The happenings of my hectic and eclectic life!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Strolling Along

Sometimes you just don’t know what you’re missing out on.

I think there are lots of times in life where you can get caught up in your daily routine. Just going about your business, not really realizing things can be different. Things can be better.

I purchased my first jogging stroller when my son, Kaleb, was about a year old. I was just starting to get into running and I thought it would be a great way to multi-task on the mornings I stayed home with him. At the time I could run about two miles on my own. Not knowing how it would work out for the two of us I decided to purchase the “cheapest” jogging stroller I could find. After reading tons of reviews I decided on a Baby Trend Expedition stroller that I purchased at Target.

For the last two years the Baby Trend stroller has worked out just fine. For my purposes it held up rather well, but I do think it depends on how serious you are about running with the stroller and what surfaces you are going to be using it on. We used the stroller once a week to participate in my Strollers in Motion workout class through Mommy Movement Fitness [www.mommymovementfitness.com] Depending on the weather we also run one to two times per week, about three miles each run. We run on the sidewalk along city streets which means tons of bumps and uneven sidewalks. Then for some reason in Wichita the sidewalk mysteriously ends in the middle of the city block and then starts up again. This I will never understand.

We mostly run the same route. So this has resulted in me developing quite the system for making it through our 3 miles. There are several times when I have to lift up the stroller, walk quickly through the grass and duck to avoid low hanging tree branches. It takes quite the concentration. One wrong move and BAM - we hit the sidewalk wrong and everything (including my iPhone) goes flying out onto the sidewalk. Stop, reload and we are off again. Depending on the day we could experience this technical difficulty more than once a stroller run, or not at all.

But again, when you don’t know any different you go about your daily routine doing the same thing. Never realizing things could be so much easier.

Enter BOB Stroller.

I had heard plenty about BOB Strollers and I know tons of Mom’s who own them. I’ve heard nothing but the best about them. The only thing shying me away was the price. It took a little convincing. I can’t say my husband jumped up and down at the idea of spending a good chunk of change on a stroller. But it was worth. every. penny.

I purchased my BOB Revolution SE Single Stroller from the Jogger Mom website www.joggermom.com
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Here’s a picture of my new BOB Stroller after I finished putting it together!
The stroller can purchased here http://www.joggermom.com/BOB-Revolution-SE-Single-Stroller-_p_99.html
I also purchased the handle bar console http://www.joggermom.com/BOB-Handlebar-Console-Single_p_82.html
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Kaleb testing out his new ride! He told me, “Mom, you ride and I will stroll!”

I could tell from the first moment we headed out with the new stroller that things were going to be different. I can not believe hard I was working before. I’m going to have to find another way to burn off the extra calories I used to push my first stroller. We took our usual route and I could feel the hesitation mounting as we got ready to hit the first uneven part of the sidewalk. It was amazing!! We flew over the bumps without a single problem. (Kaleb didn’t have to hang on for dear life) At that point I was totally hooked. The difference was unbelievable. My run was so relaxing I actually found my mind drifting for a while....

Kaleb says he really likes his new stroller! I used to joke before that running with the stroller was my “make up” run if I missed my run I was supposed to do on my own. Although I love going out with Kaleb, it was sometimes a total hassle to take the stroller out. Now I can really enjoy our runs together! There are so many things I love about my stroller, but a few of my favorites are that the handle bar hits me right at my waist, the handle bar console has cup holders that are so much deeper, the whole inside of the stroller seat is padded and the sun shade is so much bigger! Things have been massively improved for both of us. 

If you are thinking about purchasing a BOB Stroller, I highly recommend using http://www.joggermom.com. I was very impressed with the personal customer service I was provided from Jogger Mom. After purchasing my stroller I received an e-mail from the founder, Kelly Morse, sharing with me her personal story. When you call for assistance with your order you are also connected to Kelly directly and if she is not available you can leave her a voicemail message. When is that ever the case?!I also received a follow up e-mail a week after I received my stroller asking me if I was happy with my purchase and to review my item online.

Owning a jogging stroller has allowed me more flexibility in my routine. When things get crazy and something gets in the way of my regular workout schedule, then it provides a great back up plan. It allows me to do something for myself without having to find a babysitter and I think the fresh air and sightseeing are good for my son. It’s time that we get to spend together discussing what we see. And it always helps to have him telling me to “go faster Mommy!”

As I mentioned earlier, I think it depends on your needs for a jogging stroller and how much you plan on using it. My personal experience is that this is an instance when you get what you pay for. My only regret is that I didn’t purchase a BOB stroller two years ago! I’m happy to hear “I told you so,” from anyone who wants to throw one my way!