Seeing an article on exercise in the Family Entertainment channel may appear a bit puzzling to some, as hours of sweating away in a gym or draping layer upon layer of clothing in order to manage a slow jog in the frigid winter temperatures may sound more like self-inflicted torture than recreation. And adding the word “family” before exercise may induce a sense of misery, as the prospect of getting the young kids off the couch and teenagers off the phone, not to mention coordinating schedules, may take more energy than many care to exert.
However, there are avenues to establish a family lifestyle in which exercise is not only a healthy habit, but an enjoyable and uniting activity. A good first step is finding a motivating factor to ensure sustainment. This can be weight loss, maintaining good physical health, family bonding, or being a pioneer to fight the haunting reality that children are frighteningly less active than just 20 years ago and are suffering the devastating physical, psychological, and social consequences. Of course, motivating factors may be different for each family member. The key is to know what each other’s motivations are and provide encouragement along those lines.
A second step is to choose an activity that is engaging and fun. Exercise itself isn’t always pleasurable, but an excellent way to achieve the entertainment factor is to establish a little healthy family competition. A terrific option offered by Team Ortho is the 2011 Monster Marathon Series, a 5-race sequence of running events with distances varying from a 5K to a full marathon. Families can choose shorter distances or aim for a challenging half or even full marathon over the course of the year. Training can be easily managed into each person’s individual schedule with perhaps a relaxed family long run on the weekends.
The Monster Marathon Series races are as follows:
- Polar Dash 10K & 5K (Saturday, January 1, 2011)
- Get Lucky Half Marathon & 7K (Saturday, March 19, 2011)
- Minneapolis Marathon, 4-Person Marathon Relay and Half Marathon (Sunday, June 5, 2011)
- Minneapolis Duathlon, 3-Person Relay & 5K (Sunday, August, 28, 2011)
- Monster Dash Half Marathon and 5K(Saturday, October 29, 2011)
Family members can sign up for the full series up until January 1, 2011. Prices do increase after December 15, so it is beneficial to register early. Individual race registrations are accepted as well, but enrolling in the series does help ensure commitment to a full year of physical activity.
Some advice to parents of infants and toddlers: invest in a Bob Revolution running stroller for training during the spring and summer - you won’t regret it. Also, take advantage of child care options at local gyms such as Lifetime Fitness during the cold winter months.
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