Running With a Stroller

Do you have little ones at home to watch and wished you could get some exercise in while you waited for nap time?  Don't wait!  Get a GREAT workout in by putting your stroller to use and take the kids with you.  There's no need to spend $400 on a pricey jogging stroller.  As long as your stroller has wheels that glide and a handle to hang on to, you're good to go.  Strollers designed with jogging in mind will make your workout easier, and would probably be a good investment if you're serious about exercising with your infant, but running with a regular stroller is definitely doable.

IT'S TOUGH
If you've never run with a stroller before, you're in for a shock.  It's so much harder than it looks.  Depending on the weight of the stroller and kid(s) it's holding, you could be pushing an extra 60 pounds, and that is not easy.  Not only are you under strain from the extra weight, you also have to do without one of your arms.  Arms are used to counterbalance the motion of your legs and keep the body in equilibrium while running.  With one arm guiding the stroller, you're missing a significant piece of your running framework.  The rest of the body has to work harder to compensate.


AVOID HILLS
Even a slight incline, which would be fairly insignificant when running solo, becomes a definite hardship when pushing a stroller, so stay away from hills.  Getting up hills with a stroller is difficult, and going down can be dangerous.  It's better to stick to flat terrain with a stroller--it will be challenging enough.


DECREASE MILEAGE
Because you'll be expending a lot more effort, cut your time/mileage down accordingly.

ALTERNATE HANDS
The arm that's doing the steering gets pretty tired, so swap out when you can.  If you're like me, one arm is much stronger and a lot better at guiding than the other, so switching hands is not all that effective, but even a short break is welcome relief for that tired shoulder.

Yes, running with a stroller is not easy, but it sure is nice to get some fresh air.  My daughter absolutely loved when I took her with me.  "Faster, Mommy.  Faster!" she'd yell and I'd try my best to pick up the pace, while she squealed in delight.  Stroller days don't last forever.  Before you know it, they're on a bike of their own and able to follow along under their own power.  Until that day, keep the stroller handy.  You'll be setting a good example and crossing something off your list at the same time.

LACE UP and get that stroller rollin'!