DT Active Life 050617 for web-REVISED

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Our writer finishing up a late winter run with her son and, opposite, crossing the finish line at the Memorial Mile. On a Roll One Stroller-Pushing Mom’s Running Tale by Alex Kochon PHOTOS: Jody Katz, Opposite photo Courtesy of Alex Kochon Monday, May 30 of last year started off as ordinary as any other day. It was one day shy of my son’s first birthday, and I had planned to spend the Memorial Day morning at home while he took his morning nap. There was a parade in town and perhaps, if he woke up in time, we’d go to it. I had gone the year before, so pregnant that I couldn’t zip up my rain jacket, and the year before that, walked my dog along Glen Street in Glens Falls as we checked out the spectator-lined parade route — which doubled as a race course. Nap time came and went, and my little one was still awake. I considered that Memorial Mile running race. It’s just a mile, I thought. We could totally handle that. It was a beautiful spring morning, T-shirt weather — a no-brainer for getting outside. I reached out to my parents and brother who was in town with his girlfriend. “Anyone want to do this race with me?” His girlfriend immediately replied yes. She took care of registering the two of us and we planned to meet before the start. As an aside, not an excuse, I’m slightly infamous for cutting times close. You could call me late, but I don’t like that word since I’m usually right on time. Usually. With a kid, multiply my tendency toward tardiness times 1000. It’s not easy getting out the door, now add in the lastminute decision to run a 9:45 a.m. road race. Always mindful of the speed limit (scout’s honor), I arrived in downtown Glens Falls with minutes to spare. But karma, or the running gods, or the real God, was on my side. I found a parking spot within view of the start and launched into what would become my pre-race routine: Park. Gather necessary clothes, water, money, etc. Grab the Thule Chariot (a.k.a. the Ferrari of baby joggers, thanks to a collective baby shower gift) and assemble in less than 45 seconds (not exaggerating, I’ve timed myself). Pull the stroller to a safe place alongside the car, load the baby (who’s already dressed in appropriate clothes and layers), toss in some sunscreen, a snack and water for him, and definitely his bottle, and off we go. By the time I got to the start, I think I had three minutes to spare. My family was getting a little anxious about my whereabouts, but we met up in time for me to get my racing number and pin it to the stroller. I hadn’t had a conventional warmup, but I was definitely warm. I took a sip of water, offered Matti his bottle and lathered him with sunscreen. 28 | DACKS & TOGA activelife
We lined up near the back and focused on the one-mile, point-to-point race ahead. My only goal: don’t clip anyone’s heels with the stroller. I soon found that was far easier said than done as I gradually picked up speed along the fast-and-flat Glen Street. I had started out faster than I had expected, but this was only a mile, so I decided to keep pace with several young kids running with (or sprinting away from) their parents. Before the race’s halfway point, there was a noticeable trend of among the littlest ones as they faded hard, some even stopping in their tracks. I darted around them, with Matti chatting the whole way. Six minutes and 59 seconds after starting, we were done. How’s that for a workout? It was my first race in a long time, and I’ve never been much of a runner, so I was pleased with the effort. Upon careful inspection at the finish, Matti was happy, too. We met up with our family at the finish, walked back to the start, and continued on with our day. Something about how impromptu that day was and how positive the experience was, racing with my son and listening to him giggle as he watched other runners, stuck with me. After that, I jumped into (meaning, I signed up on race day) about a dozen other road races last summer, all around 5 kilometers (or 3.1 miles) long, with the exception of the Firecracker 4 Mile on July 4, which I pre-registered for. I pushed Matti for all but three of them, and had a surprising realization as we raced into late fall: I got faster. In fact, I ran almost as fast as I ever had at that distance, which was during college, as a mom one year out from having a baby. The other unanticipated transformation I had from running with my kid was that, for the first time ever, I truly began to love running, and moreover, racing. I would wake up on a given Saturday or Sunday morning, and if the weather looked promising, I would scan the local road-race registry. If one looked doable, I’d gather all of our necessities for the outing and load up the car, almost always cutting it incredibly close. Never fail, we’d make it to the start — sans warmup — which was fine because Matti doesn’t like to sit for more than 30 minutes anyway. I’d line up among the other racers with a clear mind. I wasn’t nervous, there were no expectations, I didn’t have to impress anyone (besides Matti, who mostly just didn’t want me to stop). At any given time, we could be done if he wasn’t happy. It started raining during one of our 5 k races, so I pulled over to put the stroller’s rain fly down and make sure the blanket was tucked around him. I considered walking after that (I was having a tough race on a hilly course; not exactly an advantage when you’re pushing a 40-pound stroller and 20-pound baby), but the worsening weather pushed me to finish quickly. It was one of my slowest races, but it was all “...for the first time ever, I truly began to love running, and {moreover, racing.” good. Matti stayed dry, he took a long nap later in the day, and together we had accomplished something. I know he won’t remember last summer and all the races I brought him to, but those are memories I’ll always have with him. While I used to leave races soon after finishing, all too eager to get on to the next thing, I’ve mellowed and become more relaxed, more supportive of the other finishers, the other stroller pushers, the other parents running with their kids. Sometimes, we earned medals, which Matti proudly wore around his neck. Thinking less about myself and more about the experience heightened my enjoyment and appreciation for these kinds { of events, with almost all of them benefiting different charities. So, to other moms and dads out there with children young enough to push in a stroller, or children who might be interested in doing a threemile race with you (most of these races also have shorter fun runs for kids), I encourage you to go for it. It’s a lot of work getting there, but you’ll be better — physically and mentally — for it. In terms of tips for running with a child, I have a few: n DO pre-register if you know you can make it. It will save you time and money (usually at least $5 cheaper than day-of registration) and you won’t have to deal with paperwork or payment on race day. n DO check the weather, especially if you have a little one riding along in the stroller. Keep in mind that they’re not running, so they won’t be sweating while you might be. Make sure they’re dressed appropriately, complete with a hat, sunglasses (or sun shade, if your stroller has one) and sunscreen, if necessary. And if it’s going to rain, consider skipping. Puddles are tough to dodge, and you’re going to get really wet behind that stroller. n DO check the race organizers’ website or posted rules before the event. If it says no strollers, don’t be that person running with a stroller. There’s a reason they asked you not to, so pick another race (or have someone watch your child and see how fast you can do it solo!) n DON’T plan to run with a stroller in a race with 3,000 people. Take it from me. Bad idea. n DO go with the flow. If you’re not having a great race, or something comes up and you have to stop or make adjustments, roll with it. Finish as strong as you can, or turn it into a different kind of workout (for one race, I alternated between jogging and short sprints. The baby loved it. You can turn it into a game, telling them to prompt you, “Ready, set, go!”) n DO check in on them immediately after. I know too well what “I’m going to puke” feels like at the finish, but you probably shouldn’t be pushing yourself to that point when you’re running with a stroller, and if you are, the feeling should pass quickly. As soon as you can after finishing, pull off to the side and face your child as you give them a big smile. They’ll associate that with happiness and be excited the next time they get in the stroller. DACKS & TOGA activelife | 29
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