on the way up Kelly Drive). Cheering here means a lot to the runners, and it is not too hard to park if you go over Wissahickon Ave. to Midvale, and park along East Falls. If you then head down towards the bridge, you have access to the bathrooms at the gas stations right there (you may need to buy a snack to use them) and there is even a Dunkin' Donuts in one of them, in case you or the kids need a quick re-charge (way better than Gu).
These races are Philly and its community at their best. The more crowd support, the better the field in years to come as the rep of the city is a big draw. And you will see people in crazy costumes, carrying all kinds of funny stuff, and wearing hilarious shirts ("Will run for beer" or "In my mind, I am a Kenyan"). The chances are also good you will see runners you know-- people you may not even have known were racing.
People will be smiling, laughing, struggling, and straining. And whether you see the leaders, the followers, or those in last place, there are few better examples I can think of as positive role models for our kids.
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