Maybe I'm an idiot, but how possible is it to actually wipe out on a stroller?

I'm doing my first 10k of the year in a stroller on Super bowl weekend.

Its probably actually pretty safe, especially seeing all the responses here. I only said that because I saw an overzealous husband wipe out and send his kid flying at a local 5k because he literally ran the stroller into a curb. Be careful out there stroller runners!

I'm doing my first 10k of the year in a stroller on Super bowl weekend.

Who is pushing?

My twins are about 6 weeks old now. I'm really looking forward to a 5k in Brooklyn that I've won the past few years, this year I'll be pushing the double stroller. They have an award for first stroller (it's a family race to benefit midwives so there are a number of strollers entered). I forget what the first stroller's time was but I finished WAYYYY before him last year so I'm hoping I'll just be a few minutes slower with a stroller but we'll see. On the bright side, no matter what my time ends up being, I won't have the stress of leading that race. I love racing 5ks (especially the small ones that I can win) but I always find myself thinking "why the hell am I doing this again, this sucks, I hate the pressure and the target on my back, and the burning lungs. I need to stick with marathons"

I'll do a marathon with the stroller in 2013 too, but it will not be fast.

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Empire Tri Coach
Team Gatorade Endurance
USATF Coach | NYRR Distance Pacer
Dad of twins

LOL!

I WISH I was the one being pushed :(

I'm not a father yet - but I can't imagine my niece making it through a marathon without murdering every contest in a fit of absolute "boredom rage"

I have no problem with someone going out for a run with their kid(s) in a stroller, but trying to set PRs in the process just puts them at unnecessary extra risk. Save the PR runs for when you're solo and have only yourself to worry about.

-David

Totally disagree.

I have a 2.5yr old, and can say that because both my wife and I work full-time, on weekends, there was NEVER enough time to workout unless I took the baby with me. Literally almost all of my outdoor runs (definitely all of them over an hour) for nearly 2 years were stroller runs. I kept it honest too - not just running easy - I even did intervals and hill sprints with the stroller to keep whatever speed I could.

I still lost some top end speed compared to my PRs, but it was likely a function of overall decreased training vs just stroller running deficiencies. As a result, I looked forward to setting new 'stroller' PRs in 5ks and 10ks, as there was no chance I could PR standalone.

As for the safety issue, it's very safe. Just use good judgment, don't barrel through slower runners ahead, and you'll be fine. I read the post above about how someone's kid went flying out of the stroller, and I can say that's probably a tall tale - the BOB and all other strollers have 3 or 5-point waist/shoulder strap systems which make it impossible to eject your child. My wife has inadvertently tipped the stroller (was tied to my Golden retriever, bad idea when it got distracted) and the baby was just laughing when it went over since she was so well protected.

It does get annoying to start in the WAYY back though. I lose the first 1.5 miles of every race whenever I start in the back - may try and start in the middle next time, especially since I usually end up near the front by the end.

Just found this thread again. Did the OP ever end up racing with a stroller?

I do all of my weekend runs with my BOB Ironman Duallie now. It's great! The twins will generally sleep about an hour or hour and a half in it, so I can put down 10 or 12 miles easily.

I won that race I had mentioned wanting to run (straight out win, not AG) pushing the stroller. Won a few others since then and a few AGs. Ran the Battle of Brooklyn 10 miler this past weekend pushing my now 20 month old twins. Did pretty well (27th out of 400) at a dead-even 7 min pace average. The kids were awake the whole time and liked all the cheering.

There's nothing like blasting past people in a race pushing a double stroller.

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Empire Tri Coach
Team Gatorade Endurance
USATF Coach | NYRR Distance Pacer
Dad of twins

I usually start back a bit but on the far side and then just peel around people in the first minute or two. My race last weekend started on a downhill. Gun went off, I veered to the side and must have passed 200 people in the first minute, my garmin read 4:55 and my twins were wild laughing.

A couple of smaller, lower key local races the RD has let me start on the line (he knew me). I still start off to the side and will always move back if anyone ever complains. I'll blow past them when the gun goes off :-)

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Empire Tri Coach
Team Gatorade Endurance
USATF Coach | NYRR Distance Pacer
Dad of twins

I also have won one outright, which was fun for an old Grandpa.

Running season is just around the corner. I have a single and double stroller ready to go.

I get to push my new grandson at 5 months old in the Nov Turkey Trot 5K. I start in the front on the side since I tend to be faster than most
and try not to get in anyones way.

Might be pushing my 4 year old grandaughter in the run section of a half iron man coming up.

They are only little for a while that they fit into a stroller. Trying to make the most of it while it lasts.

.

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Sorry for dragging up an old thread, but was trying to look up 5k stroller records without much joy but this was one of the hits.

I ran 17:08 with my nearly 3 year old today in a trail ParkRun in London, and was wondering where that would rank in the global picture. Clearly not very high if folk are running 33:45 for a 10k :D

On another note:


If anyone is tempted by that Phil & Teds Sub 4, then don't. I bought one a while back as I assumed it would be a massive improvement over my old-school £25 eBay Super-Jogger, but was very wrong. Turned out to be incredibly unstable at speed, and virtually uncontrollable as the rear wheels self-adjusted to toe-out. Sent it back for a full refund. The Super-Jogger is more capable, simpler and lighter anyway :)

Cheers, Rich