When my daughter was born, I was fortunate to receive a gift card from my track team to buy a jogging stroller. Because I love running gear, I did a lot of research prior to purchasing the stroller and asked a lot of my coaching friends who have kids which stroller they were using and why. Before I bought anything, I was able to test out two strollers, the BOB Ironman and the BOB Revolution SE. Both had their benefits. I was initially concerned about being able to do some fast running with the Bob Revolution SE, but after seeing this video of former professional runner Anthony Famiglietti laying down a 4:23 mile with the Revolution, those worries were put to rest.
In the end, I bought the Bob Revolution SE. If you had asked me prior to having a child whether I would ever describe a stroller as being awesome, I would have said no way. But after using it for a few months, I can honestly say that the only word to describe the stroller is awesome.
Here are a few things I love about it:
In the end, I bought the Bob Revolution SE. If you had asked me prior to having a child whether I would ever describe a stroller as being awesome, I would have said no way. But after using it for a few months, I can honestly say that the only word to describe the stroller is awesome.
Here are a few things I love about it:
The big wheels – The Bob Revolution SE has really big wheels and as a result, I don’t worry about going too fast. Whether I’m running on the track or running in Rock Creek Park, the stroller always feels under control and handles bumps with ease. When I was talking with friends prior to buying the stroller, one of my buddies said that it even plowed right through snow.
The ability to lock and unlock the front wheel- This is the big difference between the Revolution and the Ironman. The Revolution has the ability to lock the front wheel for when you’re running and unlock it for when you need to use it for regular strolling. I actually rarely lock the front wheel even when I am out for a run. I don’t find that the stroller wanders off track and having the wheel unlocked makes it so much easier to turn. I especially love this when I am running with my daughter on the track. Because we live in the city, I can easily run errands after the run and the swiveling front wheel allows me to get into stores with tight aisles when the Ironman would struggle in that situation.
The Accessories – I bought the water bottle/key holder attachment and it makes the stroller that much better. Because DC summers are so hot, having water bottles on my run makes running in the heat significantly better. I also love driving to running trails so having a storage place for my keys and phone is clutch.
For rainy or cold days, I also bought the blanket and the weather shield. Both keep my daughter toasty and dry even when the weather is less than ideal.
The best part about a jogging stroller though is that it allows me to spend time with my daughter while getting my run in. There is something so liberating about being on a run with her. I find that being out running with her gives me a sense of freedom that I don’t have in a lot of my day. It’s also a time where she and I can have time together. (and give her mom a break!)
Essential ingredients for a successful jogging stroller run:
Snacks – My daughter loves having snacks on our runs. I don’t know how successful the run would be without them. I bring these pouches and this cup full of Cheerios or Puffs.
Running at the “right” time of day is pretty key for a successful jogging stroller run. When my daughter was younger, she would sleep in the stroller. I would have to make sure to time my run correctly so that she would be a bit drowsy prior to getting in and running. When she was napping in the stroller, I did a lot of track running (I live across the street from a track, shocker) so that the ride was smooth.
These days, she doesn’t like to nap in the stroller so I try to head out right after she’s woken up from her nap. She can enjoy a snack while we jog and then when we’re finished running, we can get out and play. The track I live next to has a rec center attached to it so lately we’ve been using the splash park and pool after running.
I like doing two types of workouts when I am running with my daughter:
Intervals on the track - These are especially good for when she is on the edge of fussy. Each interval is relatively short (i.e. 400 or 600 meter repeats) and then I try to have a three-minute rest in between each. While ideally this would be an active, jogging recovery, sometimes I will sit and play with her for the recovery then say “OK! We’re going again!” right before the next interval.
Tempo runs – I am also fortunate to be close to an old rail trail that is now paved. When my daughter is in a good mood, I will head out for a 20-30 minute tempo. The scenery along the trail keeps her relatively amused and I can get a nice workout in without spending too much time on the road.
Hopefully one day we’ll get to the long run stage, but we haven’t been able to do that yet!
While running with the stroller isn’t the same as running solo or with a group of friends, the benefits of spending time with my daughter while still getting my run in are amazing.
Do you have any tips or tricks you use when running with your jogging stroller? Let us know!
The ability to lock and unlock the front wheel- This is the big difference between the Revolution and the Ironman. The Revolution has the ability to lock the front wheel for when you’re running and unlock it for when you need to use it for regular strolling. I actually rarely lock the front wheel even when I am out for a run. I don’t find that the stroller wanders off track and having the wheel unlocked makes it so much easier to turn. I especially love this when I am running with my daughter on the track. Because we live in the city, I can easily run errands after the run and the swiveling front wheel allows me to get into stores with tight aisles when the Ironman would struggle in that situation.
The Accessories – I bought the water bottle/key holder attachment and it makes the stroller that much better. Because DC summers are so hot, having water bottles on my run makes running in the heat significantly better. I also love driving to running trails so having a storage place for my keys and phone is clutch.
For rainy or cold days, I also bought the blanket and the weather shield. Both keep my daughter toasty and dry even when the weather is less than ideal.
The best part about a jogging stroller though is that it allows me to spend time with my daughter while getting my run in. There is something so liberating about being on a run with her. I find that being out running with her gives me a sense of freedom that I don’t have in a lot of my day. It’s also a time where she and I can have time together. (and give her mom a break!)
Essential ingredients for a successful jogging stroller run:
Snacks – My daughter loves having snacks on our runs. I don’t know how successful the run would be without them. I bring these pouches and this cup full of Cheerios or Puffs.
Running at the “right” time of day is pretty key for a successful jogging stroller run. When my daughter was younger, she would sleep in the stroller. I would have to make sure to time my run correctly so that she would be a bit drowsy prior to getting in and running. When she was napping in the stroller, I did a lot of track running (I live across the street from a track, shocker) so that the ride was smooth.
These days, she doesn’t like to nap in the stroller so I try to head out right after she’s woken up from her nap. She can enjoy a snack while we jog and then when we’re finished running, we can get out and play. The track I live next to has a rec center attached to it so lately we’ve been using the splash park and pool after running.
I like doing two types of workouts when I am running with my daughter:
Intervals on the track - These are especially good for when she is on the edge of fussy. Each interval is relatively short (i.e. 400 or 600 meter repeats) and then I try to have a three-minute rest in between each. While ideally this would be an active, jogging recovery, sometimes I will sit and play with her for the recovery then say “OK! We’re going again!” right before the next interval.
Tempo runs – I am also fortunate to be close to an old rail trail that is now paved. When my daughter is in a good mood, I will head out for a 20-30 minute tempo. The scenery along the trail keeps her relatively amused and I can get a nice workout in without spending too much time on the road.
Hopefully one day we’ll get to the long run stage, but we haven’t been able to do that yet!
While running with the stroller isn’t the same as running solo or with a group of friends, the benefits of spending time with my daughter while still getting my run in are amazing.
Do you have any tips or tricks you use when running with your jogging stroller? Let us know!
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