Jogging - baby steps
This weekend, while visiting my friend Trish in Madison, WI, we played with, cooed at and generally fawned over her little 8-month-old, Maya. The weather was unseasonably gorgeous so we decided to go for a jog – all three of us. Trish had never broken out the baby stroller contraption that lets you run while pushing el bambino, so out it came and out we went. Two six-foot-tall women and a baby, running and generally looking like a very happy lesbian couple.
With Maya firmly strapped in, we set about turning the monstrous three-wheeler and were surprised to see the thing is about as easy to steer as Britney Spears’ career. There were no right or left handlebars to maneuver it, so you had to literally push the tires against the asphalt, as if you were executing a 90-degree right or left turn, just to get the beast to go a few inches to either side.
Also - is it supposed to be so tiring to do this? I've seen women running along, the breeze in their hair, as they push their tot with what appears to be no effort. But even with four arms and four legs, Trish and I felt like we were tackling football dummies or trying to move a tractor forward through molasses. After a quarter-mile, we were winded, red-faced and our arms burned from holding on to the handlebar for dear life. Also, my calves were on fire because I was essentially running a 45-degree angle as I pushed Maya and her 200-lb new toy forward.
Is this norm-- oh my gosh...I JUST saw a woman run by with her baby in a jogging stroller! I swear! I am sitting in Starbucks and she flew past the picture window. Do you hear me? Flew!
Any tips????
Comments
I've used one of those before when I was babysitting. It was really easy except when I had to go uphill or make a sharp turn. I definitely had to push but not to the extent that you seemed to be. Did you have a brake on it or something? I know some of them have a safety brake which is like the parking brake in a car, you can still move but not really. Hope you figure it out soon, that stroller was a life-saver for me as it got a very fussy baby to sleep for an hour (longest I've ever run for but sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do!).
oh my gosh, Rose - if we had the brake on during a four mile run/walk, I will never live it down. That is such a Leslie thing to do.
And apparently all babies fall asleep in these things - Maya konked out in 20 minutes despite rumbling over rocks and dog poop and who knows what.
This post evoked some funny mental pictoral images! I'm guessing that manuevering these jogging strollers is an art only mastered by practice. So the more you and the friend jog together, the easier the task will get I'm guessing. You know, like riding a bike or something. But I'm definitely getting one of those when I have a baby. They look fun!
oh, I have been there! My right (steering) arm always ached after a run with the jogging stroller. (using the term 'run' very loosely here!) Primarily because my son flailed about the entire time screaming to get out. He never fell asleep in that thing, despite my best efforts to get him to do so!!!
how about those who run with a double jogger? That takes serious strength!
I'm guessing it WAS the brake. I have both a single and a double jogging stroller, and they're both very easy to push. Unless you get the brilliant idea to put both kids in the double and go for a walk WHEN YOU LIVE AT THE BOTTOM OF A HILL! I did this a couple of years ago, and ended up having to walk BACKWARDS back down, because my arms were shaking so badly from the walk up that I was afraid that gravity would take over and I'd lose the stroller, sending my offspring careening down the hill.
BTW, we've since moved and live on a flat surface.
Too funny! Double stroller, up a hill, Alyssa? Very impressive. Well, I guess it's safe to say we had the brake on. Just a minor "oops" moment. At least nobody was hurt (except my bruised ego. Wa waahh.)
