Jogging Stroller Dad

Routines

I run with the kids in the morning, before work and school. Of course, everyone's schedule is different and you should do what works best for you!

With any run, regardless of length, I've found you have to check three boxes:

I'll try to stick with durations below, rather than distance, since that is most likely to impact the kids (and you)!

Getting out the door is key! So, especially when you're working against the clock (getting to school, getting to work, picking up from school, etc.), preparing in advance is key. Getting everything you need together ahead of time, helps reduce stress, and gets you to running faster and ensures commitments don't rob you of miles! This is also one place of many that the bunting (more info) shines for us. We can get the kids out the door with minimal wardrobe changes (staying in pajamas, foregoing jackets, no shoes, etc.) by piling them in their buntings and heading out.

Short Runs (Less than 1 hour)

Most of my runs are “short runs”. Regardless of what this might mean for you—walk/jog for 10 minutes, jogging for 30 minutes or jogging for 56 minutes—this will likely be your most common run.

For a morning run in our house, we first have to decide: breakfast at home or breakfast-on-the-go? A number of factors play into this (weather, age of kids, ability of kids to actually eat while on a run, etc.) so this will likely be very customized to your family and schedule.

Most mornings, we opt for breakfast-on-the-go. This consists of some sort of carb (cereal in a bag, muffin, bar, etc.) along with fruit, yogurt pouch and drink. (Note: here's the bunting (more info) again! We can get the kids out in cool weather—40 to 50 degrees—and they can still eat and stay warm in their buntings).

That's it! A diaper change/potty break before we leave, a water bottle for me, and we rarely need to stop along the way.

Medium Runs (1–2 hours)

If you're going to be out for over an hour, food, water, and potty-related issues may arise.

Additionally, the comfort of the kids becomes much more crucial. The kids might sit through 30–40 minutes a little hot or cool, but making it over an hour likely won't happen.

I won't beat the bunting drum again for colder weather :) but yes, that is very helpful here. In the summer, you'll face the same challenges (see below for more information on winter and summer run tips).

When it comes to what to bring, this is where a jogging stroller can really shine. You typically have storage in the stroller itself, as well as underneath and in any additional storage you've added to the stroller. I love the BOB design as they have pouches inside for the kids, on the back of the seats, as well as underneath the stroller.

We'll usually bring breakfast (if we haven't eaten) as well as our typical mid-morning snack (pouch of applesauce or yogurt). I ensure I have my water and typically some extra for the kids. Depending on the temperatures, they might be able to just crib off of my water but aside from an extra pound or two, adding a bit of water to the setup isn't going to be that noticeable (and it's not exactly something you can substitute if the kids are thirsty).

Finally, we ensure I have diapering equipment, our first aid kit (every run of any length—not just for us but anyone we might see along the way), and any weather-related modifiers (fans, cover, etc.).

Long Runs (2+ hours)

The 2+ hour run is really what turned up the enjoyment of running with the kids to the highest level for me, and I didn't hit that point until 2024, in my third year of running with the kids.

I built up gradually and found that the kids enjoyed the runs as much as I did. Admittedly, like so many things in life, this will depend on you and your kids. Some kids (and some parents) don't want anything to do with 2 hour stroller runs. Obviously, it's not necessary to run this long with the kids.

For me, I was someone who loved and did miss the punishing endurance of marathons (never did do an ultra…) and the long weekend runs. When I'm out running, there's fewer places I'd rather be. There's something that just clicks for me.

So, as I gradually got to longer and longer runs with the boys, I saw that it might be possible to stretch it out over 2 hours.

When I started running over 2 hours, two big things changed:

In marathon training, I did my best to simulate the race in every long run. I would try to time my eating, hydration and bathroom visits to eliminate or minimize stops. I didn't stop unless absolutely necessary.

Trying to convince the kids to stay put for an hour or two was fairly easy for me (luckily). Asking them to hang in for 3.25+ hours? Nope.

So, we started stopping. It started small: running around the field. Stopping at the pull up bar at the beach. And it evolved. And what it evolved into was full-blown playground times mid-run. We would stop for 20–40 minutes (sometimes more) and the kids could let loose. They loved it. Long runs were looked forward to. The promise of playgrounds got us through a lot of inter-kid squabbles mid-run.

I found I didn't dread it. At first, the thought of stopping and not running on a long run was horrifying. I'm wasting steps that aren't being tracked. My splits aren't accurate. And so on.

Rather, I loved it. It was great to have time with the kids at the park and getting to do what we both loved. I was getting to spend sometimes upward of 4 hours with the kids, doing what I loved with them, and they got the playground. And, snacks. Lots, and lots, of snacks.

I definitely swung the metronome too far in the snack direction when we crept up this long. I'd have bags of snacks in all varieties. Each kid would have two or three bags of chips, an apple, yogurt pouch, gummies, and sometimes more in one run between breakfast and lunch. We quelled that, which I can spell out more, but I think at a duration over 2 hours, you just need to figure out how to entertain the kids and ensure they're as happy as possible.

Adjustments

Cold Weather / Winter Runs

With proper equipment, the duration doesn't have to change, but some adjustments/accessories we add:

Hot Weather / Summer Runs

Rain

Potty Training