Not only does the Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race run through several of Pittsburgh’s East End neighborhoods, but also through generations of families who grew up running to stay healthy and spend time together. For one extended family in particular, this year’s return to a live start line signifies a lot more than earning a medal at Point State Park. Next month’s family reunion at the LIVE Great Race start line will be a special one for Kelly (Null) Fox, her husband Jon, their two children and many of their extended relatives.
After running the Great Race 10K in 2019 and again virtually in 2020, Kelly’s father Rich and her husband Jon seized the opportunity to get the entire family involved in this year’s Great Race weekend as the in-person race kicks off in Pittsburgh next month. The running journey to their first start line as an extended family is one that goes all the way back to Kelly’s childhood.
Growing up in Latrobe, Kelly and her siblings started running every Sunday with their father Rich Null. Each week, Kelly’s mother would make sure their running shoes were clean and their stomachs were full of fueling carbs before the rest of the family set out on their Sunday run. This familial love of running carried Kelly and her siblings all the way through college, where she ran cross country at Clarion University, meeting her husband and fellow Clarion teammate, Jon, along the way.
Now living in Harrisburg with their daughter Reagan and son Ryan, Kelly and Jon have passed on the greatness of running to the next generation. Reagan, a current member of her junior high cross country team, and Ryan, a football and basketball player, have been raised within a family that promotes healthy, active lifestyles.
Reuniting from several cities across Pennsylvania and Indiana, the Fox family and their extended relatives will be represented in many of the Great Race weekend events, ranging from the Diaper Dash to the 10K! Kelly encouraged her sister-in-law, Rose, to join them in running the Great Race 10K, giving them a longer distance to train for. Completing the 5K is 13-year-old Reagan Fox alongside her grandfather Rich, the driving force behind the family’s shared passion for running. Kelly’s son, Ryan, and eldest niece, Lucy, are excited to participate in the One-Mile Fun Run. Making their running debut at the Great Race is Kelly’s youngest nieces and nephew who will participate in the Diaper Dash and Tot Trot.
Spanning across generations and states, Kelly and her entire family are eager to reunite at the live start line during Great Race weekend!
The Great Race is ecstatic to celebrate both family reunions and in-person racing during ONE GREAT WEEKEND September 25-26, 2021. Kelly and her family of runners (and crawlers!) are ready to inspire the next generation with movement—will you join them? Get ready to reunite with a live start line and click HERE to register your family for this year’s Great Race.
