Race review: Santa shuffle 5k

I love the santa shuffle. This is the second year I've done it. Last year I ran with my two friends, Andrea and Chris. 

This year I decided to sign up as my run club has this run as their graduation run for the 5k group. 

Some members of the run club. 

I also offered in passing to the run club my colleague and I started at school if any of the kids wanted to run it id run with them. So that brings us to today. My run club includes a colleague and a parent from school so they both joined with their kids and another student came too. 

I love the Santa shuffle for many reasons:

-it supports the Salvation Army and they do a lot of great things in the community. 

-it's so low key and accepting. Sure you have the handful of hardcores but for the most part people are dressed festively and having fun! I love wearing ridiculous things and having fun stuff on. Remembering the love of running, not just the competitive side. 

Note my children's elf costume from the dollar store. Including elf shoes with bells. My genius moment included cutting the bottom off as to not slip. They stayed on the whole time but were a little worse for wear by the end. 

-it's not chip timed. Like above mentioned, low key and laid back. 

-still a "real" race with bibs and some of the nicest bling I've seen. 

-a great race kit.

-there's a 1k "elf run" for kids. They too get a medal. 

It was such a rewarding experience running the race with two students, one in grade 3, another in grade 6. They ran the whole 5k without stopping. It's so great to share my love of running, the highs the lows, the challenges and the rewards especially the feeling of accomplishment. All of a sudden their accomplishments are so much more meaningful than mine. 

An "elfie" with my favourite elf. She went and got this costume because I did. What a sweetheart. Except that it amplified the fact that I was wearing a children's costume as it actually fit her. 

And ran with this guy,(left) his brother ran with their mother. He was in my class last year and if I picked favourites it would be him. But I don't. :)

I'm so thankful for running. And teaching. When I can make those two intersect somehow the love just overflows. I've been running for just over two years and I wish I'd found my love of running sooner. I'm thankful to have a positive influence on children in healthy ways in hopes that this is just the beginning for them as I wish I'd found it as a child too. What a blessing to be a runner teacher. :)