Baby Joggers - Useful or good for nothing?

Hedge, no offense, but that has to be one of the most retarded questions ever posted here (up there with conversion charts for roller blades).

You should be using the baby jogger for one reason: to spend some time with your kids while running that you might not otherwise get to spend. That's it.

It's not about your training, how fast you are running, etc. If you are that serious, you shouldn't be running with a baby jogger to begin with

Sonia O'Sullivan = not serious

Rice a Roni,

Sonia O Sullivan doesn't run interval workouts, speed work or tempo runs with three kid baby joggers.

Lets be realistic, or are you disagreeing with my basic premise: that you shouldn't be using a baby jogger as a training enhancement device, as the original poster advocated?

Hedge, definitely run with the jogger, as some of those are miles you probably wouldn't get in otherwise. I've got two small kids and a double jogger, and used it all the time for a while (youngest is 4 and on training wheels now!). About 10 miles was the limit for me, as the kids got edgy or I ran out of snacks! I'm not fast, especially on this board, but I think it actually helped my training. Man, did I feel light going up hills without it!

Remember the miles Chris Clark said she put in pushing the jogger prior to her Oly trials win? She felt like it helped her strength, and people were even asking her how often she lifted.

As far as the tempo run, different activities (cycling, swimming...) do not always transfer too well on HR of course, but running and "pushing" should be pretty darn close I would think! Again, for me the key was just the freedom to get in some training I'd otherwise miss, and that's gotta help.

John

Thats not the question he asked.

he asked if any serious runners i.e. elites run with baby joggers and the correct answer is YES many do.

You can run a lot of your weekly base mileage with a stroller, just be carefult that it doesn't throw off your stride or cause you to lean forward excessively while running. You can even get fat tires and take them off road. Common sense dictates that you won't take it to the track and run 40x400 while pushing it...you don't need a teacher to tell you that.

Rice a Roni,

Do me a favor and read the posts, reply to the posts, then drink your longnecks.

He asked numerous questions, including whether fast people run with them. Again, since you are purposefully being obtuse, the point of a baby jogger is to spend time with your kid and still be able to get your run in.

The point of a baby jogger isn't to borrow your neighbors kid and try to get a better work out or your heart rate up above normal.

Are you trying really hard to be a jerk or does it just come naturally?

Irish Famine,

I don't get it. He asked a stupid question, I set him straight. You made a stupid reply, I corrected you as well. This isn't rocket science, guys. A baby jogger is used so that you may spend time with your child and get a run in; the proverbial killing two birds with one stone.

Everything else is ancillary at best, although in reality, irrelevant.

If you don't think you are getting a good enough workout, then you missed the point above: its not about doing tempos, vo-2 maxs or anything like that. If you are that concerned about your workout, don't use one (to which Irish Famine chimed in, Sonia O Sullivan runs with one). I don't care. Good for her. She obviously isn't concerned about the effects (pro or con) and is more concerned about spending time with the kid as opposed to training.

The question the guy asked is no different than the redneck that wonders whether or not he has lost his "cool" look because he has a baby seat in his camaro. The baby seat isn't supposed to make him look cool.

Til

Kindergarten,

What in the world are you smokin'?

Teacher,

I appreciate your enlightening efforts, but you are off base. Perhaps you have a simple enough life as to not have to ever make sacrifices to fit your running in, or maybe, you are to self-centered to have ever made any significant sacrifices. Nevertheless, you may still find yourself someday trying to make the best of an imperfect situation.

I can assure everyone that I am not using it improperly. I don't race with one. I don't prefer to train with one in hopes that it will make me better as opposed to not training with one. I don't run hard with it in congested areas. etc. etc.

My question pertained to whether or not it is in the least bit beneficial to run 7min pace as opposed to 8:30-9:00 pace with the stroller. Thanks for your genuine concern for my fathering... I especially appreciate it when it comes from individuals who think they know all about raising kids when they have none themselves. Lastly, your camaro example is ludicrous, but at least worth a few grins.

To what degree does running behind a stroller, pushing it, change your stride? When your stride is off, does the risk of injury increase? I would say yes to the second question and the highest to the first.

It seems to me that the manufacturers of these useless baby-loving devices need to place a disclaimer on the strollers: "Proper use of this stroller could be harmful to your health, specifically, use can result in plantar faciatus, tendonitus, knee problems, stress fractures of the foot, the femur, the hip, and of other various places, nose bleeds, internal bleeding, bleeding from your eyeballs, and overall fatigue."

Seriously, however, if you want to train to race, then figure out how you race and train in manner that will best prepare you to race in that fashion. If you race like a lumbering zombie with your arms outstretched in front of you, then practice with a baby stroller. If you race like a normal person, don't use the stroller to train.

If you want to spend more time with your kid, then spend time with your kid---don't further your own interests under the misguided belief that you are helping your child.

Brown

Hedge,

I agree. Teacher, sometimes someone needs a slamming, but this wasn't one of those times. Seems to me that you're a guy who needs to learn to pick your battles.

Hedge - sure, go get one and use it. If you end up running more because of it, then there's a benefit.

As you know, all Teachers have kids.

What will benefit you more--a 7 minute training pace or 8-8:30 pace? Hmmmm.....

Brown

I find it hard to believe that SugarCane and Teacher are not one in the same. Is it really possible for two people to have identical levels of dimentia and equal levels of skill at simply contradicting others for the sake of pissing them off? You (both) have gone way too far with your arguments in this and other posts to warrant any more credibility, if you had any to begin with.

Great... how would a 7:00 with a jogger compare to a 5:30 without one? Same, close, or it's a different type of exercising altogether? Actually, I've already been given my answers... but I am just making a point to show how silly your retorts have been.

If it is 10 degrees and snowing at a rate of 5 inches per hour and you are running up the side of a mountain, how long does it take you to run an 8 minute mile?

Brown

Bush,

I gave you your answer, you just didn't like the answer I gave you. "Make the best of an imperfect situation". Why you self centered fool. What, running getting in the way of your kids? Maybe you shouldn't have had kids if they were going to interfere with your ability to break 20 minutes in next 4th of July Firecracker 5k?

I told you the point of the baby jogger, I use a baby jogger myself. I don't go out there and do wind sprints with it, I don't run through stop signs even if I am having a good day. I stop when my kid gets antsy even if I have a good run going.

Again, you ought to enjoy the fact that you are spending time with your kids instead of being so self centered about your performance.

If I have a fever (104 degrees) and I am coughing up flem while puking at the same time, and I run at a consistent pace of 15 minutes for a 5k, do the conditions I ran under make me a faster runner?

Brown

8 minutes (duh). But, did you receive greater physiological benefits doing that 8min mile as opposed to an 8min mile on a track on a perfect day? If so, how much greater?