Girlfriends + Racing + Different City = All Kinds of FUN.
The benefits of stealing away with our BRFs for a weekend of racing in a different city? Oh, they’re countless. Such trips are about enjoying much-deserved rest and relaxation with the women who know us best, taking a little break from donning the mom-wife/partner hat, exploring a different town by foot, and snagging not only awesome race swag but maybe a new PR alongside other BAMRs.
We asked the AMR tribe in a recent Facebook post to share favorite races to run with friends, and also any tips to make the experience as fun as possible (including how to keep things humming along well on the home front while you’re away). We loved the stories and pictures shared.
Dressing up, Disney-style.
One top event choice: Disney races. Amanda L. and her BRFs are signed on to the Glass Slipper Challenge at the Disney Half in February—“I can’t wait!” she says. Tracy B. also will be there, with six of her friends, to run the race for her 40th birthday. Adds Melissa M.: “My best friend just started running. Goal? Do the Princess Half together in a year or two! Motivation!!!”
Race trip tip from Becky E.: “This might be unconventional, but whenever either me or my husband leave for weekenders (leaving the other at home), we find it’s just easier for everyone and better for the traveling spouse if there is little to no communication. Unless something catastrophic happens, there is little the traveling spouse can do about it and it just ruins their trip or makes their getaway more stressful.”
Rock ‘n’ Roll races are other popular events for girlfriends. Mother runner Amanda H. and her running partners sign on for at least two to three “just the girls” races each year. “We just finished the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Half,” she says. “Not only was it our first half, but it was so fun to get away.” Next up: Pacific Northwest Spartan Team Wonder Woman event. “I can’t wait until August 3 for this year’s getaway!” [Check out Amanda’s YouTube video of the event here]
Amanda and her BRFs at last year’s PNW Spartan Team Wonder Woman event.
Amanda’s trip tip: “I always stock the house full of junk food that I never buy for the boys and my husband. Get a few new movies and head out. They love having a guys weekend once in awhile, with no clean-up until right before mom comes home.”
Kimberly T. says a Rock ‘N’ Roll relay race was perfect for her and her BFF. “We were both less than a year post-partum and still building mileage,” she says.
Jana R. shared this photo of a recent girls’ race getaway:
“What makes it awesome,” says Jana, “is spending time with good friends who have the same passion to run! We can talk as much as we want about running and there are no bored looks and no one asks if we are crazy.”
Heather D. likes running the Hot Chocolate Races with her girlfriends: “Last November we ran the Hot Chocolate in Chicago. It was a great time with some great gal pals! We came together from Jacksonville, Denver, Indianapolis…and met up in Chi-town.”
Heather and her friends at last year’s Hot Chocolate race in Chicago. “Nothing better than a reunion PLUS a little run, right?!”
How about a little wine and pampering with your race? “We have been doing runs around Washington state every fall for a girls’ weekend,” says Bonnie G. “First we did one in Bellingham and stayed at a spa. Next year Leavenworth, Wash. during Oktoberfest. The this year walla walla, Wash. for wine tasting.” Tami R. and her friends will celebrate with wine after completing the Michigan Wine Trail Half Marathon next month. “This will be our first time…what could be better than a girls’ weekend with running and wine!”
When it comes to weekends away from the fam, Jana R. offers this trip tip: “Plan ahead and make sure everyone is on the same page! My husband knows way, way in advance what two weekends they are and we plan well ahead for them.”
Events that feature a variety of distances are great ways to ensure everyone finds a race to run. “Our little group will be escaping to Richmond, Va. For two nights for the fourth year in a row,” Megan W. shares. “Aside from Richmond being a friendly, pretty race, it is a good choice for us because there is an 8K, a half and the full. So everyone can find a distance they want to do.”
And her race trip tip: Don’t go too far away. “That helps us keep the travel affordable.”
What’s your favorite race to run with your BRFs? What advice would you offer to anyone considering a destination race with friends?
Paris – Versailles Run was my first, and remains my favorite, run-friend getaway http://bit.ly/14eb3nx
We are doing our first in Chicago in November….can’t wait. We are a group of expat wives who were living in India. Now we are spread all over the world but keeping each other accountable with our runs via fb messenger. Four of us will meet in Chicago. We are already looking for a race for next year where all eight of us can make it :)
A race my mom and sisters do every year is the PINK half-marathon in Park City. I live in Salt Lake, so it’s only a 45 minute destination getaway, but I take what I can get :) The PINK is a women’s only, gorgeous run through Park City in the fall. You get a sterling silver charm for your race medal, and there is always fun swag! We love spending the weekend pampering ourselves, shopping, and eating! I may look forward to this weekend more than Christmas ;)
So far Disney Princess is my fave BRF destination race! It’s Disney so it’s done exceptionally well AND it’s a women’s race so it’s AMAZING the female energy and support along the corse you get
My sister-in-law & I ran the Napa-to-Sonoma half marathon last year. It was awesome. It was definitely a get away. The race was perfect with wine tasting at mile 9!
I don’t have much experience to draw from yet. I’ve been running less than a year. But, I CAN tell you that, as far as scenic runs go, the Niagara Falls Half Marathon in Ontario, CA is a pretty one! And I DID meet up with a few friends to cheered me on in my first half. So, yeah. Lots of fun and a nice destination race if you and your friends are into running halfs.
I will be doing the Nike Women’s Marathon with a bunch of girlfriends in October. It will be my first race with a big group. Looking forward to sharing the experience with everyone!
All Women and One Lucky Guy Half-Marathon in Newburyport, MA. beautiful course, weather’s always been perfect, great race organization. And Newburyport in the fall is lovely and fun! Close to Boston and where we live in Maine! It’s a tradition for my gal running pals and me.
I am part of a Run For God group of ladies. We run our local races together and they have started running some destination races. I have yet been able to go on one but have a plan on joining them in April in Georgia Run for God run! Its nice that every race I do is with some of my “Jesus gals” and we run together on Wednesday nights and often meet on the weekend for long runs. Its the only way I make it through and the motivation and fellowship is great!
Nike Women’s Half & Full in San Francisco! Soooo much fun!!
I’m considering my very first destination race for next fall – the Hershey Half in Hershey, PA. I’ve convinced my roommate from college (a marathoner) to meet me and run together (we live on opposite sides of PA and haven’t seen each other since we graduated in 1994). I figure, it’s Hershey – there’s GOTTA be chocolate as part of the swag, right? Right?!?!
i have two the missoula montana half marathon has been a race 2 years that several of us run to. last year we did the girlfriends half in vancouver wa that was fun as well.