The Miracle Mile
If someone were to ask me to think of a metaphor for the Platte River Fitness Series, I would choose the word “invitation.” Our mission is to offer an invitation to people young, old and in-between to learn more about the myriad of ways our lives are made better by physical activity and community. We want to open doors to flourishing for all ages and abilities in ways meaningful to those who join us. Our mile distance is an example of how our efforts have evolved over time to send out the invitation.
In the beginning, the mile was specifically for kids 14 and under. Over time, it seemed as though we might be missing an opportunity to meet people who were at a different starting place than the traditional starting place of the 5K. The 5K presents a challenge for novices and a manageable opportunity for serious racing for the experienced and we have ample opportunities to try a 5K. It still felt like we might be missing the mark. The founder of the Turkey Trot, Ann Marie Blakely, created a “Family Mile” so that families, on a day all about families, could participate together. Watching families, adults and kids, in motion together made me rethink the ways that the mile could be useful in encouraging people to adopt and maintain a physically active life. It also made me rethink how we foster community.
Gradually, we began to accept entries from adults in the mile in all events hosting this distance, and the mile became that first invitation to join our community at a starting place that was achievable and perhaps less intimidating to a beginner. If someone has been sedentary for years for whatever reason, finishing a mile is an accomplishment. Meeting people where they are feels like the right kind of service and our events are meant to be acts of service. The race organizers serve the health and wellness of our community and their cause, and the race serves those who participate in it by providing them with motivation, goals, and most of all, a community. We know from research that individuals are more likely to be consistent in their exercise if they take small, consistent steps over time. The mile is that first step forward that many adults need to get started. Sometimes slow and steady really does win the race when it comes to good health.
In 2026, we are expanding the usefulness of the mile. In our 2025 survey, one of the things that surfaced was that we needed to duplicate Ann Marie’s Family Mile model. There are folks raising families who would love to participate as a family but paying separate entry fees for the entire family is hard. They want to participate and the shirt is secondary to the desire to do something active and positive as a family. Beginning this year, all races with the mile distance will follow the Family Mile model where the family pays a single entry fee, receives a single race bib and a single shirt. Shirts are not free but important incentives for sponsorships so this allows families to participate together in an economical way without the impossible burden of providing more shirts than an entry fee covers. Kids learn what they live. Active families grow healthy kids who understand that being physically active is a normal, satisfying and fun part of life. The Family Mile is a win for our mission.
The mile distance will remain untimed and non-competitive. It does not accrue PRFS points. We know there are people who are not comfortable with competition. I think sending out the invitation to join us in an experience that isn’t intimidating and that leaves them with a sense of belonging is a positive action we can take to expand the reach of the Platte River Fitness Series. Once people join us and they begin to meet the community of incredible, kind and thriving people at every race, they will be ready to push a bit further, dare a bit more greatly and take the next step toward a bigger goal and a healthy, flourishing lifestyle. The mile mirrors the idea of “build it and they will come.” Offer an on ramp to an active life and they will continue on the journey forward when we make it easy to get on the road.