Running strollers… worth it?

[Am99]

I love running and it’s the one thing I’m missing from my life since having a baby. My husband doesn’t come through the door until 7:00, so running when he’s home is not really an option once we’ve had dinner and the days are getting darker . I run on the weekend when he’s home but I would like to do a couple days in the week.

Parents & in-laws are miles away so I can’t phone mum to come and look after the baby for an hour whilst I run. Seems so pointless to pay someone for childcare for such a short period…

which leaves me wondering if a running stroller worth it? Probably is for the points listed above. Or a treadmill? I used to do park run and saw pts of mums with their babies. They are expensive but do they last a long time as the child grows??

You can sell it again once you're done with it, they hold their value well.

You don’t say how old your baby is - I think they may have to be above a certain age to run with them. (Guidance may have changed)

I got a second hand running buggy and used it for years. 2nd child hated it, but first child loved it as long as I had a supply of mini rice cakes to keep passing down to them!
I had no space to store it in a flat, so it was kept in the garden underneath a tarpaulin.
i would recommend a second hand one - just give it a go!

Yes it is worth it and you are worth it!

See if there are second hand ones maybe .

Yes they are worth it imo and they are also great for off-road walks.

Definitely worth it. We had a second hand BOB revolution, great for running as well as off road walks and became our main pushchair. Sold it on when we finished with it!

My two love it. Such a good way to keep up with running. You can do races with them too! Buy secondhand and you’ll probably make most of your money back when you sell.

I invested in a really good and honestly I'm getting rid of it is because I need to get a double one so both kids can sit in it

Another option is a back carrier but I wouldn't recommend until baby is over 12-18 months or so so their neck is strong enough. I took my daughter on a few (very slow) runs like this. She loved it.

@NibliaBiblia what that work for my almost three year old? But like she's still like a 2 year old in size

I was very fortunate to be a tester for the Thule Cougar Chariot on MN back in 2016.

I jog occasionally, cycle a lot, and walked my dogs (now just dog) daily.

This model was excellent as it can be a pushchair on two front wheels, a jogger on one large front wheel, and can harness up to an axle point on a bike to become a bike trailer (there are other features such as skiing attachments!)
The mini wheels and bike harness can also be attached so that you tow the carrier into town, park up, then switch it to stroller mode to push around town.

Since 2016 I have used ours so much, for all sorts.

I loved being able to jog with my LOs, the cabin inside is v roomy and comfy, more often than not I'd get home and they'd be asleep.
It is a bit cumbersome and as they got bigger it was harder to turn.
It was a fairly large model so a bit unwieldy in a narrow shop aisle for example. It folded up to get in the car but still a bit of a push getting it into my large estate boot. Had to take wheels off etc

Loads of storage for shopping bags etc
Absolutely waterproof, never got kids wet even in torrential rain with two disgusting dogs running around nearby!
I used to see lots of ppl running at like Go Ape type places and some had put pretty little fairy lights around the frame.

Generally this sort of item is a good buy, definitely worth it if you're going to be active with them.
If you're in the SE I will gladly give you mine. You'd probably only need to check you're happy with the straps as it's been sat in our garage for a year or so (possibly nibbled at...)

I also got a treadmill when my youngest was about 2.
This has also been a good buy, it was off Marketplace as I wouldn't have afforded this model brand new. Still working 5ish years later. It's good to pop on for a short jog when the kids are on school holiday and I don't want to leave them, or in eve after bedtime.

This is v roomy despite it being a fold up one. Luckily it fits in the garage and we keep it out most of the time.

Good luck, it definitely feels worth getting something to do an activity you enjoy doing.

He’s 7 months with good head control / sitting up unaided so I think if I were to get one I could use it pretty soon!

I’ve seen a few second hands ones on FB so I think I will give it a go!

Out and about nipper is an amazing pram!! I’m not even a runner but I walk really far and it’s so comfy for my two ( we have the double) it’s incredibly easy to push- only downside is occasional wheel punctures as they are air filled!

@Butterflysunshine01 do you know if the double one is good for a 2 year old and in a few months her sibling?

My sons are 7 months and 2.5 years and it’s been amazing! I have definitely needed the double as my toddler takes his nap in it every day- and littlest one takes most of his naps in it too. The sun canopy on each seat has been brilliant during this hot summer. We have the V6 version , we used the bassinet attachment
until my youngest was about five months but it is quite small and he’s very long! I find the seat is very comfortable for them- they don’t seem to be pushed forward against the straps like a lot of prams do, it’s like the seat properly supports their back.

@Butterflysunshine01 thanks I'm only asking because I'm having a baby next month and my all most 3 yo Is stull as small as a new 2 yo so it seems like she won't grow much

We got a secondhand one and it was worth it for the aĺl-terrain tyres alone as we do a lot of walking in the hills. Think we sold it for what we paid for it too. Only downside was it was way too bulky for towns/cities/,buses etc

We had second hand ones and loved them. The Thule buggies are brilliant. I think they're 6month+.

If I were you I'd go along to parkrun one weekend and ask for recommendations as the other parents are likely to let you have a closer look and a little push (bring your baby and another adult otherwise this comes across very weird).

Maybe! Depends on you, the carrier, the baby. If you don't hand one to have a used fabric carrier is around £5-25 second hand. It's not for everyone but if you're tempted give it a go :)

Thanks all! Pleasantly surprised at how much use everyone seems to be getting so I think I’ll invest in a second hand one. I’ve seen a few ‘Thules’!

My little boy is in a three wheeler, off road wheelchair for all of our walks, my advice (from bitter experience) is to carry a can of this stuff if you are off-roading/running a distance! It costs about £3 from Lidl, it not only seals the leak but it inflates the tyre too.

There is nothing worse than being miles from home and getting a flat tyre. My tyres are now lined with Kevlar tape but we still pick up the occasional thorn.

Definitely worth it for me! I had a single one for my daughter then had baby number 2 so got a double running buggy, they are 2 & 10 months old now and they both love sitting in the pram cheering me on (and telling me to speed up) while I run!

Definitely. I got a 2nd hand cougar chariot in 2016 when my first was 6 months. Have used it almost daily for 2 kids for 10 years, started taking 2nd one out in it from about 3 months. I call it my freedom machine. For me it was the difference between me enduring the early years and genuinely loving them.

I've used it for all types of runs - 20 mile adventures, interval sessions, hill reps, races. Even site visits for work. Wore through two sets of tyres. On childcare days it meant I could do lots of things at once - get in a run, go somewhere nice, pick up some shopping, do errands.

Its made it easy to do whole family adventures that are satisfying for everyone - older child biking, me getting in a run while pushing younger child and carrying what we need, other parent doing a longer bike ride and meeting us etc.

Downside is that it takes up more space than a buggy - so if you get one and find you don't use it it can be an expensive waste of space.

We got an Out'n'About sport back when my eldest was 6m old and it was an absolute gamechanger - meant that my husband took the baby out and i got some chill time, and then when i was up to it started running myself. It was so good for getting some fresh air and my eldest absolutely loved going at pace, just needed to take plenty of snacks so we could go for longer and then get out and splash in puddles when needed!
Had my youngest 2 yrs later and did the same, then took it as our only buggy and went around europe and could fit a 2yr old in buggy and sat the 4yr old on top (shuushh!) they were also quite happy sitting on each others lap in it. Bloody love that buggy!! We also found that once you took the wheels off it could fit in footwell of middle seat so was so easy to fit. Honestly have so many fond memories and still have the buggy now even though the boys are 5 & 7!