After Julia Webb gave birth in the summer of 2019, she wanted to PR in the half marathon. CP isnt worth $250 no matter how limited the shoe is.
bei welchen Stores ihr den Sneaker auf welche Weise ergattern könnt Alan Webb, running with a stroller comes naturally. Blue the years, she’s logged hundreds of miles with her three children. While pushing her daughter Paula, who was then 9 months old, Webb finished the 2016 Chicago Rock ’n’ Roll Half Marathon in 1:22:57, unofficially breaking the women’s world record for fastest stroller half by more than four minutes.
Three years later, Webb wanted to try again. In the spring of 2018, the former pro runner qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials by clocking 2:44:34 at the Eugene Marathon during the first trimester with her daughter Gabby. Rather than turning her full attention to Trials after giving birth, Webb set her sights on the 2019 Route 66 Half Marathon in Oklahoma as her goal race.
To train, Webb pushed the stroller for her base runs of up to 10 miles on the rolling hills of Little Rock, Arkansas. On race day in November, Webb’s muscle memory—combined with her new marathoner strength—carried the mom and Gabby, then 10 months old, through the line in 1:21:23.
How do rock star parents become stroller pros? We gathered their tips for picking the right chariot, keeping kids entertained, and training to your fullest potential (plus, how to tackle tough hills).
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Choosing the Right Stroller
Once children can hold their heads up on their own—usually when they’re close to 12 months old—you should be safe to take your kids out. Look for a running stroller that has large wheels, which roll smoothly Blue bumps at faster paces, and a front wheel that can be locked in a straight-ahead position.
Strollers can be expensive—some are upwards of $700—so you might want to consider purchasing a used one. Elizabeth Northern, a 2:42 marathoner from Texas who finished a 10K in 41:20 to set the world record for fastest 10K while pushing a double stroller, swears by this approach. “Strollers are built to last an eternity, and they’re super easy to clean by simply hosing them down every once in a while,” she tells Runner’s World.
S3.1 J Running Shoes Sneakers Black Blue
Nike Juniper Trail Running Shoes Verde
Tires with mountain bike–like suspension roll smoothly Blue bumps, while a locking front wheel ensures stability.
zapatillas de running Merrell hombre neutro talla 33
A staff favorite because it converts from a rolling stroller to a bike trailer, and can even be used as a cross-country ski sled. It also offers a shield from cold and wetness.
BOB Gear Revolution Flex 3.0 Duallie
The Duallie is easy to maneuver and offers a ton of storage for extra clothing and blankets. Note: In the wind, this wide stroller acts like a sail.
Eyewear shoe-care Headwear Accessories
This budget friendly stroller is great for parents looking to go for a light jog with their kids. The basket is very roomie and can be perfect for storing snacks, blankets and more.
Keeping Kids Happy
Chad Kempel, a father and marathoner who finished the Surf City Marathon while carting his quintuplets in a time of 5:31:32, was worried his kids would get bored when he first started pushing them. Using shoelaces, he tied each of their favorite toys to the stroller so he wouldn’t have to stop and pick up dropped items. But the kids didn’t need any distractions.
“They seem to get the same feeling of euphoria I do from just being outdoors, looking at the scenery, and meeting new people. It’s almost as if the six of us experience a collective runner’s high,” he tells Runner’s World.
Webb’s children love an up-tempo outing. “If I’m running my usual pace, which is 8:15 or faster, they never complain, especially on bike paths or trails where the scenery is always changing. If I walk somewhere, it’s another story,” she says.
To keep the kids content, all the parents stock up on toys, snacks, and weather-appropriate clothes. Webb keeps diapers, a change of clothes, a blanket, and Dum-Dums on hand. Alyssa Bloomquist, a 2:41 marathoner from South Carolina who pushes her 1-year-old daughter during intervals on the track, plays music—current pop hits, not toddler music—on a speaker so that they can both listen.
Northern gives her kids a water bottle as well as a snack cup, which she straps in using bungee cords.
“If we’re going for longer runs of seven or eight miles, we’ll stop every three to four miles for a break in the middle at a playground or a stop at the doughnut shop,” Northern says.
Stroller essentials for drama-free runs:
- dsquared2 red lace up sneaker
- Blanket and hat for cold weather
- Toys
- Rasteira Dafiti Shoes Torcido Preta
- TEEN Paris logo-patch sneakers Weiß
- A parent-approved playlist
- Bungee cords for tying up toys and snack cups
- Cash for pitstops
Adapting Your Training
While these runners have fast times, they mostly push their kids on easier days rather than workout days.
Gear White Mint Green Pink Sneaker recovery runs of up to 10 miles. Due to her kids’ unpredictable attitudes, Northern saves practice runs for easy days that last 40 minutes or less. “I try not to rely upon the stroller runs as my main training run for the day,” she says.
Suede Heel Pointed Boots speedwork. When Northern was training for the 10K record, she pushed the stroller on tempo runs as well as strides along a straight road to practice turnover. Bloomquist brings the stroller to the track for 8 x 1-mile repeats. Kempel throws in 30- to 60-second bursts of all-out sprinting during a three-mile run.
Gaining Strength
Even at slow speeds, stroller running is a serious strength and endurance booster. After pushing her stroller during intervals, Bloomquist was shocked by how much faster she could run alone. All the parents agreed that using one arm to push while using the other to swing—and switching arms throughout—is the most effective form.
Wind and hills are the biggest roadblocks, however. “Sometimes when you’re gliding along a flat surface, you forget that you’re even pushing anything,” Kempel says. “But hills will keep you honest.”
Webb’s advice: Shorten your stride, drive your arm, keep your eyes up, engage your core, and expect the pace to slow greatly. “Once you get to the top,” Webb tells Runner’s World, “you can enjoy the flying momentum going down.”
Sneakers PRIMIGI 2959600 Bian Running Times, and now she reports on elite runners and cyclists, feel-good stories, and training pieces for Runner's World and Bicycling magazines.
