The memory of London’s 2012 Olympic Games remains etched in the collective consciousness of sports fans worldwide, particularly that unforgettable “Super Saturday” when Greg Rutherford soared through the air to claim gold in the long jump for Team GB. For years, Rutherford’s life was defined by the relentless pursuit of millimeter-perfect excellence, a journey that yielded an impressive haul of world, European, and Commonwealth medals. Yet, the physical toll of competing at the absolute pinnacle of human athletic performance eventually caught up with him. By 2018, when he formally announced his retirement, the champion athlete made a poignant, heartbreaking confession: his body was so battered by chronic injuries that he could scarcely manage to sit comfortably on the living room floor to play with his young children. This painful realization marked the end of his competitive career, but it also opened the door to a beautiful, much more grounded chapter of his life. Alongside his fiancée, Susie Verrill, Rutherford has welcomed three children into their world, pivoting his focus from breaking world records to navigating the chaotic, joyous, and often exhausting landscape of modern parenting. Today, his legendary “Rutherford Leap” is no longer just a piece of sporting history; it serves as a metaphor for his new life mission: encouraging parents to take a leap of faith by giving their children an active voice in planning family holidays.
To help families find harmony during their precious vacations, Rutherford has partnered with Marriott Bonvoy to Champion a fresh, child-centered approach to travel. Reflecting on his journey, Rutherford openly shares how drastically his travel style has evolved since his pre-parent days, when he and Susie would comfortably wander through historic city centers for hours, explore riskier destinations, or simply switch off from the rest of the world for days at a time. Now, with three young minds to entertain, Rutherford has embraced a highly collaborative travel model that blends relaxation with carefully paced bursts of adventure. The chaotic beauty of travel with toddlers and teenagers lies in finding a sweet spot between staying put and seeking out local wonders. With their youngest child recently turning five, the family has reached a delightful milestone where everyone can actively participate in the trip’s activities. By allowing the children to choose some of their daily adventures, the vacations have become far less about military-style scheduling and much more about spontaneous, shared joy, showing that sometimes the most memorable moments are those we never planned ourselves.
This philosophy of shared authority was put to the test during a recent family getaway to Barcelona, where the Rutherford clan stayed at the beautiful Le Méridien Ra Beach Hotel & Spa. Rather than managing every detail of the trip, Greg and Susie decided to hand the itinerary reins directly over to their three “mini holiday makers,” allowing the children to guide everything from dinner locations to daily excursions. The experiment was a resounding success, with the hotel’s thoughtfully crafted kids’ menu and child-friendly spa facilities proving that relaxation isn’t a luxury reserved solely for adults. Letting the children lead proved to be an incredibly freeing experience for the parents, who discovered that stepping back from the traditional, rigid structure of family vacations allowed them to appreciate the journey through a fresh, youthful lens. By giving their children the autonomy to choose, they bypassed the typical power struggles of family travel, proving that when children feel seen and heard, the entire family dynamic softens into something much more harmonious and peaceful.
This hands-on parenting experience aligns perfectly with extensive research conducted by Marriott Bonvoy, which highlights that children often have a crystal-clear, surprisingly uncomplicated vision of what makes a holiday truly magical. According to the study, children do not crave heavily packed, intellectually exhausting itineraries; instead, they long for basic luxuries: freedom, unhurried fun, and undivided attention from their parents. The statistics paint a charming portrait of childhood desires, revealing that a whopping 63% of kids view unlimited access to the breakfast buffet as a dream-come-true, closely followed by 58% who want nothing more than generous portions of ice cream for lunch, and 53% who relish the simple thrill of staying up past their normal bedtimes. As Rutherford points out, these simple pleasures make perfect sense because children spend the majority of their daily lives under strict adult supervision and structured schedules. Providing them with a sense of control over their food, bedtimes, and playtime, while avoiding the frustration of tedious adult chores and boring sightseeing, transforms a basic trip into an unforgettable adventure filled with laughter.
Of course, transitioning from a lifetime of elite athletic competition to a more relaxed pace of life does not mean Rutherford has abandoned his love for movement and healthy living. Even on vacation, the Rutherford family prioritizes physical activity, seeking out destinations that offer bike rentals, scenic hiking trails, water sports, and well-equipped fitness facilities. Yet, Rutherford honestly admits that balancing his natural urge to stay active with the necessity of true relaxation remains an ongoing challenge. Like many modern parents, he confesses to being “pretty terrible” at switching off, often squeezing his personal workouts into late-night hours or brief windows when his children are at school. For Greg and Susie, the rare moments of quiet connection occur late in the evening when the children are asleep, making family vacations an incredibly vital space for the couple to slow down, breathe, and collectively recharge their batteries away from the daily grind of home life.
Ultimately, the true magic of travel lies in the emotional landscapes we build together, a sentiment that Rutherford holds close to his heart. From proposing to Susie atop Camelback Mountain in Arizona to sharing a freshly caught fish dinner with a welcoming local family on a boat in Türkiye, his most cherished memories are defined by connection, beautiful scenery, and shared discovery. Marriott Bonvoy’s research echoes this, showing that while only 30% of parents have allowed their children to plan a vacation, an impressive 72% are eager to try it on their next escape, driven by a deep desire to maximize quality family time. Rutherford’s final advice to parents preparing for their next getaway is refreshingly simple: don’t be afraid to let the kids get involved in the decision-making process. By inviting children to co-author the itinerary, parents might be pleasantly surprised by the creative, joyful directions the journey takes, ensuring that when the sun sets on another beautiful holiday, every single member of the family can look back with a full heart and a genuine smile.
