Dispatch: Christmas Traditions Of The Pros
In honor of the holiday, we checked in with a handful of pros to learn their traditional plans for the festive day.
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Ho, ho, ho and Merry Christmas Eve! In honor of the holiday, we checked in with a handful of pros to learn their traditional plans–and whether or not they involve training–for the festive day.
Rachel Joyce
Christmas is usually spent with family and my day tends to start with a run with Brett–generally pretty easy and longish. It’s my fave way to start the day and you get to greet other runners/dog walkers with a “Merry Christmas!” Although if we are near the sea I will also opt for a bracing dip! Another tradition is a big late lunch and afternoon walk followed by games and a James Bond movie–we are British!
Ben Hoffman
My family tradition, when I am home in Colorado (and not off with Kelsey’s family), is to go skiing. We don’t even bother with presents in the morning; we just wake up and head for the mountain. After a day on the slopes, we head back for gifts and dinner to cap off a Colorado Christmas!
Meredith Kessler
Every year, we are in crisp Ohio for the holidays visiting both of our families. On Christmas morning, I roll out of bed onto the treadmill to run a smooth half marathon–building by mile as the legs feel–while blazing some tunes on my Yurbuds until the rest of the crew wakes up. A quick shower and back into my PJ’s in ample time to have coffee and breakfast around the stockings and fire with my family before we head over to the Kessler’s in the afternoon!
Mary Beth Ellis
Christmas Day I never plan on any key training sessions. However, depending on our family commitments and how the day unfolds, I love getting out for an easy run or bike with my husband. The roads are always quiet, and it’s a pleasure to celebrate the day with some activities.
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Jesse Thomas
I usually sleep in until Jude starts screaming, then wake up and hang out with my family for a few hours, including Christmas presents and alcoholic eggnog. After that, I try to head out for a long trail run with Lauren in the middle of the day if weather permits–which is my favorite thing to do in the world, and also makes room for a massive binge at Christmas dinner.
Caroline Steffen
My tradition is a long run on Christmas morning, but not this year. With late year racing at Challenge Bahrain, my off-season just started, so for once there will be a sleep-in on Christmas day.
Helle Frederiksen
There is often nothing on the training schedule for Christmas Day, which in Denmark is the 24th (Christmas Eve) and mainly celebrated in the evening as the biggest celebrated day over the festive period. That said, my parents live out in a beautiful forest area of North West Denmark so a Christmas Day walk, if the weather allows it, is always nice. Other than that it’s just following the usual Christmas tradition of Denmark which is actually really nice. The Christmas tree is put up, decorated and lit on Christmas Eve (Christmas Day for the Danes). Decorating of the Christmas tree is a big feature of Christmas, especially for the kids of the family (my nieces and nephews). The tree is then lit using real candles. A golden star always sits on top. A few hours following the decorating and lighting of the Christmas tree, Santa Claus arrives unknowingly with all the gifts. They are opened after a big Christmas dinner on the 24th later in the evening.