In 2019, our family PCS’d to Shaw Air Force Base—home of the 20th Fighter Wing.  This is our first base with a Fighter mission…each day, we are treated to an airshow as the Vipers scream overhead.  The kids love it, and it is certainly plenty of motivation for us when exercising and hear the screeching sound of freedom through the sky. 

On June 30, 2020, a tragic plane crash at Shaw Air Force Base shook the entire community- both the base, and the local Sumter community.  1st Lt David “MEZr” Schmitz lost his life doing something that he loved- flying planes.   Immediately thereafter, the Sumter and Shaw AFB community responded with red ribbons on mailboxes to show support for David’s wife, Valerie, his family, and the 77th Fighter Squadron community.  Close friends and family in the F-16 community sprung to action to care for 1st Lt Schmitz’s wife, and to keep his legacy strong— they swiftly founded the Lt David Schmitz Foundation which fundraises to benefit those aspiring to be aviators, like Dave, who are “passionate, hard-working, and have a strong will to succeed!” 

A Memorial 5K on the Shaw AFB flight line, serves to honor 1st Lt David “MEZr” Schmitz, who gave his life in defense of the United States.  This run is important fundraiser for the Foundation, and more importantly, an incredibly meaningful experience for all participants.  A run on the flight line is a fitting way to remember Dave, as it combines his love for aviation and running. His wife, Valerie, shared that when they were stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Tacoma, Washington), Dave was a member of Tacoma Runners- a running group that hosted weekly runs and social gatherings.  Dave enjoyed fitness—he competed in several races including a duathlon, many half marathons, 10Ks and quite a few 5Ks.  Overall, Dave enjoyed working out and he loved being able to measure his fitness progress— whether through completing more reps in a set, adding more weight during an OLY lift, or running a bit faster than his previous time.  Furthermore, Dave motivated and inspired Valerie to push a little harder and run a little faster.  Valerie and Dave ran their first half-marathon together; although finishing at separate times, Dave was there to encourage and cheer for Valerie as she crossed the finish line. 

The first 5K in 1st Lt Schmitz’s honor took place on a gorgeous and bright day on the Shaw AFB flight line.  I found out about the Memorial 5K run through a running friend that needed to borrow a double stroller.  Over the years, our family acquired many “wheeled items” in our garage— most of which consists of our running stroller fleet!  I was happy they reached out as I then learned about the memorial 5K.  Our whole family completed the 5K through a combination of running, biking, and stroller pushing/riding!  Though this became an event through a horrific tragedy, runners were incredibly motivated to run for 1st Lt Schmitz, and kids taking to the course were bursting with excitement as they raced their bikes along the same runways that the Vipers use. This was my first road race in South Carolina after running numerous trail Ultra-Marathons, and my first time running on a flight line.  I could see everything- from my friend over a mile away being the first across the finish line with his dog, my kids and their friends not far behind him on their bikes, and my husband about ½ mile away running with our daughter in the stroller.  As I ran, I saw a sea of red (runners wearing red squadron shirts) and thought about WHY we run. We run to remember. Every race is exciting, but this race was, and still is immensely powerful.    

​Additionally, during the entire month of June 2021, Valerie created and challenged herself to complete the “MEZr Challenge” in honor of Dave:

• Pick a workout, any kind of workout, as long as you can measure progress, and complete the workout 4 times improving on each.  4 times represents Dave’s time in the 4th Airlift Squadron️.
• For an endurance boost, choose an activity (running, walking, hiking, cycling, etc.) and either complete that activity for a total of 77 minutes or 7.7 miles (or km if that is your preference). 77 minutes or 7.7 miles to represent his time with the 77th Fighter Squadron ️
• This challenge can be done in a day, or over the course of a few weeks, or even a month. Each “MEZr Challenge” is unique to each individual’s personal goals ️ 

 
For Val’s “MEZr Challenge” she gave herself the month of June to complete the "Manitou Incline" 4 times in the month of June, each time improving upon the last. She has done it 3 times so far and next week she needs to beat 1 hour, 14 minutes. #FlyFightLiveProudforSchmitty
 
Many will have the opportunity to run the Memorial 5K race on 30 June 21.  Anyone can run this race as it is also being offered virtually, for more information please visit the following link- https://www.ltschmitzfoundation.org/5krun .  You can also create your own “MEZr Challenge” in honor of 1st Lt David “MEZr” Schmitz.

Happy Running!
-Rose 

In May, Stroller Warriors® Lewis-McChord organized a community outreach event for a local youth shelter— The Coffee Oasis Pierce County. 
 
Established in 1997, The Coffee Oasis is a faith-based, non-profit organization that offers the community an opportunity to gather at local cafés, drink delicious coffee selections, and provide youth with the housing and resources needed to thrive.  The Coffee Oasis continues to be a source of hope and opportunity for youth between 13 and 25 years old.  100% of the cafes’ proceeds directly support the Coffee Oasis youth programs. 
 
In the local area around Lewis-McChord, hundreds of Pierce County youths are living on the streets, finding a different couch to sleep on each night, or living in temporary shelters.  Many of these youth battle depression, isolation, addiction, and trauma.  In August of 2019, The Coffee Oasis opened the Tacoma Shelter, the first 24/7 emergency underage youth shelter in Pierce County.  The Tacoma Shelter offers youth 13-17 years old a safe and encouraging place to live while they work towards sustainable housing and employment.
 
Our Warriors at Lewis-McChord arranged a month-long donation drive to collect necessary items--toiletries, laundry supplies, clothing items, and gift cards.  Members also purchased items from the Amazon wish-list provided by the organization. 
 
Thank you, Stroller Warriors Lewis-McChord, for your dedication to the community and for organizing a heartfelt community outreach event that will have a large impact on the youth in the local community.  If you are a military family near Lewis-McChord and would like to come run with us, request to join Stroller Warriors® Lewis-McChord at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StrollerWarriorsLewisMcChord/

By Doug H.

​What does Stroller Warriors mean to me (or as my 5-year-old daughter calls it “running ladies”)?
 
My first experience with Stroller Warriors was in 2016 when my family was stationed in Landstuhl, Germany.  My wife’s office was directly across from the base track. Whenever I visited, I saw a group of people running around the track with their strollers and thought it was cool!  I was (and still am) a stay-at-home dad-- the idea of having people to run alongside who also have children looked and seemed exciting.  Unfortunately, all the scheduled runs clashed with my daughter’s nap times.  About 2 months before we PCS’d back to the States, a member of SW Ramstein asked if anyone wanted to join for a long weekend run.  I gladly took part and was pleased to learn that a fellow Warrior (Kristen H.) lived only a couple houses down from me and my family. Although my time with SW Ramstein was short-lived, I was determined to participate in another SW chapter when my family and I moved back to the States. 
 
We PCS’d to the Uniformed Services University on Walter Reed’s campus in Maryland.  The closest Stroller Warriors chapter was located at Fort Meade, Maryland— about 30 minutes away without traffic. However, the traffic did not stop me from getting involved.  As soon as we arrived, I began running with the amazing Warriors at Fort Meade.  It was a group of people that I instantly befriended, as we were all military spouses with a shared love for running.
 
One memory of Stroller Warriors that I thoroughly enjoyed was the 2018 Patuxent River Trail half-marathon.  A group of us from the Stroller Warriors Fort Meade signed up to run this challenging trail race.  It was a particularly snowy year and a good part of the trail was covered in snow!  Having the support of my fellow SW running family was wonderful— we met before the race and cheered for one another as we ran.  The encouragement that came from having friends motivating each other during the race was incredible. I finished the race second overall, but running this half-marathon with fellow Stroller Warriors made a particularly hard course into an unforgettable memory. 
 
Unfortunately, my time with Stroller Warriors Fort Meade went by quickly and we soon moved to Joint Base Lewis McChord.  Again, I wanted to be a part of this amazing group and that is exactly what I did!  After joining a new chapter, I found instant friendship and bonded with fellow Warriors over the challenges of being spouses of military members— we all experienced hurdles related to military life, but it makes a world of difference when I can talk about these challenges with my running friends. 
 
I have been a part of SW for five years and have thoroughly enjoyed each chapter.  I hope to always find a chapter to join no matter where the Army sends us.  I joined SW to find friends with a common passion, but I found much more and consider each member an extension of my family. 

By Katie J.

​Becoming a member of Stroller Warriors® changed my life in more ways than I ever thought possible. In high school, I was active in sports and running cross-country; however, my running tapered a bit after graduation.  I had my first child, our family moved overseas, and soon thereafter my husband deployed.  There I was-- alone with a baby in a foreign country. One day, I came across a flyer for Stroller Warriors Lakenheath. I was not sure about running again, but I knew I needed to make some friends. I attended my first Stroller Warriors event and fell in love with the group.  At my first workout I was extremely nervous, but these nerves quickly subsided as the members greeted and welcomed me. During the run, one lady ran alongside me through the entire run and continued to boost my confidence by staying by my side. She could have easily left me behind, but instead she stuck with me every step along the way. This Warrior became one of my best friends and I treasure our friendship to this day-- even though we are now thousands of miles apart! 
 
As an active member of Stroller Warriors Lakenheath I fostered the most amazing friendships-- we celebrated birthdays, holidays, countless new babies, and achieved some remarkable mileage goals. Being part of Stroller Warriors helped solidify my motivation to get out and run-- even through the English rain! These fellow Stroller Warriors made running enjoyable and instilled my newfound consistency and a drive that had been missing for some time. 
 
Like all good things, my time with Stroller Warriors Lakenheath ended. Our family PCS’d to a base without a Stroller Warriors Running Club and I found myself struggling to make friends. My heart ached missing my Stroller Warrior running friends at Lakenheath.  This is when I decided to make a positive change and open a Stroller Warriors Chapter at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. Stroller Warriors Lakenheath undoubtedly helped me through challenging times and my hope is to provide that same light for the members here at McConnell. There was much excitement building on the Stroller Warriors McConnell page as we geared up for our inaugural event on May 20th! It is thrilling to see the excitement from our Warriors as we all make new friends and enjoy some exercise!

Stroller Warriors® considers community outreach to be a valuable piece of the Stroller Warriors mission.  Along with running and fitness goals, Stroller Warrior chapters strive to support the local military and civilian communities through charitable events, donation drives, community clean ups, and philanthropic opportunities.

Stroller Warriors Charleston recently volunteered with Katie’s Krops. The mission of Katie’s Krops is to “empower youth to start and maintain vegetable gardens of all sizes and donate the harvest to help feed people in need, as well as to assist and inspire others to do the same.” The organization has a heartwarming and incredible backstory—  

The inspiration and idea for Katie’s Krops began in 2008 with a 9-year-old girl, Katie, and a cabbage seedling from a school project.  Katie planted and cared for the cabbage in her backyard—it eventually grew to an astonishing 40 pounds!  With the desire to help those in need, Katie donated her extraordinary cabbage to a local soup kitchen in North Charleston.  Her special vegetable supplied food for over 275 people.  This was a life-changing experience for Katie and moved her to create local vegetable gardens where the produce is donated to feed people in need.  Today, Katie’s Krops has over 100 gardens growing across the U.S. 
​
For more information about Katie’s Krops, please visit their website: https://katieskrops.com/

​Our Warriors and their mini warriors put their green thumbs to use lining and filling garden beds with soil in preparation for planting produce— at the same time, they also enjoyed the outdoors and soaked up the sunshine.  Their efforts will lead to fresh fruits and vegetables for those in need!

​Thank you, Stroller Warriors Charleston, for organizing a bountiful outreach event!  If you are a military family near SW Charleston and would like to come run with us, request to join Stroller Warriors® Charleston at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SWCharleston.

The get-up ranks a very respectable #2 in my “Foundational Five-the-Thrive Kettlebell Exercises.” I first read about it in Pavel Tsatsouline’s book The Russian Kettlebell Challenge. The description was along the lines of: it comes from a friend in the Brazilian Ju Jitsu world and it is a way to get from the floor to standing. It has evolved to be more technical over the years. Keep this sentiment in mind as you practice: The only wrong way to do a get-up is practicing without intention, without purpose, and without safety as an outcome. In other words, you can tailor your get-up to work for you. 
 
Every runner knows the toll their sport puts on their hip flexors. Hip flexors being the minimum of our bane. Tight hip flexors, low back (usually the “QL,” quadratus lumborum and psoas) aches and pains, shoulder musculature stiffness, optimizing breath and musculature, etc., etc., The list can be extensive for any runner!  We stretch before, after, between, and sometimes even during running bouts. 
 
Some of us are not born particularly flexible or liking to stretch to improve flexibility. The get-up can be a novel way to target mobility, flexibility, stability, and fluidity of your body mapping. Who does not like the sound of that carry-over to a smoother and more enjoyable run?
 
It is a true beauty in the sum of its parts. Now we will break down those parts and relate them to how they can be an alternative, or perfect addition, to your current stretching and flexibility programming. 
 
*** Before we start our “How-To,” I highly recommend practicing get-ups without a kettlebell for a solid session or two of at least ten minutes each. You can then try using a light dumbbell to get acclimated to having weight in your hand and overhead for a few sessions. Once you have the SKILL of moving through its transitions, only then should you add a kettlebell. Ladies start with a 15-pound kettlebell, gentlemen start with a 25- or 35-pound kettlebell. The kettlebell breathes a whole new dimension of life into the get-up, so be ready for lots of additional stabilization when you advance! ***
 
Even though you will be starting your first-ever get-up practice without a bell, visualize that you are using a very heavy bell. Respect the process here and now--you will thank me later! Get-ups themselves do not require a lot of space— just enough as tall as you are lying and then standing with your arms stretched up over head.  I do recommend having a nice open area— away from people, pets, and anything valuable. Even though the get-up looks standardized, it is not easy! It is going to also put your visual and vestibular systems through their paces!
​

​How-To:
Start with lying supine (on your back) on a floor that is kind to your knees, but not squishy and unstable. Your weight (or once you add it) will be at your side on the floor— at belly button level, no higher than chest level, and about half a foot away. Do not make the mistake of lying so close to your weight that you have to wriggle your way to get your grip on the handle. This is just silly...and it looks it! It is not a solid start to what should be a solid drill.  Whatever side your bell is on, that side knee is bent with the foot flat on the floor. 
 
Let’s Roll!
-Roll your whole body toward the bell, let’s say you start with it at your right side. 
-Roll to the right.
-Grip it by the handle with your right hand from the underside. 
-Put your left hand on top of the handle and your right hand’s fingers. 
-Bring that baby in close with both your hands, pulling it toward your right armpit. 
-Roll to your back, with the bell now at your right shoulder/armpit, still holding with both hands.  Use both hands to raise it up over the right side of your chest. 

*** At this point, we want to get the weight into a solid position so that as we move up from the floor and into standing, it is locked down and into the socket. We will be working all the little stabilizers in and around the shoulder, in addition to the triceps, as well as the big back lat muscles. Meaning, if your shoulder is not engaged, but instead it is just pressed up and floating around without the help of all the upper body, you are totally defeating the purpose of this part of the get-up. Get the shoulder down and away from the ear. Keep a “long neutral neck.” ***
 
Now that the load is locked-in, you can release your left hand and place it at about 45 degrees from your left side. You do not want it so close that you can not use it as an assist in the next step, if necessary. 
 
Bonus drill #1: A helpful drill in and of itself, at this point, is to move the shoulder into internal rotation then external rotation a few times. Do this with no weight or exceptionally light weight! Think of it as an accessory proprioceptive mapping exercise. It is not a circus move like the full-blown get-up has a history of with strong men like Arthur Saxon. 
 
Bonus drill #2: You can also practice moving from supine to prone (from lying on your back to lying on the belly) with the shoulder up and overhead here. Again, use a light weight, or no weight at all to feel through the mapping of this bonus exercise for your shoulder. You can then do a few internal/external rotations lying on your belly too. Stretching all the tissue in a new way may help your run feel a little lighter from your shoulders being looser! Go slow and intentionally with these. 

​Get-up Sit-up
-With your arm down and in the socket and your weight above your chest, (NOT YOUR FACE!)
-Eyes on the bell.
-Dorsiflex your left foot: Extended through the left heel towards the opposite wall.
-Take a belly breath in to protect that spine.  (Keep your left heel glued to the floor!)
-“Punch and crunch” up to either propped on your left elbow, or fully sitting up, both with a proud chest!
 
Bonus drill #1: This sit-up can be worked for reps: going up to sitting (or elbow as a modifier), then rolling one vertebra down at a time, to lying. Work it repeatedly, focusing on keeping the shoulder down and in, and the spine long, with a proud chest at the top. 
 
Bonus drill #2: I like to do a handful of thoracic anterior/posterior glides here to feel through the mapping of the spine under an awkward load. Anatomically match the glide with the breath for a fun little breathing drill. 

​Lower body transition
Now that you are in a full sit-up, we need to get your lower body ready to stand-up! There are diverse ways to get your feet into position to stand. I will share the two basic lunge transitions. 
 
1. Leg switch
If you are heavier, or new to the get-up game, I prefer you practice the leg switch to get into your kneeling lunge stance. It is admittingly more intuitive. 
 
-From your full sit-up position, your right knee is still bent from the beginning of this part, and your left knee is still extended. 
-You are going to bring your left shin behind your right foot by sweeping the left heel in toward the right foot. 
-Simply lift your right foot at the proper time to get the left shin behind your right heel. 
-Now you can use your left hand to push yourself forward with a little momentum as you shin roll on the LEFT shin and move into a kneeling position.
-Your left foot will be at a funny angle, under your right thigh here, so spin that knee with external hip rotation on the left side to get that left lower leg’s toes pointed behind you.

​2. High Hip Bridge
The hip bridge has a lot of value. But if you cannot do it, or never advance to it, do not throw your get-up practice out altogether forever! It is just a way to do get-ups, it is not THE way. 
 
-To set-up for the hip bridge, actively press your right foot down and your left hand into the floor. With this energy going into the Earth, you will raise the opposite energy up into your hips.  You will look kind of like a slanted cross here. 
-Squeeze your glutes hard to get a little extra extension out of the hips and really work those pelvic floor muscles, the QL, and even psoas. Your quads will be working hard too!
-With your hips high, you have plenty of clearance to sweep your left foot toward your right heel, and under your right glute.
- Pull your left knee in so it is under your left hip. And now we have a nice right angle at the top of the right hip and knee, and the pelvis toward the left side, with the left knee also at a right angle. A cheesy way to remember this part is: If it is a right angle, you are not wrong! 
- Then you can spin the left knee so the lower leg is pointing behind you like you did in the leg switch get-up. 

In a kneeling lunge, with your right-hand overhead, YOU MUST RE-CHECK YOUR SHOULDER!
 
*Look straight ahead now. Check the shoulder is down and in the socket, the elbow is straight and locked out, and the wrist is straight.  Just as in boxing, “there is no wrist in kettlebells.” From your forearm straight up to the sky is flush and straight. No broken/bent backwards wrists!

​Bonus drill #1: If you have been practicing yoga or get-ups for awhile, this is a fun little mobility drill to toss in at this kneeling lunge spot! 
 
Lower your torso, by using a right lateral hip hinge, over to the left into a mini-windmill. You can place your left extended arm (or forearm!) on the floor to the left, nice and close. Then breath in, stabilize the low back and core, reverse the windmill to a straight up spine. The spine stays long throughout this! It is a HIP HINGE, not lateral spinal flexion. You can throw in some shoulder internal/external rotations when your down in the windmill or in your kneeling lunge. Good stuff (it’s done slow and controlled and for good reason)! 
 
Bonus drill #2: A good old runner’s lunge while we are here isn’t a bad idea! Take it slow and steady and check that your shoulder can control and withstand your load before you move through the feel of this one. Match your breath with the forward and back of this mobility drill to really release tension in the hip flexor on the right side. Remember to flex your left glute to stabilize your low back and protect it! 
 
Before you move from kneeling to the next part of our get-up, tuck your back toes under, (in this case the left toes). You will have much better leverage than if the top of your foot is stretched out on the floor. 

​Up Top
We are almost half-way there! Stay with me. It gets simpler!
-From your kneeling lunge, with the left toes tucked under for leverage, and the shoulder in check, look straight ahead and stand straight up. 

​Try not to propel forward at all here—it is bad news for your knee. 
 
There is no shame in using a prop if you need a little extra help from kneeling to standing,
Get a bench, stable chair, low table, even a solid couch arm, at the left side to push into so you can stand UP, not forward then up. 
 
You are standing! Woohoo! You made it!! Safely lower and rest your bell if you need a little breather here. I would not blame you! This is tough work. It is resiliency work! 
 
If you are good to go, let’s reverse!
 
Reverse
One way to learn the get-up in a way that may make better sense to you, is to start here, at the standing press overhead point. I often coach it from here when the floor to standing is too overwhelming. Something about getting down is wired more naturally in us. 
 
Bonus #1: Once you have learned a variety of exercises, it is fun to put them in here as part of a flow. For example, you can do a get-up, then lower the weight and press it back up. You can add a squat and/or snatch somewhere in there if you are creative and up for it. Kettlebell flows can be fun because it feels like “playing out” instead of working out.
 
-From standing with your bell in a solid lockout overhead, you will take a big step back with your left leg (when you reverse, you always step back with the OPPOSITE side leg from the bell overhead).  Make sure to give yourself enough room to lower the right knee to the floor. 
 
-From the big reverse lunge, slowly and with kindness lower your left knee to the floor. You will be tempted to just drop into the lunge. Resist the urge and keep control. Your knees do not need any more pounding. They get plenty of that on the pavement! 
 
-From your kneeling lunge, hip hinge to the right and lower your left hand to the floor TO YOUR SIDE-NOT BEHIND OR IN BACK OF YOU! 
Keep the shoulder and weight in check!
 
-From here you can start to distribute your weight into the upper body, curl your left leg in toward your right heel.  Keep sweeping the left foot out to extend the knee just as it was when we started, using more of the upper body to take the load to stabilize this kick through.
 
-With the left leg out straight again, it is time to slowly lower yourself using your core muscle back down to a fulling supine lying position.
 
Final Phase: the lower
You are not finished with your get-up until you’ve CAREFULLY rested your weight on the floor and walked away SAFELY.  Lowering your weight back to the floor is just as important as any other part of the exercise. Don’t discount it and don’t trip on your bell when you walk away!
 
Lower you bell by using both hands. Get the left hand back on the handle and your right hand, just like it helped to raise it in the beginning. You have learned by going through the full get-up, that just because the bell is on the right, does not mean the rest of the body is on cruise control. “All the body. All the time.” 
 
Two hands help the bell to the right armpit.  Two hands stay on it as you roll to the right side and safely rest your bell on the floor.  Remember, you are not finished with the set until you can safely leave the scene. 
 
Practice Session
You have the swing under your belt from my first article and now the get-up! If you never learn any other kettlebell exercises than these two, you have a huge benefit in your back pocket! Honestly, you do not even have to do swings and get-ups with a kettlebell. You can use dumbbells to practice until you get to a kettlebell. However, the dumbbell is stiff, and it will not have the same dynamics and “life” the kettlebell has. It is just a matter of physics. Gravity pulls differently on them, especially in motion because of how its handles are fashioned. Kettlebells feel a lot more playful than dumbbells to most folks, but do not let the absence of having a kettlebell stop you from doing get-ups and swings!
 
Here is something simple (but not easy) to get you going with these two exercises:
 
Set a timer for 10 minutes:
 
-Even minutes practice swings 
No need to count reps unless you want to best yourself or keep pace.
 
-Odd minutes practice get-ups 
A proficient athlete can get in one full get-up on the right in 30 seconds, one get-up on the left in another 30. So really no more than two total get-ups here (if you’re doing them properly).
 
You can, of course, move through the get-up with very light weight and work the bonus mobility drills to warm-up for your next run! Or make the ten-minute session above a finisher to your next outing. Just remember to have fun. It’s your run!

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Thank you Sara C. for your continued contribution to the SW community.  Need to catch up?  Revisit Sara's previous kettlebell pieces:

https://www.strollerwarriors.com/blog/from-running-to-kettlebells

https://www.strollerwarriors.com/blog/kettlebell-swings-how-to-and-how-can-they-help-my-run

Stroller Warriors® considers community outreach to be a valuable piece of the Stroller Warriors mission.  Along with running and fitness goals, Stroller Warrior chapters strive to support the local military and civilian communities through charitable events, donation drives, community clean ups, and philanthropic opportunities.

Today we bring you the story of Stroller Warriors Parris Island and their creative community outreach project—Photos and Philanthropy.  Organized by Jenn A., this brilliant project aided a local community organization called Second Helpings.

Founded in 1992, Second Helpings is a volunteer led nonprofit organization with a mission to prevent food waste by rescuing food from grocery stores, restaurants, and other channels.  Volunteers collect and distribute food year-round to local nonprofits feeding individuals in the Low Country area of South Carolina.  Over the years, Second Helpings supplied over 32 million pounds of food to residents in need. 

Jenn A. opened 9 mini-photo sessions to members of Stroller Warriors Parris Island.  Time slots were first-come-first-serve and required a monetary donation to Second Helpings.  The mini-photo sessions beautifully captured several of our Stroller Warriors and their families with elegant flowing Spanish moss covered trees and bright pink azaleas in full bloom in South Carolina. 
​
Thank you, Stroller Warriors Parris Island, for organizing a lovely community outreach event!  If you are a military family near SW Parris Island and would like to come run with us, request to join Stroller Warriors® Parris Island at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SWParrisIsland.

Do you need an easy gift idea to make for others?  Perhaps for Mother’s Day, Father's Day, a volunteer gift, or to help a friend celebrate a recent milestone. Whatever the reason, a wristlet for keys is an extremely easy and thoughtful homemade gift!

Read on to learn exactly how to make them. Happy sewing!

Materials you need:

1. Old cammies or any fabric cut into a 2inch x 10 inch strip.1 inch Webbing cut into a 10 inch strip.
2. Key fob hardware
3. Sewing Machine (needle, thread)

If you would like to add names or other words (like “half crazy”) you will also need a silhouette, cricket, or other similar vinyl cutting machine. Cut the name ahead of time. The name needs to be less than 1 inch tall. I generally make the name .75 of an inch tall.

Steps:

1. Cut the webbing to 1 inch and the fabric to 2 inches x 10 inches.

2. Burn the edges of the webbing with a lighter to melt pieces together and prevent future fraying. 

3. Iron the 2x10 cloth piece in half. Open the cloth piece and iron one edge to the halfway point. Repeat for the other side. See below photo for what it should look like at the end of the ironing process.

​​4. Stack the freshly ironed cloth piece onto the webbing so the edges of the fabric are touching the webbing. Stitch these pieces together. I like to use a longer stitch for this top stitching, generally a stitch length of 3. Repeat for the other side.

​***Note, you can color coordinate your threads to match or contrast the top and bottom colors as you wish. Below is top and bottom of what the finished product should look like.***

5. At this point you may choose to apply the name, or you can add the name at the end. Your choice. To determine the placement of the name, fold the fabric in half and pick based on looking at half of it. Don’t forget the hardware will take up about .5 of an inch at one end.

6. Fold in half and zig-zag to secure the two pieces together along the edge at the shortest side. I like to go back and forth over it a few times. See photo below, taken after this step was completed.

7. Use pliers to attach the key fob hardware (per the instructions that come with the key fob hardware). Basically, center it and press closed. Give a little tug to make sure it is secure and locked in place.  Then an extra press to be doubly sure!  See finished product below. 

​Congratulations, you’re done! 


Happy Sewing! 
Kelly 

Come with me on a little time traveling journey for a few paragraphs. Let’s go back to 1999. We’re all listening to Prince (or the symbol formerly known as). We’re eating, drinking, and being merry. We’re on the verge of the year 2000. Y2K. Functional fitness is in its infancy. Concept2 rowing machine stock is low. And no one knows what a kettlebell is. In fact, when we do refer to it, we call it a “cattle bell” or a “kettle ball.” Two words. Very distinct. Often with air quotes, our faces twisted up in a confused look, plus an absentminded shoulder shrug thrown in for good measure. 
 
It’s 1999. I’m your coach. We meet at the track to run drills: ½ A march… A march…leg and foot drive…arm swing…breathing drills…thoracic and head carriage…dynamic autonomous alignment…the whole shebang. We’ve ran these before. It’s all familiar. 
 
Then I tell you I’ve come across a tool that, when used correctly, can help with ground-up athletic explosiveness, low back resiliency, and cardiovascular capacity (aka VO2 max). But also has minimal impact on the wear and tear of running mechanics like shin splints, hip and pelvic floor pain and dysfunction, and even fatigue. 
 
You have no idea what I’m talking about. But we have a trusting relationship. I step aside and there at our feet is a little iron kettle, but there’s no spout on it. You’re confused. But still going with it. 
 
I reach down with both hands and grab onto the handle of this little kettle. I squat a bit. Take a couple steps back, so the kettle is still out in front, hands still hooked on the kettle’s handle. Now it’s looking a little like I’m going to play football with this thing. I know what you’re thinking, “Where is this going?...” You’re intrigued. Then I launch this little ball back between my knees and behind my butt. Just when you think it’s launching out the back, I stand up with it. It looks like a front raise. “Did she just launch squat then front raise this thing?!? It must be like five pounds….” Then I do it again: squat-launch, front raise-stand. Squat front raise. Squat front raise. 10 reps. 20 reps. Finally, the ball comes to a rest right where it started, front and center. 
 
You’re still thinking body parts and gym-style workouts made popular at Venice Beach and by Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s still the ‘90s after all. Which means you’re seeing it all wrong. You think you’re seeing a squat followed by a front raise. You’re definitely not seeing the connection between this bell and your run. 
 
When you run, you know about the energy flow. The whole body is working. Drawing the energy up from the terrain, the heel strike, the knee flexion, the hip extension, the cross-over up into the lats, the shoulder, the elbow, the wrist, loose hand holds the pringle. Back down the flow goes: shoulder extension, lat flexion, crossing back down and across, pelvic floor, hip, knee, ankle, foot flow, earth. It’s all there; this interlimb neural coupling symphony you fell in love with when you discovered running. 
 
But now we’re not running. We’re throwing? We’re swinging. A Kettle Bell?... It’ll all come together. Just like the word itself: kettlebell. One word. No cows. 
 
Let’s break down what happened at our track meet in 1999. Fast forward to now. It’s 2021. Kettlebells are as easy to find as toilet paper. And I’ve got a few kids of my own: a pre-teen son and a daughter hot on his heels. I also grew up with your classic annoying big brother. Let’s say big brother has a new sling shot and his first target is little sister’s squirrel-nest of hair. (You know the type: fresh off a wrestling match with the pillowcase the night before and the kind to cause a good conflict when mom goes to tear through it so we all look like we have our act together in public.) So, is big brother going to pull his sling shot rubber band back a little, or a lot? You better believe he’s going to pull back with maximal tension on that band so this spit ball launches with the most furry, has the deepest impact into his target, and sister has a hard time finding his ammo in her hair-nest nonetheless digging it out! 

This rubber band ready to launch is just like your hamstrings and glutes pulled back and your hips ever so slightly elevated at the set-up of a kettlebell swing! Maximal tension for maximal impact. It’s that high school physics lessons coming back into real-life action (finally!). The greater the potential energy loaded into your hamstrings and glutes, the greater the kinetic energy is released! 

​Once we aggressively load our ammo (in our case it’s the kettlebell) well behind our hips, we’re going to change gears from load-- to explode! We initiated the two-hand kettlebell swing with the hips, stretching the entire lower body posterior chain to its full extent. To launch, stay active in your delivery! Just before you feel like you’re about to rock too far and go stumbling back, switch directions with the bell and energy flow by initiating the glutes: drive the hips forward into full extension, and simultaneously pull the knee caps up into full knee extension, drawn the pelvic floor up too, as you stand tall. 

​Hips and knees articulate together, these joints are sending messages to the pelvic floor, glutes, and quads. Full extension, fully able to squeeze the muscles they “communicate with.” It should feel like you’re a rocket taking off from the Earth’s surface, but we’re not actually leaving the ground…Instead, dig your heels in hard, gather up that Earth energy, hit the full standing extension with bell at chest level, then go for another rep right away! 

Don’t hang out at the top of your swing! Instead, activate your lats and crank your bell handle down like you’re moving onto the next round of The Price is Right big wheel! Throw your bell back well behind your hips, feel the posterior chain stretch like big brother’s sling shot, then instantaneously, change directions from load to explode and let that ammo fly! Initiate the glutes like you would in a lying hip bridge, pull up the knees, draw the pelvic floor up and in, hit the full extension like a standing plank. This is the top of your swing. 

​Just like your core is engaged in a yogi plank, you’ll want to condition and save your low back at the top of the swing by bracing for an imaginary punch to the guts. With the glutes cramped hard, the pelvic floor drawn, and the core engaged (ribs to hips), your low back will become resilient, not weak sore, or prone to injury. This acts as a nice strong, absorbent buffer on your endurance runs!
 
With a deeper understanding of what’s happening in the Russian kettlebell swing: (hinge instead of squat, lat activation instead of delt front raise, core and pelvic floor stability instead of leaning back at the top of a swing, constant energy flow from ground up and back down again), you now have clarification on how the swing relates to your run. This concept of perpetual springy, spiraling energy flow “up and out” to “in and down” is the same nuance that separates the athletes from the injured. The folks squatting kettlebells into front raises don’t understand the interconnected beauty of what it really means to move, be human, and to embrace the flow. 
 
Watching a seasoned athlete practice their craft, is truly poetry in motion. All the work is happening internally. The intensity is there. But they have nothing to prove to the outside observer. There’s a placid calmness to their motion. It doesn’t matter if the athlete is a weekend warrior or a Stroller Warrior. The work is happening. And it’s making us better rep by rep.
 
There are tons of swing variations. The concept of form remains constant across swing variations: root with the heels, draw the energy up into the calves, pull up the quads, full extension with the hips and knees, pull up the pelvic floor, the bell swings up to chest level. Reverse momentum by throwing the bell back between your knees, keeping it high in the groin area, get it behind your glutes without rounding the low back or chest, keep the shoulders in the sockets (don’t let the bell pull them out, into distraction), weight stays on the heels at that furthest point back. Finish and start your sets with the bell out front and center. Soft landings are a must. 
 
If you’re a lady, try a 15lb bell to start with; gents try a 35lb bell.  
It’s best to practice your kettlebells outside, with no animals or people nearby, or property to damage.
Play around with variations. Have fun with your practice! Just keep your form impeccable. 
 
Here’s a simple pyramid session you can practice with one bell: 
10 2-hand swings
10 swings right hand only
10 swings left hand only
10 swings total alternating hands. *Make your hand switch at the top of the swing, when the bell is at chest level out front. Alternating/switching hands at the top of the swing is good for getting comfortable with the timing of the swing. You MUST have a complete hip and knee extension to maximize the float phase of the bell at the top. And you MUST keep the shoulder/s connected and in the socket. No need to chase your bell. 
 
No rest between each style of swing. 
Repeat for reps of 20 each. 
Rest as needed before moving on to reps of 30 each.
Then work your way back down to 20 reps each. 
Finish with 10 reps of each grip.

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Sara Cheatham recently contributed to the SW community last month with her introduction piece about kettlebells :

https://www.strollerwarriors.com/blog/from-running-to-kettlebells 

We look forward to learning more about kettlebells with Sara over the next few months!  

I started running when I was a Freshman in high school because I was bored and sad. My first “boyfriend” had just dumped me and basketball season had just ended. I was looking ahead at 3 months of no athletics. I was antsy and confused and full of teenage angst. Track practice was just starting and a friend on the distance squad asked me if I wanted to come and try it out. My first run was about 3 miles long, done in old hard court tennis shoes (miserable to run in). It was amazing. The longer I went, the stronger I felt. When I was finished, I felt mentally and emotionally cleansed. I was hooked.

Through the years that followed, Running became an entity in my head and heart. The “r” gained a capital letter status, officially designating Running as a proper noun. Running became my anchor in the midst of chaos, my sanctuary, and something that set my soul on fire.

Fast forward to my adult life as an Army wife…

There’s a word in Hebrew that I feel encompasses much of my emotional state over the past 15 years. I even have it tattooed on my wrist. “Qavah” – to wait, look for, hope, expect. Passionate patience. I have waited and hoped through 11 combat deployments over the years.  It became my habit to sign up and train for a marathon during his time away. I needed the physical intensity and cleansing power of Running to help quell my anxiety and fear, but it also became a tangible way for me to qavah. I could physically chase my running goals while my heart looked for my husband's return home. 

Even though I had the experience of 10 previous deployments under my belt, our first deployment as the parents of 2 young children introduced new anxieties and fears. When my husband left, our daughter was 4 and our son had just turned 1. I was intimate with my BOB Duallie by then, but I couldn’t see how I could continue my tradition of running a deployment marathon.

About a month into the deployment, I felt mentally adrift. I looked at the calendar and the months ahead looked like an endless march of minutes and hours to survive. Just survive.

Enter Providence. During a Stroller Warriors run, I learned that most of my running tribe was set to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October. I remember thinking “Maybe? Could I really figure this out?” Buoyed by a sense of community and support, it felt possible in that moment to train for and run the MCM that year. It felt possible to fulfill my need for a physical challenge to anchor the intangible, passionate pursuit in my heart.

​I registered. I wrote out my training schedule.  It definitely wasn’t always easy. Sometimes it was downright miserable. There were days when I questioned why I was doing it. There were nighttime long runs on the treadmill when the kids were sick, stepping on at 10pm after they finally went to sleep and finishing at midnight. The first time I ran 15 miles with the Duallie, I nearly gave up on the whole idea. It was humid, the kids were raging by mile 11 and my body felt like it was giving out. But I had 2 Running Angels with me, who, refusing to hear any argument from me, took the drenched stroller from my sweaty hands, and gave me time to recover my senses and determination. I was so blessed during the training cycle – I had an entire group of Stroller Warriors who did incredible things to help me, though each and every one would insist that it was nothing. They took the Duallie on hills, and stayed back with me when I lagged. They talked me through the inevitable melt downs of my two stroller-bound training partners, and even stayed with the kids at a playground so I could finish out the last few miles of the longest long runs stroller free. These women will never know how much they helped me, and how much they gave me what I needed.

The rhythm of the training cycle brought back the sense of focus I had been lacking through the first weeks of the deployment, and I found that I was able to do more than just survive. The Saturday morning long runs became special events for the kids and me, my daughter in particular. She would go to bed Friday night and ask if we were getting up early to “run in the night with the running ladies.”  Two and half years later, she still talks about those runs and how she misses them. 

The final Saturday long run of the cycle was a 22 mile haul. The kids heroically endured 16 miles in the stroller before escaping to the playground with an absolutely amazing fellow Warrior. As I finished that last long run, I full felt the impact of what we had accomplished.  I buckled the kids in their car seats as I felt a sob building in my chest. I turned and looked at my daughter and choked out “Thank you. Thank you for doing this with me. It means so much to me.” She, of course, didn’t quite understand my intense emotions, but replied “You’re welcome Mommy. Don’t cry, it’s ok.” 

​Because of a carefully scheduled R & R, my husband was able to be at the marathon and, as is his habit, he positioned himself and the kids exactly where I needed them most on race day.

The last mile building up to the iconic finish of the MCM is lonely – no fanfare, no shade…just a straight road that seems endless. Something to survive. That is where I saw them, waiting for me on the side of the road with the beloved Duallie, and my Soul leaped. Everything that we had pushed through, the miles, the sweat, the tears, all the minutes and hours spent waiting, hoping, pursuing…it all built to that moment. I ran to my little family, my whole world, knowing that passionate patience is not to sit by passively, idly counting seconds. It is to qavah, to actively strive toward the goal of my heart, pursuing that which sets my Soul on fire. 

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Jamie D.  is a 23 year running veteran with 3 children (ages 7, 4 and 3 months) and has been a member of Stroller Warriors ® Fort Belvoir for 6 years- volunteering as a workout leader and leading weekly speed workouts on the track.