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For Webb, who is married to American mile record holder Alan Webb, running with a stroller comes naturally. Over 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—adidas adidas nemeziz 1 football boots firm ground.

How do rock star parents become stroller pros? We gathered their tips for picking the right chariot, keeping kids entertained, and training to your gino 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 over 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 tommy down every once in a while,” she tells Runner’s World.


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Alterrain Pro Jogger
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Credit: BOB Gear

Tires with mountain bike–like suspension roll smoothly over bumps, while a locking front wheel couture stability.

Chariot Cross Multisport Trailer & Stroller
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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.

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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.

Graco Jogging Stroller
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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

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Chad Kempel
Chad Kempel ran the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, California, on February 3, 2019, while pushing his quintuplets in a custom Berg Design Runabout five-seat inline stroller.

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 tommy. 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 debater 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.

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Stroller essentials for drama-free runs:

  • An accident kit with fresh diapers and a change of clothes
  • Blanket and hat for cold weather
  • Toys
  • Snacks in spill-proof snack cups
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  • A parent-approved playlist
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Adapting Your Training

While these runners have fast times, they mostly push their kids on easier days rather than workout days.

reebok gz8634 kung fu panda x reebok club c master your style mens lifestyle shoe grey brown multi 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.

But other times, the kiddos come along for 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

stroller
Julia Webb
Julia Webb with her daughter Paula before the 2016 Chicago Rock ’n’ Roll Half Marathon.

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.”

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Hailey Middlebrook
Digital Editor

puma mens rs fast shoes new authentic whitepeachblue Running Times, and now she reports on elite runners and cyclists, feel-good stories, and training pieces for Runner's World and Bicycling magazines.