7 Lessons Learned Running With My Kid
Rob Jones- May 11, 2017
- 5 min read
A couple of months after my son was born I was gagging to run regularly again. But I was bat shit tired. I had no life. AND PARENTHOOD SAID NO.
The HUGE thing I very quickly learned as a new dad was:
When new life appears, yours gets jacked.
When I look back at the days before the mini-shouty-person arrived I didn't have a clue. I could train when I wanted, as long as I wanted and run as much as I wanted. I face-palm at the thought of how utterly naive I was about parenthood. I NEVER REALISED WHAT I HAAAD <sobs into hands>.
Flick forward to the first few months of daddydom. I had precious little in the way of time, let alone energy. What hours in the day I could scrape together went working to boost family income and supporting my exhausted wife tidying toys and wiping bums.
Then along came freedom in the shape of a running buggy (otherwise known as stroller if you live in the US).
Now the childcare would fit with my running, yes? I would be free to run regularly once again, yes yes? And we could all go back to pre-child running behaviour, as a family, yeeeess?
Well not exactly....
Here is my countdown of seven things I soon discovered about running with my little one. Some of these I learned the hard way. Read friends. Learn from my mistakes.
Mistake 7
Bumpy terrain = Angry child
You covered a short trail run with ease last week, so you decide to run next time with the mini-person onboard A quarter of an hour later you’re covered in mud and the front wheel of the chariot is completely flat and trapped in a bush. Oh, and your child is VERY shouty. So what happened?
This was the result of what I like to call BAPS (Barely Awake Parental Stupor). In essence: selective route amnesia due to your batshit tired brain - most likely caused by a certain little person angrily shouting for jelly at 2am.
Your brain had carefully recorded details of the previous run. But it omitted all those bits about bumps, roots, mud and that steep narrow section with the spiky shrubs, you know, the one with the wheel puncturingly sharp thorns.
In England off-road footpaths also often have these things called stiles - weird wooden steps that help you climb over fencing. I ALWAYS forget about these. Most off-road runs involve me precariously lifting both chariot and the shouty person within over these. Bad dad.
Solution: Plan your routes carefully. If you’ve plotted a route or have one in mind but not sure how suitable it’d be, walk it first. In fact make it a family outing, take your time, explore and check out potential obstacles.
Mistake 6
Normal strollers make running really shitty
There’s a world of difference between a running stroller and a fold-up town stroller.
Anyone who’s had to run to catch a bus with a normal fold-up stroller will have experienced wheel wobble. Ever get that juddery trolley at the supermarket? You know the one that constantly steers into carefully stacked aisles? Now imagine that situation going 9 miles an hour with the child strapped to the front. Yes, not nice.
Proper running strollers are designed to travel smoothly and safely at speed. There's a longer distance between the front and back wheels, and they generally have three big bouncy air-filled wheels, the front one fixed in place.This helps them stay stable an upright. That's a good thing. Plus they have lots of other safety stuff like hand operated brakes, safety wrist strap things (that no-one really uses) and quite often suspension.
BUT your common or garden fold-up has a much shorter distance between its big foamy wheels, these can also spin independent from each other in all directions. The whole thing is smaller, lighter and more manoeuvrable. Perfect for the market. Not so good for mud.
Solution: Invest in a running stroller. Head to Gumtree or Craigslist to see if there are any decent secondhand ones. Luckily some friends donated their old running chariot to me - maybe check if your baby friends has an old one you could borrow/steal.
Mistake 5
Speedwork and buggies don’t mix
Running super-fast over road and trail with a kid in the front is pretty damn shitty for you, and I'd imagine underwear filling for your mini-passenger.
Fast hill repeats might seem the perfect efficient way to spend a Saturday morning, but haring up and down a bumpy track with wee man upfront will more than likely lead to an accident. PLUS YOUR RUNNING FORM WILL SUCK BALLS.
Solution: Keep speedwork, hill repeats and sprint finishes for non-buggy runs and enjoy more easy-steady runs with your young ones.
The same advice applies to those of you regular sprint finishing parents at the local Park Run. I wouldn’t.
Mistake 4
Headphones were a bad choice
Plug in your headphones and you’ll be transported to the instant motivation of the dub step/drum and bass/deep house/power ballad variety.
You’ll also block out the sound of the world around you. That's cars, other runners, oh and that little person in the front who’s been shouting at you for cake for the last mile or so.
If your kid's uncomfortable, freezing cold, or has the blinding noonday sun in their eyes you can bet your own eyes they’ll be letting you know, loudly.
Solution: Be a good listener as well as a great runner, leave running with headphones for another day.
Mistake 3
Really long runs make the passenger shouty
Unless you’re superorganised enough to synchronise runs with nap time (I'M NOT), then chances are longer runs with a stroller are out of the question.
Not only did long distance runs test my son’s patience, but they also increased the chance of run-terminating stuff happening like flat tyres and ear splitting hangry tantrums (mine of course).
Moral of the story: Keep your buggy runs to a 30-40 mins max and maybe add something into the route to keep them interested, like a trip to the park.
Mistake 2
Don’t blame it on the sunshine
I like to think us runners are hardy folk. No matter how biblical the weather gets you’ll see people training outside. Battling miles through face-numbing wind, snow, hail and rain.
Young children in strollers are less hardy and need protection. You might be sweating, but sat still in a stroller they’ll be cold. And angry.
Solution: Make sure to wrap your kid up warm. And take a sun-blind and waterproof cover just in case.
Mistake 1
"Daddy want Bunny/drink/snack"
You want to enjoy the run. You want them to enjoy the run. So bring snacks. Nothing's better than snacks. Apart from Bunny. Bunny’s better than snacks.
Solution: Run prepared. Bring everything you need to keep your child comfortable and happy. Before leaving go through your checklist of essentials:
* Healthy snacks? CHECK.
* Drink? CHECK.
* Comforter and dummy (pacifier)? CHECK.
* Nappies (diapers), wipes and bags? CHECK.
* Deeply unhealthy emergency snacks in case of uncontrollable hunger tantrum? CHECK.
Have I missed any? What are your feelings about running with mini shouty person? Any tips you want to share? They’ll be VERY gladly received.
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