When the family of Kathleen and Paul Browning get together for a family reunion this October, it won't involve the typical summer vacation or Thanksgiving feast. Instead, seven Browning family members, plus one boyfriend, will be traveling from all over the country to run 13.1 miles together. The family summit will take place at The Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary race on Sunday, Oct. 1.

The idea for the running reunion was conjured by daughter Susan, who will be taking a redeye flight from San Francisco to arrive the day before the race. The idea to meet in Chicago made sense, she said, because it's their grandparent's hometown and the entire family had never visited the city together. The logistics of organizing the trip, however, weren't as straightforward.

"The idea of getting in shape and sharing training programs seemed healthy," says mother Kathleen, who will be traveling to the race with her husband from McLean, Virginia. "But the logistics of transportation and accommodations have been real challenges. That said, it will be fabulous to share a sense of accomplishment with the whole family."

In addition to parents Kathleen and Paul and daughter Susan, oldest daughter Jennifer will be traveling to Chicago with her husband Scott and their two children from Memphis. Oldest son David will fly in from Asheville, N.C., as will his sister Jessica and her husband Jerad. Daughter Eileen, a grad school student Loyola University-Chicago, won't be running, but her boyfriend Drew has agreed to pick up the slack and will take her place, bringing the total in Browning's participant contingent to eight.

Youngest daughter Grace, an aspiring professional harpist who planned to run but suffered an injury, will travel from Rochester, N.Y., to head up a sizeable Browning family cheering section. Others in the rooting section will include mom Kathleen, daughter Eileen, Grandparents William and Mary Johnson, and two grandkids, Noah and Molly, for good measure. The entire crew will be wearing t-shirts that read "Brownings Breeze Through Chicago," and before they leave, they'll make time to snap their annual Christmas card photo.

The matriarch of the health-conscious group relayed that fitness is important to them, to a point: "Most of us were relieved to discover there was a half-marathon we could run, rather than a full!"

About The Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon:

Sold out for the first time ever with more than 10,000 runners, The Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon presented by Farmers Insurance is celebrating its 10th anniversary on race day October 1. The race is the longest running half-marathon in Chicago and has been listed as one of the Top 10 Half-Marathons in the U.S. by Runner's World magazine. Staged from the sprawling campus of the Museum of Science and Industry, the scenic 13.1 mile course winds through Jackson Park, the historic University of Chicago campus in the Hyde Park community and continues along Lake Shore Drive with spectacular views of Lake Michigan and Chicago's skyline.

2006 also marks the debut of the official training program for The Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon, Chicago Roadrunners, and the first year with our new preferred charitable partner, Special Olympics Chicago.

For more information, visit www.chicagohalfmarathon.com or call (312) 347-0233. The Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon is owned by Devine Sports, online at www.devinesports.com.