First off, I am proud to say I got in 9 miles with the kids IN the stroller. We had our THIRD gorgeous sunny day this holiday weekend and I needed the sunshine so I saved my run for Susanna's naptime both yesterday and today. She will sleep in there for most of the ride and it is the only way I can get her to nap when she isn't at daycare. Jack falls in and out of sleep on our runs but so long as he has crackers and a bottle he's the chill, content, laid back little man he always is.
I decided to avoid the trail today since Susanna has been complaining that it's "too bumpy" so we went from our house past the metro, around Nottaway park and through a couple neighborhoods in Oakton. The kids were fast asleep and we were on the sidewalk. I try to be polite when we pass people and will veer off the trail/ footpath if I possibly can. Well, we were on a sidewalk that did not have an easy way to get off, and a woman in flourescent pink gloves was walking briskly in front of us. She heard us coming and just kept walking. I paused behind her and figured she would step out of the way. She did not. I said "Excuse me, would you mind if we passed by?" She turns around, glares at me and my children, steps off the sidewalk and doesn't say a word. I jogged on by and about a minute later my GPS tells me I've hit 4.5 miles and it's time to turn around. I decide to avoid the sidewalk jam on the way back and so I take the street for the the next few minutes. I wave to Flourescent Pink Glove Lady as I pass. The gloves do not return the wave, nor does a smile reach her lips. She just glares back at us.
Jogging Stroller Hater.
99% of people are awesome when I'm running with the kiddos. A few weeks ago a 70+ year old man called out that I was setting a wonderful example for my children. Lots of people have cheered me on, cars generally will stop for me at streeet crossings on the trails, and people will move out of the way .
Most people. But every once in awhile you get a Jogging Stroller Hater like the one above.
Or the woman at the grocery store I encountered when Jack was 2 months old. I had finished my run at Safeway and was picking up some grocery items for dinner. I was in an aisle that had a display and a woman (with two kids in her cart, mind you) had parked her cart in a way that I couldn't pass. She says to me "Can you get through?" I say "No, I don't think we can fit." (Take note -- we are at the END of the aisle. All she needs to do is move her cart back a little bit into the main shopping lane.) She replies "Well then I guess you are just going to have to go all the way around." and points to the other end of the store.
Jogging Stroller Hater.
I was so annoyed with her that I posted the epsisode on Facebook. Most people commented about how rude she was, but at work the next day, one of my co-workers said "I saw your post, and I have to say, I HATE those double baby joggers! They take up so much room! I hate when people take them to the grocery store!" I looked at her and said "You do realize they take up less room than a shopping cart." Sheesh! My jogger fits through a single door. When I grocery shop I bring a reusable shopping bag and put everything in there. Pardon me for saving energy by running rather than driving to the store, and for not putting both kids in a cart where my daughter would likely scream to get out the entire time and I would give in and she'd run out the door and into the parking lot. (Oh wait. That happened last week at Target.) I am a much less disruptive cusomter when my kids are strapped into a stroller, thank you very much.
There was even an article in the Washington Post that discussed people's hatred for the bulky double strollers. They don't want them on the Metro. They are a pain in the tush at restaraunts. Parents who think they are entitled to take those big strollers everywhere they go need to think again and be considerate of those without children.
I think I am pretty considerate. I wanted to end my run at Starbucks today but the stroller didn't really fit into the sitting area. So we finished next door at Safeway at the "mini Starbucks" instread, where there was ample space. Even so, some people still glared at us as I had to maneuver the B.O.B. around some chairs to get to an empty table.
Remember people. You were a baby once too. Just sayin'. Don't be a Jogging Stroller Hater.
LOVE IT.
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