I have not posted a lot about my running journey, but I am consistently running. A good thing for everyone, I think. I can run almost half a mile at at stretch around our track at the gym. I suspect I will get up to a half mile in the next couple of weeks. That is what I am hoping, at least.
I like running at the gym because it is just me running on the track. I can turn up my music on my ipod and go. I do not have to worry about keeping up with anyone else. And it is a fairly large indoor track, at about 1/8 mile. I have been counting laps, but I may need to switch to keeping track of time. I get zoned out and forget to count laps. I guess I need to buy a watch.
But the gym's track will only get me so far. I have a suspicion that in order to train for a 5K, I am going to have to get outside and run. I think I have a decent place I can run, not far from my house. It is a bike trail which follows a river, so I am fairly sure that the going will be mostly flat. (I am not up for hills right now, and my neighborhood is all hills. And not small hills, either!) The trail actually starts at the mall, if you can believe it!
I plan on trying to jog with a jogger stroller. To start with, I am going to borrow my mother's bob. That way I do not have to buy it if I find I hate running with a stroller. I have heard a lot of good things about the bob stroller. Hopefully I can make it work. I like that it has the fixed wheel at the front. And it is the bob with the really big tires, so it can "off road" a little easier.
Why am I telling you this? Well, I am hoping that you could help me get up the courage to actually get out and run. I would love to hear about tips and tricks for jogging with a stroller. How can I run without losing too much of my form? Is there anything I should beware of? Any info would help!
7 comments:
We have a BOB revolution, and we LOVE it. The front wheel can either swivel or be locked out for jogging. My husband locks the front wheel and jogs with it. The thing is, it's a fairly heavy stroller, but it pushes like you are pushing nothing (and he is NOT a jogger--he struggles!). It is unbelievably easy to push, especially if you are on pavement. It's good on dirt, too, though. Love, love, love it. I thought it was expensive at first, but now that we've lived with it for a year, I'm SO glad we spent the money.
When I first tried to run with a jog stroller, I tried pushing it with both arms. But that gets exhausting not being able to swing your arms. So now I push with one arm and alternate when it gets tired.
I know I haven't commented for ages but I actually have useful advice for you on this one so thought I'd chime in. I have the Bob and have run with it and love it. I'm a slow runner and have actually found that I prefer the front wheel in swivel mode at the speeds I go. Try both and see what you think. I run on a paved path, which obviously makes a difference in that regard. As far as form goes, I realized how much I pressed down on the handle and needed to change that a bit so I pushed forward more - it's a subtle thing but makes it easier so you're not wasting a lot of energy on fighting to get the stroller in the right direction. Anyway, good luck!
I run all the time with babies, 2 in a jogging stroller (it's the chariot style, but cheeper sold at MEC in Canada), its harder so it's great training for running a race without a stroller, especially when it's heavy (mine is 40 pounds plus 50 pounds of twins!).
I highly recommend the couch to 5k program, I started back in Januaryish and I'm now training for my first half Marathon! It works!
I have no tips or tricks for running. I don't think I've gone running in a few years! Good for you though!
I did the Couch to 5k running program last year and I ran my first 5k in September.
I was never a running. Always struggled with it because of my congenital heart defect.
But it I did it and it was a lot easier than I thought.
You got this!! Let me know if you want to chat about it.
I have been wondering all these same things - thanks for asking! I have enjoyed reading the comments. Right now it is so terribly hot where I live, I hate the idea of making Skeeter stay out in it. I especially hate the thought of running in it. Anyway, I've been getting up early and running in my neighborhood before he wakes up. It's tough to get out of bed that early but it feels so good when I'm done.
Stick with it!! You can do it!!
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