Ready to have a go at running with your buggy? Here are my top tips…
- Pick your moment
Choose a time of the day when your little one is fed and happy and you feel energised.
For me, this changed over time. I liked to run early (8:30/9am ish) when DD was very small, as she would nap in the buggy and still have a proper sleep in her bed in the afternoon, so I could get stuff done around the house or even put my feet up for a bit – bliss! This was also the perfect time for jogging to a local baby group.
As DD got older, I found the ideal moment was mid-afternoon, when I would feel motivated to get my exercise in before collecting the older two from school. She was cheerful and would sing or chat to me whilst watching the world go by and (of course!) eating her biscuits.
If you are still breastfeeding, it goes without saying that you should feed your baby before struggling into your sports bra!
- Gear up
Obviously by now you have a running buggy and you’ve set it up correctly for the weight of your child and your own height and comfort. Now pack the following :
- the raincover… or sunshade… or possibly both! I’ve been caught out more than once and now never run without the raincover stashed in the back pocket of the Chariot
- a warm blanket, woolly hat and mittens for your baby (if it’s cold out)… or a sunhat and sunblock (if it’s hot). Remember your little one will be much more exposed to the weather than you are whilst running
- water for you
- emergency sugar for you (a few sweets, biscuits or dried fruit… whatever picks you up)
- a muslin rag / burp cloth / small towel (for wiping up any kind of mess)
- something appropriate for your little one to play with (see my post here for top buggy toys by age)
- snacks for your child (again, depending on age)
- a change of clothes, wipes and nappy/diaper for your baby (even if you think you won’t need it)
- your phone and wallet and (these days) a mask
- (for all but the youngest babies) bribery Smarties (see here)
- Choose a route
- As far as possible, set off from your own front door. That’s the beauty of running! Zero carbon footprint.
- Start short – perhaps there’s a block you can run around – you can always do it twice if it’s not long enough.
- Quiet cycle paths are better than pavements as they tend to be wide and smooth. Most decent running buggies can cope with off-road pedestrian paths and trails, so long as they are wide enough and not too strewn with rocks.
- I often picked routes that would keep me close to public transport (there’s an excellent tramway near me), so I could always bail out and jump on the tram home if I ran out of steam. Thankfully this never happened, but I was close once or twice!
- Have fun
Get your running kit on, strap your little buddy in and go for it! Do not for an instant feel self-conscious, you’ve got this. I’ve become a familiar sight with my running buggy around here, but still get shouts of encouragement. It’s one of the things that makes buggy running so special – people are really impressed! And you will feel amazing when you get home, full of fresh air and good vibes.
