The sight of Rohan Foy's two young children in the distance was added motivation to cross the finish line before Father's Day celebrations began in earnest on Sunday.
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Mr Foy, of Macgregor, was met at the end of 14-kilometre course in The Canberra Times Fun Run by daughter Harper, two-and-a-half, and son Xavier, four months.
"I saw them at the finish line ... as I was heading down and as we hit the granite [path]. They were very happy."
He braved the wet start to race alongside friend and wheelchair basketball teammate Duncan MacGregor, with whom he completed the City2Surf in Sydney last month.
"The roads here were so much nicer to push on and the people moved out of our way which was great.
"When it rains we can't brake because our hands slip so it was really hard to slow down on the downhills. I slipped a couple of times."
He planned to head out for a family breakfast after the race.
"Might rest the arms. I might need an arm massage."
More than 4000 people set out from Phillip and Parkes on the 5-kilometre, 10-kilometre or 14-kilometre courses towards the Rond Terrace finish line.
Prizes were offered in each category for fastest grandfather, father and child team, the fastest father and child team, and the fastest pram in each distance.
Among them were dozens of dads who started their Father's Day with an extra workout as they pushed their relaxed-looking littlies in prams through the scenic courses.
Others were met with smiling cheer squads at the finish line.
Holt's Lee Purkiss started his first Father's Day by pushing his daughter, Willow, six months, in her pram in the 10-kilometre course. Unlike her father, she snoozed most of the way.
"You'd look in the pram and she was chatting at the start so that's extra motivation.
"She woke up in the last kilometre."
He admitted pushing the pram made the race a bit harder.
"Once you get momentum it's alright."
Full race details are available at canberratimesfunrun.com.au.
