INTRO
I think it’s important to start off by saying that I am not an expert, but rather a woman who has spent a lot of time running with a stroller and gained a lot of experience. Any and all of the information in the Tips/Tricks section is written from my perspective based on my own experiences. I do have a fitness background, but only since becoming an adult; I was not active as a kid. I taught aerobics for many years, and I’ve been a runner most of my adult life. I have also led several running clinics and I am continuously inspired by people who make the decision to integrate running and fitness into their lifestyle.
The first time I ran with a stroller, my first daughter, Sonja, was 5 1/2 months old. I was nervous, but I was also excited, because I would no longer have to wait until my husband or someone else was around to watch Sonja while I ran. I was finally free to go whenever I wanted!
I immediately noticed the following:
1. It was strange to run while holding onto a stroller, since I couldn’t move my arms back and forth in their natural motion.
2. My upper body got surprisingly tired during the run.
3. Steering took practice.
4. Lifting the front wheel to avoid bumps and curbs also took practice.
5. Posture was everything when it came to running uphill.
As I continued and became more accustomed to running with the stroller, I started to notice a lot more:
6. Running downhill, although so much easier than running uphill, presented its own challenges.
7. Wind and running strollers are not my favourite mix.
8. If I was planning to run in cold and wet weather, I had to be better prepared.
9. It’s far too easy to back out of a run when you add a child and a running stroller to the equation.
10. If the kids aren’t happy, it won’t be a good run.
11. Running etiquette becomes an even bigger deal when you are running while pushing a stroller.
12. Off-road running is not only possible, my kids love it.
I discovered a lot of tips and tricks while learning to run with my stroller and they have made the experience fun and satisfying for both my kids and for me. I hope that the following articles will be helpful for you and will answer some questions, solve some problems, or increase your overall enjoyment of stroller running.
POSTURE
Your posture while running is important whether you run with a stroller or not. Imagine a straight line from the top of your head, down through your back, hips, knees and ankles. Your shoulders are relaxed (down and back), which is most easily achieved when you are looking forward, not downward. The more tightened up your posture, the more arduous your running stride. The more arduous your running stride, the less efficient and less enjoyable your run. And if you can’t enjoy your run, it stands to reason you won’t be doing much running!
When you are pushing a running stroller, you are pushing a considerable amount of weight, so your attention to your posture takes on a new level of importance. I generally see two types of stroller runners: “arm-pushers” and “body-pushers”.
“Arm-pushers” (particularly seen while running uphill) push their strollers with their arms fully or almost fully extended, body bent slightly forward at the hips to help bear the load, thereby tiring out their arms and back. The effect of “arm pushing” leads to inefficient running, and in the worst case, injury. More often, it leads to frustration and an overall lack of enjoyment in the activity.
On the other hand, “body-pushers” bend their arms, bringing the stroller closer to the body and relying more on momentum to push the load. Using momentum to your advantage reduces wear and tear on the body and conserves energy, thus increasing your enjoyment in the activity. And as we all know, if you enjoy an activity, you are more likely to keep it up.
The optimal arm placement for stroller running is anywhere around 90 degrees. It doesn’t have to be exact, but as long as your hands aren’t too low or too high, you’re in business. If your handle bar is adjustable, play around with the height until you find the right spot. If your handlebar is not adjustable, keep in mind that as long as your arms are somewhere close to 90 degrees, you are fine.
Starting out, many people are nervous about bumping the stroller with their knees or shins if the stroller is too close. This is a legitimate concern, but most, if not all running strollers are designed to accommodate a running stride (makes sense, right?) and once you trust that this is true, you will become more relaxed. If you find you are still thinking about it, try slightly shortening your running stride until you are more comfortable.
One of my biggest adjustments to stroller running was not being able to swing my arms in their natural motion. I found that I was gripping the handlebar quite tightly and the result was tired hands and not a lot to show for it. Over time, as I became more comfortable and confident, I gradually relaxed my entire body and my hands followed suit. I simply stopped thinking about it and started enjoying the running.
I always find myself tightening up through my shoulders, and I often catch myself running with my shoulders creeping up toward my ears. So I find it really helpful to have a mental checklist concerning posture:
1. Arm placement
2. Keep upright / no bending forward through your hips
3. Push with your body / let momentum to most of the work
4. Look forward, not down
5. Drop your shoulders and let them relax / shoulders down and back
2. Keep upright / no bending forward through your hips
3. Push with your body / let momentum to most of the work
4. Look forward, not down
5. Drop your shoulders and let them relax / shoulders down and back
You may sometimes feel like you are constantly going through this checklist and that’s great, because the more you remind yourself, the more benefits you will reap from having an efficient running posture.
STEERING & STROLLER CONTROL
The more control you have over your stroller, the more confident you will be.
When I started running with a stroller, I was most nervous about steering. The stroller was so long and the front wheel didn’t turn, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to maneuver around telephone poles, people, curbs, etc.
I quickly figured out what other people had told me, but what I couldn’t visualize: once the front wheel is lifted, the stroller turns solely on it’s rear wheels and makes turning a breeze. I think I was really freaked out about lifting the front wheel at all in case I suddenly lost my grip on the handlebar and dropped the stroller with my precious Babe inside. I needn’t have been worried, because the majority of running strollers are so well designed that even though the front wheel lifts with your slightest urging, you never feel that it’s over-balanced. So within the length of my inaugural run, I gained quite a bit of confidence in turning the stroller while running.
I also discovered that even with the fixed front wheel, it is still possible to turn the stroller with all three wheels on the ground. When the stroller is rolling, it is fairly easy to “nudge” it into turning in a wide arc, making it unnecessary to lift the front wheel while making wide turns.
It is important to feel comfortable turning the stroller using both the wheel-lift and “nudge” methods, since you will be more confident in your ability to control the stroller in all situations.
The dimensions of the stroller can take a little getting used to. I noticed this especially when running with other people, since I had to pay attention not to bump anyone who was running ahead of me with the stroller’s front wheel. It’s not unlike getting comfortable with the dimensions of your car; once you drive it for awhile, it becomes second nature.
Another important aspect of stroller control is braking. Not all running strollers come equipped with a hand brake, but if your stroller has one it can be a very useful tool, not only for downhill running, but also for quick stops when you’re running in areas with pedestrians, dogs and traffic.
Overall, the dimensions and handling of the stroller will take a little getting used to, but once your comfort level and confidence increases, you will find you think less about the stroller and more about your running.
HILL RUNNING - Uphill
Yes, you can run uphill while pushing a stroller. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, it’s a heck of a lot tougher than running uphill on your own, and you’ll wonder if it would just be faster to walk the stroller up the hill. It just might be in some cases, but don’t give up!
Here’s some motivation: you are going to gain an incredible amount of running strength when you run uphill with your stroller. When you get the chance to run the same hills without your stroller, you are going to be really pleased with your increased strength. You are going to be a hill-running machine.
Hills can be intimidating and running uphill with a stroller can feel downright impossible. The key is to take it one step at a time and go back to your posture checklist. I know, who can think about posture when your lungs and legs are burning?? But bear with me, because in the case of hill running, posture is your best friend.
The first thing to think about is bringing the stroller as close to your body as is comfortable. This is the one time where I would tell you to not think about keeping your arms at a 90 degree angle, since in order to keep your body in a straight line (head, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles) while bringing the stroller close to the body, your arm angle will likely close. The amount that the angle will close is dependent on the steepness of the hill; the steeper the hill, the smaller your arm angle.
By bringing the stroller in close to your body and keeping as straight a line as possible from your head to your feet, you are minimizing the effort it will take to push your stroller up the hill. You are in effect giving the entire load to your legs and believe me, your legs will know it. It’s crucial to keep in mind that your legs contain the largest muscles in your body, and it just makes sense that the largest muscles should do all the work.
When running a steep hill, I almost always find myself running up on my tip toes, which asks my ankles and calf muscles to flex less and allows me to use a shorter, faster stride. These short, fast strides help to build some momentum, since you have a foot pushing off the ground more often and more quickly. In contrast, a longer, slower stride leaves more room between foot strikes and allows more opportunity for the weight of your stroller to roll back and kill your momentum.
The second important thing to remember is to not bend forward at the hips. It’s a natural reaction, but by bending forward at the hips to help take the load from your legs, your arms will gradually straighten out and you will put yourself in the most inefficient position for uphill running. You also put a lot of undue strain on your arms and back, which can lead to injury.
Thirdly is to keep your head up and your eyes forward. It may seem like you will never reach the top of the hill, but keep going as long as you can. I’ve always found it helpful to give myself checkpoints on a hill; telephone poles, driveways, whatever works. I’ll tell myself “OK, just get to that driveway up ahead” and then when I get there, I’ll look for the next checkpoint, “Now just get up to that telephone pole”. Before I know it, I’m at the top of the hill. And if I don’t make it and I have to walk to the top? Then I’ll be back another time to try it again. And again, if necessary.
HILL RUNNING - Downhill
Running downhill with a stroller can be challenging, depending on the steepness of the hill. Running down an easy, gradual decline can be effortless and fun, while running down a steep decline can be difficult and nerve-wracking. Suddenly all the weight of your stroller is effectively pulling you downhill and it can quickly feel like you are losing control.
Many running strollers come equipped with hand brakes (like the brakes you would find on a bicycle) and they can be invaluable for running down steep hills. The biggest advantage is that you don’t need to alter your running posture. When you are going down a steep area, simply squeeze the hand brake to keep the stroller rolling at the same pace as your running stride.
If your stroller doesn’t have a hand brake, don’t worry, you will just need to adjust your running stride or even slow to a walk when going down steeper hills. Without a brake, you may find your arms are pulled straight, you bend forward from the hips and you start braking hard using your heels and legs in order to keep control over the stroller. If this is the case, it’s likely better and safer to walk to the bottom of the hill and resume running once you’re on flatter ground.
