The Croozer

The Croozer at the waterfront, where we run almost daily

My running hit a bit of a hurdle towards the end of last year.  Between us, Dean & I work long hours, along with caring for the kids without daycare and plenty of other interests that take up a lot of time.  We were finding it more and more difficult to fit in running and keep the balance of our family.  I was lucky if I was getting in 1-2 runs a week, which was much less than I would've liked.

So, we decided that it was time to purchase a double running pram.  It wasn't an easy decision, as they aren't cheap, and finances were a bit tight.  I started doing some research and found that double running prams pretty much don't exist in Australia!  First I looked online and found some wonderful prams with fantastic reviews - but they're not stocked down under.  I went into a few baby shops and the response was basically "why on earth would you want to run with 2 kids in a pram?!?" (fair question I guess!)

I figured my only option was to get one from the USA and find a way to get it posted here.  It seemed like a lot of effort and a lot of unknown factor.

Then I discovered the buggies.  These are the ones that can attach to the back of a bike, but can also be used with a standard pram swivel wheel at the front, or a fixed, large, running wheel.  These ones are available at many bike shops, so that's where I turned my focus.  Thankfully, a few bike shops nearby actually stocked these, so I was able to actually see them in the flesh, as well as check online for reviews and recommendations.

All kitted up for a bike ride!

We ended up going with the Croozer Kid For 2.  It's the most expensive of the ones we looked at, but we were able to get an amazing price, which really made it worthwhile.  It is fantastic and Dean & I love it (so do Hope & Jed!)  It is smooth and light to run with, has a nice long handle, heaps of room plus drink bottle holders for the kids, in-built covers and more.  We haven't regretted it for a second.

Now, we are both running about 4-5 times a week, Dean usually in the morning when I'm at work, and me in the afternoon when he's at work.  On the weekend, one of us can do parkrun with the kids and we can go for runs as a family.  We've only had it for 2 months, but it has given our running ability and fitness levels a massive boost - we LOVE the freedom it's given us!

In action at Sandgate parkrun

This ability to train whenever we want (not just when the other one is home to look after the kids, or having to arrange Nana to come and babysit!) has opened up huge opportunities and is a major factor behind the decision to run a marathon.  There's no way I could fit in the training runs without it.  So in that regard, it's been totally life-changing!

As long as the pram is equipped with water, snacks, books and toys, the kids love it and we often hear the cutest little giggles and conversations (today was "I love you Jeddy, you're my best friend!" and "Jeddy, say bicycle.  BI-CY-CLE.  Good boy, Mr!" Okay, okay, let's be honest for a moment - we do also sometimes have to stop to break up fights or pry Hope's hair from Jed's fist!  She then proceeds to tell him he needs to go to time out in the pram!

Until a few months ago, I didn't even know that running with the kids would be an option - now I couldn't live without it!  I'd recommend the Croozer to anyone - having young kids doesn't have to stop you from running - just take them along for the ride (literally!)

Running sure is hard work!