baby boys can't race with their mummys at Race for Life??

[tryingtobemarrypoppins2]

Am I reading this correctly!!??

4. Can I bring young children?

Children of all ages are welcome at Race for Life events and children under five can accompany you on the course free of charge. However we do advise that under 18s are accompanied by a responsible adult. Some of our events are very busy, involving in excess of 10,000 women, and we ask you to take that into consideration when bringing young children.
Women wishing to bring children under the age of five do not have to register their child and they can come along free of charge. Children aged five and over do have to be registered and, don't forget; only girls can take part as Race for Life is a women-only event.

Oh come off it, a male baby or toddler isn't going to change the atmosphere. I'd take the rules as meaning boys under five are ok.

If they exclude male breastfed babies, then that is just ridiculous and will obviously make it very difficult for those mothers to race.

Surely as a 'female' charity they would have a bit more common sense? What about single parents who wished to take part but couldn't because their 3/4/5 yo was excluded?

We're not talking about an environment where it would be inappropriate to have males (however old) there. It's Race for Life ffs.

Almost Appropriate small boys be there to run alongside their mums, raising money for a chairity which supports, amongst others, other mums

wastingaway/carmensandiego etc WHAT? We are talking about a 5/10km race not a week away?? Talk about an over the top reaction.

It's hard to know whether they mean only girls under 5 or children under 5. I would take an 'under 5 yo' boy in a buggy if I had to (couldn't get someone to babysit) but other than that I wouldn't. It's their event and if they want it females only, then surely that's their choice. Having said that, I would do one of the others where everyone was welcome instead.

Yes I read that as saying only women and girls can race.

I don't see the problem tbh. If you had a 10yo son (as I do) he wouldn't be allowed to race with you. Someone else would need to watch him (as my DH will).

Same if it's a baby IMO. Or a toddler. Valpolicella, if your son was a 6yo and you were a single parent, what would happen then? BTW what do you mean by "female charity"? The RFL is for Cancer Research UK.

I think there has to be a clear rule.

That said, I am sure I have seen plenty of baby boys and toddlers on our RFL and no-one says anything.

Good luck to all doing it BTW - me and DD are running for the fourth time together in 4 weeks!

As above re: Relay for Life - everyone is welcome. We are doing it and camping out. It should be a great family day and for the same cause as Race for Life.

I walked it last year with my DDs and Ds2 in the buggy, noone questioned me.

Yes I must say I also boggled a bit at the idea that a breastfeeding mum can't be away from her child for the duration of a 5k run.

Even if you walk it doesn't take more than an hour, surely.

I am doing the RFL on the 6th june, am hoping i will be able to have DS2 with me in his buggy as planned...will have to find out tomorrow.

this is what the rule actually says.....

11. Only registered participants are eligible to take part in Race for Life. Adults and female children over the age of five must be registered by paying the entry fee. Women wishing to bring children under the age of five do not have to register their child and they can come along free of charge. Children aged five and over must be female and do have to be registered.

Ah ok, I (mistakenly) thought that Race for Life was a breast cancer charity

But all the same...

Does a 6 yo with his mum make that much of a difrence? If I was running in a 'women' only race, a few young boys wouldn't bother me?

TLE - just take him in the buggy Have fun!!

Why would you need to bf on a 5km walk/run?

It's a brisk walk around the block a couple of times. Even a newborn frequently feeding baby would sleep while you do it!!

Chippin, I plan to, his middle name was my dads first name. and 6th june would have been his birthday

I'm sorry, I can't remember how long ago your Dad died. Did he get to meet DS2?

No he never got to meet him. Dad died 13/12/03 age 55yrs and although he did have cancer it was not the cancer that killed him. DS2 was born on 18/09/07 which would have been the anniversary of mum and dad meeting.

I wanted to do RFL when ds was about 3 but was told he couldn't participate and that I should find childcare for the day. I was a single mother with no immediate family in the area so was just very sad that women of all packages were not able to participate.
Shame.

TLE That's so sad, 55 is no age, it's not fair is it. Your son has a lovely birthdate

Chippin what makes it really sad is he would have been here now if not for a nurses mistake with medication

TLE OMG that's beyond awful. I honestly don't know how you even begin to deal with that. It's a hard enough thing to live with (the loss of a young parent) without knowing it was an avoidable mistake. x

Chippin, you get through it because there is no other choice. I spend everyday thinking about him, i miss him terribly but I am just glad he is no longer in pain. He spent many years suffering and hiding it from us all so we would not worry.

I look at my 2 sons and see a reminder daily.

He must have been a good looking man then if your two are anything to go by

Trust me, I understand 'getting through it because there is no choice', more than I wish I did.

Keep a few HUGS from me, tucked away for when you need them x

When DS was small he never lasted an hour between feeds. Not typical I know, but true.