Pram/Stroller Running - Help Wanted

I have the fitness of a beginner runner. With no pram I can do a 20 to 30 minute run and still feel good at the end of it. With a pram I really struggle to even run a few minutes. There is something about the way I always need to keep a hand on the pram that I find especially tiring.

My husband will be travelling away for almost a month next January and I will not have anyone to babysit as we are living in Japan temporarily for his work while I am on maternity leave. I want to get better at running with the pram so I do not loose all of my fitness while he is away.

Any seasoned pram runners out there who can give me some tips?

Comments

  • 1 get a light buggy. 

    2 keep the tires inflated.

     

  • Thanks Chappers - I had assumed that the tires were fine but on closer inspection today they were getting flat! Oops!

    I own a Burley D'Lite as we wanted something we can cycle with also.

    http://www.burley.com/page_308/dlite.html

    We have used it more to cycle with and for general strolling so far. It is about 2 kgs heavier than the BOB Ironman stroller made for running only. Hopefully that will not be too much once I get more used to running with it.

    I was trying to run with it using the single pivoting wheel stroller kit. It is very easy to turn with this but I think the flip side of that was I always felt I needed two hands to stop it from changing direction while running. I have set it up with the fixed wheel running kit now and it is a little easier.

    I have found a product on the market designed to allow you to be completely hands free while running with the stroller. I have only found a few - opposing - reviews for it. I am not sure of whether or not it is worth trying. I would love to know what people think about this - the stroll smart jogging pram adapter:

    http://www.stroll-smart.com/

  • Hi,

    I've been running for the last two and a half years with my son in a Baby Jogger 2 which is no longer made but which I bought off ebay second hand for the princely sum of £150. I love it but I did a fair bit of research and decided that it was ideal because of the large (20 inch) wheels and it looked very secure with a five-point harness. It is a dream to use and it's allowed me to train for some marathons since giving birth.

    Frankly, I think pram running will be difficult no matter what until you get used to it. I ran marathons before I had my son as well but could only manage 15 minutes tops with the pram for awhile until I built up. Now I regularly run 6-8 miles with him even though he's getting bigger and heavier and will probably outgrow it soon. I agree that running with hands on the bars is annoying but I'm used to it and it hasn't hampered my running style on my pram-free days. I would never personally feel secure leaving my hands off my son's pram. Frankly, I don't know that I'd feel safe using a stroll smart for that reason based on the link you've posted. What do you do if you have to stop suddenly? It looks slightly dangerous...but hey, that's just me. If it's on the market I assume they've thought that through?

    I could also never use a swivel wheel as the chances of losing control are ratcheted up. Anyhow, I hope you find the right solution for you. For me, big-arse wheels are the ticket and as the previous poster said, make sure the tyre pressure is right. Also, just remember that running with a pram is alot harder and it is a different kind of run so expect that you're going to build up slowly. On the plus, it's a great workout and on the pram-free days you'll find running a breeze.

  • Thank you for your input. Yes I guess you are adding weight in an uneven way so it is too much to expect pram running to ever be as easy as running without one.

    I agree I am not totally convinced by the hands-free running kit. I have not seen videos of them going around corners or over varying inclines etc. I would have to see a lot more to be convinced.

    I do find it a little difficult to run with my hands always on the pram but I guess I will just have to get used to it! I am pleased to hear it has not negatively altered your running technique. I will just keep trying! image

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