Summer fun is not just for kids - Aunties can train for races, enter golf tournaments and even go to sport-specific camps! No matter what your age or interest, being active and an active participant in life keeps you healthy, fit and FUN!
 
Whether you, Savvy Auntie, are training for a 5k, an Ironman or a tennis tournament, inviting your niece, nephew or the kids in your care to be a part of your preparation could prove to be inspirational for both of you. Surely you have heard fitness professionals talk about cross training; mixing up your workouts to prevent overuse injuries and to keep you from getting bored.

Imagine what adding your niece or nephew into the mix will do for you - for both of you. As you are a role model, sharing your interests and passions with the kids in your life will give them an opportunity to see that "play" is a lifelong sport.

Running
There are races every weekend and many 5ks and 10ks have a "fun run" element in addition to the actual road race. Check out your local races and see if there is a kid's race or fun run and ask if your nieces or nephews would be interested. Every race is different, but the distance of a fun run is usually less than a mile and walkers are always welcome!

If your niece and nephew are unable to participate on race day, ask them to help you train. Give them a stop watch during your track workout and both of you will be motivated to run faster! My friend's daughter was once my "water Sherpa" during my longer training runs. She rode with a water bottle for me and provided not only the much-needed hydration, but also company when ten miles is only the halfway point!

Golf
The driving range is fun whether you are a frustrated golfer or just big enough to swing a club. See if the kids in your life would hit a few with you. If putting is your problem, find a local course where kids can practice, too.

Hiking/Climbing
My training for Mt. Kilimanjaro was done primarily in Manhattan. Although in good cardio shape, I had to get used to long hikes carrying heavy gear. My training plan suggested putting 25 pounds of rocks in your backpack and gradually increasing your hikes. I found better solution: Enter Abby, my training partner. At 22-months old, the combined weight of Abby and the kid pack was just over 25 pounds, and whether she was sleeping, singing “back pack, back pack” or saying hello to every dog we passed, I found a way to make my training fun.
 
Remember Savvy Auntie, the time you share together can help you not only move mountains but climb them, too.

Amy Shigo is a sports journalist.

Published: July 23, 2010