If you are a Mom and a runner chances are you will at some point run with a stroller. Don’t worry! It’s not as awful as it is sometimes made out to be.

I realized pretty early on in Easton’s life that I would have to run with the stroller quite a lot. During the first 3-4 months of his life he was OK with sleeping in his Rock n Play by the treadmill, but as he began to grow older I realized that the time of that would be short lived.

You see Easton loves to look around and be a part of things. He doesn’t like to just lay there – he wants to be in on the action! I tried several times to place him next to me in his pack n’ play but he just wasn’t having it. The boy simply wants to be part of the action!

I accepted this fact and knew that if I wanted to train for a marathon, or even just run then then running with a stroller was going to quickly become a big part of my life.

You can read my review of my running stroller (Thule Urban Glide) here.

If you follow me on Instagram, earlier this week I shared some of my running tips for being able to get in just about any type of run with the running stroller. Sometimes it takes a little planning, but it can be done!

I thought I’d share my tips and tricks for stroller running to help those who are just beginning this journey or looking for new ideas to help entertain your little one while out on your run.

Time your run around nap time. This obviously can change as your child gets older, but I try to time my run around when he is going to be due for a nap. He usually will babble, play, and just look around for the first 10-20 minutes but typically 9 times out of 10 he’ll sleep for about 40ish minutes on the run.

Go out with a full belly. Every morning the first thing we do after we get up is nurse. We go get dressed, play for a bit, visit with Daddy, and then will have some breakfast. Then we will get ready to go out for a run. This helps him be more relaxed for the run and helps him to get in a good nap as well.

Bring toys but save them for when they are needed. When I first started running with the stroller I used to throw toys in with Easton. I found he typically didn’t play with them and then when he needed something they were already old news. Now I take 3-4 toys with us and keep them in the stroller but don’t hand them to him until he needs it. This avoids us playing the “pick up game” throughout the run. Half the time he entertains himself with the stroller straps or the pacifier I attach to him with a clip.

Bring water. If your baby is old enough to drink water, bring it along! This is great for those hot summer months but it also works as great entertainment for him.

Bring snacks. Easton isn’t quite old enough yet for this, but other running mamas have told me having snacks on hand is a great way to entertain your child. Having some healthy snacks will keep them preoccupied while you are running.

Learn to enjoy singing and running. It takes some practice but sometimes when Easton is having a harder day I will sing to him and it calms him right down. We also love to carry on conversations and even though I may look crazy talking to my baby who can’t talk back, he loves it!

Bring ice. A few quick tips to help during the summer is to bring ice packs and keep them in side pockets of the stroller. Easton also really likes ice chips so bringing them along in a yeti cup or something that will keep the cold and giving them to him as he needs it is a fun way to keep him occupied.

Run with another person to help alternate pushing duties. When my husband and I are able to run together we will alternate who is pushing the stroller every mile or so. This really helps break it up and it gives Easton someone to look at as well. You’ll be surprised too just how quickly you feel like you can go once you are no longer pushing the stroller.

Be patient and embrace it. At the end of the day we are running with our babies! It’s not always going to go perfect, some days it just won’t work, some days it will require many stops, and it’s important to just be patient and enjoy the journey. Good or bad days I enjoy every single second I get to be out there and run with my little man.

Play music. My little man loves music some aside from singing to him I also like to play music for him especially if we are just running around our neighborhood or it’s quiet out on the trail. It usually puts him in such a good mood.

Have FUN with it! Stroller running isn’t always easy. Some days it’s hard and can make running more difficult BUT it’s so rewarding! It not only has made me a stronger runner but I absolutely LOVE going out there with Easton. It’s a memory I treasure and I know one day I will miss these days so I truly focus on treasuring each moment!

What’s your biggest tip to other stroller running mamas?