What could be more fun than combining the celebration of a special life milestone for someone you care about, your favorite sport {running} and an incredible group of people? Exactly! When my good friend Elizabeth got engaged after meeting her fiancé at a running event, there was only one natural thing to do: throw a running bachelorette party. But how does one go about planning such a thing?

Here are a few tips and ideas for planning a running bachelorette party or running weekend.

1. Invite people who enjoy running.

This may seem obvious, but a running bachelorette party isn’t for everyone. If you have a friend or bride who loves the idea of a running weekend, select friends and invitees who enjoy running and want to spend a weekend revolved around fitness. A more traditional bachelorette party or night out can be reserved for a larger group of friends who may not enjoy running. The power of a running bachelorette party weekend is in the inspiration that comes from being with a group of women who love to run and share a collective passion for it.

2. Anchor the weekend with a race or running event.

When selecting a date for your running bachelorette party or weekend, research potential races or running events that are being held in your destination. Either schedule your weekend from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon with a Saturday morning race or from Friday evening/Saturday morning to Monday with a Sunday race. Select a distance that is attainable for all attendees, and focus on the goal of everyone just having fun and finishing (vs. racing). I would recommend a 5K or 10K because it doesn’t require intense training for those who are already running regularly and won’t consume the entire day like a marathon could, even if you have runners with many varying paces. We selected a 5K for our weekend and it was the perfect distance. {You can read the race recap here.} No one was sore after and it opened up time to spend the afternoon doing other things. Have pre-race breakfast goodies available for everyone (e.g. bagels, bananas, gels, water, sports drink, etc.) the morning of the race.

3. Go all-in on the bridal theme.

Just as you might see a bride wearing a sash at a traditional bachelorette party at a bar or a bachelorette group dressed up in black and white, go all-in with the bridal theme as part of your weekend race. Encourage the bride to wear white and all the other attendees to wear colors that coordinate with the bride’s wedding colors. Our bride wore the Oiselle running wedding dress, and we all chose to wear gold sparkle skirts with custom-made tank tops that said “running for bling” in gold with our names on the back. Creating shirts for everyone to wear and color coordinating makes the morning fun. It’s also a great way to spark conversations with other runners, not to mention it makes for great photos. Get creative and have fun with it!

4. Plan additional activities related to fitness during the weekend.

It’s great that your running bachelorette party is anchored around a race, but what do you do the rest of the time? You can’t run for 72 straight hours. Since this is a fitness-themed weekend, select additional activities that complement running. For the event I planned, we scheduled a private restorative yoga class the evening before the race to get everyone doing deep stretching and poses that are designed for runners. From pre- or post-race yoga to Pilates to barre class to massages or post-race pedicures, have fun with it and build on the fitness theme.

5. Showcase great running in the city.

No matter where your running bachelorette party takes place, consider showcasing the best areas to run during the weekend. Perhaps you plan a shake-out run the day before the race or a recovery or long run the day after. This is a great time to take the group on some of the most popular or scenic areas of the city. From a run on nearby beautiful trails to a city path that shows of a beautiful skyline or body of water, use this opportunity for attendees to explore the city on a run. On Sunday of our running bachelorette party weekend, the majority of the attendees has a long run scheduled. We created a route that accommodated multiple distance needs in a very popular park and new running path that are very well known in Atlanta.

6. Put a twist on the traditional lingerie shower.

Any good bachelorette party always has a lingerie shower, but this isn’t your typical bachelorette party. Encourage attendees to carry the running theme through to the shower and get creative with running-related gifts for the bride. From custom Road ID bands for both the bride and groom to running undies like Oiselle Randies to personalized water bottles for the newlyweds to customized coasters from Etsy that have meaningful running moments, this is the time to let your creativity shine. I was amazed at the thoughtfulness and creativity of our party. I would encourage doing this during or as part of your main dinner the night after your race. We rented a private dining area at a restaurant, but you could do this at many different restaurants or someone’s home.

7. Indulge!

One of the best parts of running is often indulging after a race or long run. Select restaurants for the weekend that not only capture favorites in the city but also include some of the bride’s favorite things. Consider a champagne brunch after your race or a stop at an amazing bakery. Our farewell breakfast included Revolution Donuts.

We had a group that had varying nutrition needs including gluten-free, soy-free and vegan requirements, so do your research to ensure you select restaurants that can accommodate a diverse crowd.

Just being together and celebrating our love of each other and our passion for running is fun in and of itself. Whatever you do, your bride will feel showered with appreciation. Have fun with it!

Have you ever participated in a running bachelorette party? What other ideas would you add?