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The Training Blog

s5e13 Race Day with Family: How to Travel, Run, and Parent Like a Pro with Nick Klastava & Jessie Gruca | The Running Explained Podcast

  • 7 days ago
  • 4 min read

In this new episode, I’m joined by Running Explained coaches Nick Klastava & Jessie Gruca as we dive into the realities of traveling to races with your family. We chat about everything from balancing carb-loading with kids’ snack schedules to managing the emotions of either bringing your kids along or leaving them at home. You’ll get practical tips on everything from international race travel to including your little ones in race-day events, and how to turn race weekends into lasting family memories.


Whether you're a seasoned parent-runner or gearing up for your first race trip with kids, this episode has got you covered. Jessie and Nick share their own stories of guilt, stress, and joy, offering advice on flexibility, clear communication, and the importance of showing up to race weekend with a solid plan. It's all about making race day work for you and your family, no matter what the weekend throws your way!




What You’ll Learn:

  • How traveling for races with kids changes your planning and packing

  • Ways to ease parent guilt when balancing racing and family responsibilities

  • Tips for engaging kids in race weekend activities

  • The unique challenges of international race travel with children

  • Why flexibility and communication are key to a smooth family race weekend

  • Ideas for creating family traditions and joyful memories around racing

  • How to choose family-friendly race destinations that work for everyone

  • The role of post-race recovery when parenting doesn't pause


Sound Bites:

  • “Yes, I'd say there's a lot of guilt, even with like training and traveling too. Like, oh, I feel like I should be home. And so as a mom, I just feel like there just is a lot of guilt.” 

  • “I feel like it's hard when you have your goals, because this was an attempt at a PR for me...we still wanted to make it a family trip and not have it revolve solely around the race.”  

  • “This is like the tough part, right? Even though you're there for your race and even when I ran Philly, when I was really chasing a fast time, we still did stuff for them, and I just have to accept that I'll be on my feet or I'm parenting or that these things are a part of it and that's okay.”

  • “...it's my passion, I love it. It's brought me so much joy over my life and it's brought me community and fun, and seeing my kids be a part of that is amazing” 

  • "I feel that's key...just be aware and go with the flow, and try to make it fun. I know there might be expectations around like time goals and everything too, but I would say going with the flow is probably the key thing out of it."

  • "If you love running and you're passionate about it and you want your family to see that side of you and you want to see your family see that side of running and this thing that you love, having them there will be worth it."


Chapters:

  • 00:00 - Introduction to Race Weekends with Family

  • 03:10 - The Impact of Kids on Race Travel

  • 06:05 - Navigating Family Dynamics and Guilt

  • 08:58 - Stories from Race Weekend Adventures

  • 11:46 - Engaging Kids During Race Weekends

  • 14:55 - Planning for International Races with Family

  • 18:00 - Balancing Race Goals and Family Time

  • 20:55 - Final Thoughts on Family and Racing

  • 33:51 - Family Dynamics and Race Participation

  • 42:20 - Navigating Race Weekend with Kids

  • 51:11 - Post-Race Challenges and Family Support

  • 58:41 - Lessons Learned from Race Weekends

  • 01:00:10 - Choosing Family-Friendly Race Destinations


Connect with Nick & Jessie:

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About Your Host

Elisabeth Scott is a running coach, educator, and the founder of Running Explained, where she helps runners train smarter, run stronger, and enjoy the process. After getting sober at 29, she laced up her running shoes with the goal of finishing a 5K—and never looked back. Since then, she’s gone on to complete multiple races, including marathons with a Boston Qualifying time, all while deepening her expertise in endurance training.


With a science-based approach, Coach Elisabeth is passionate about making complex running concepts accessible and actionable for runners of all levels. Her coaching philosophy centers on building a strong aerobic base, improving running efficiency, and developing a whole-human approach to training that prioritizes consistency, injury prevention, and sustainable progress.


Through Running Explained, Elisabeth offers training plans, online courses, and 1:1 coaching designed to help runners achieve their goals while avoiding the common pitfalls of overtraining, underfueling, and burnout. Whether you’re training for your first half marathon or chasing a new PR, her guidance will help you train smarter, race stronger, and love the journey.

📲 Learn more at ⁠RunningExplained.com⁠

📢 Follow on Instagram: ⁠@runningexplained

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