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!

By Annette G.

In 2015 after 13 months apart due to a deployment my family was reunited and moved to Hurlburt Field, Florida. Not long after arriving I met a group of mothers at the park working out, one of them invited me to come and check out this new group that was starting soon, Stroller Warriors®. At first, I was hesitant to go as I’d never considered myself a runner. I liked to workout, did gymnastics, played team sports in Australia growing up and even completed a few sprint triathlons but I still never said I was a runner. With encouragement from my husband (who is the runner) I went to the inaugural workout and I never looked back. Not long after that I was given the wonderful opportunity of being a coordinator for the chapter a position I held for almost 2 years. As life changed, I was then a part of Stroller Warriors® Team Elsewhere chapter.
 
Then we got the news that we were headed to desert to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Of course the first thing I did was to see if there was a Stroller Warriors chapter. Sadly I found there wasn’t. After multiple friends asked when I would be starting a chapter when I moved, I started to look into it. Upon arriving to Luke I found that this in fact was a great place to start a chapter and so Stroller Warriors® Luke begins.
 
Our inaugural workout was held on October 11, 2018 and we had a fantastic turnout. The temperatures in Arizona had finally cooled down and everyone was ready to get back outside again. From there the word got out and the chapter continued to grow. On base we had a ½ mile track that was right next to a brand new park which was a perfect meeting point to start our runs and finish with a workout while the kids played. Unfortunately the track was just compacted dirt so if there had been any rain then we were unable to use it. After many discussions and talking to the right people we arrived one morning to see the track was being paved!!! We’d done it, we’d been seen, we’d been noticed and the base leadership was helping us and the rest of the community out. We and others could now use the track year round!

Since our first workout SW Luke has been having lots of fun. We did Warrior Night Out at Topgolf  while also participating in many local runs. Some of our favorites have been the Donut Run (kids loved the donuts every mile along the course), Mimosa Run with yummy adult drinks at the end and of course Honor the Brave Run was always a must to attend. We’ve had No Run Fun Days at the splash pad and the kids favorite Krispy Kremes.

When the weather became too hot for us to be outside we moved our weekly workouts indoors. We did weights, cardio, yoga and strength training workouts.

Last year we had 2 big events happen for the chapter. We did our first Couch 2 5k. Our graduates did a fantastic job in trusting the plan and completing their 5k graduation race. All with smiles too. We had many of the other members come out and cheer them along and support them. Well done Warriors!
Secondly, we were generously gifted a double BOB stroller which we were able to give away in the Gift of BOB event. We had many deserving members nominated and a very grateful winner too.

We have also been able to set up a loaner stroller program. We were donated a single running stroller that now our members who don’t have a running stroller can borrow and join us for runs and workouts.
​
Although COVID stopped us in our tracks and put a hold on in person workouts that hasn’t stops us from keeping active and still connecting online with each other. We have been doing monthly challenges and with our 2 year Runniversary coming up we will be doing a virtual celebration run together.
 
A few months ago I was approached by one of our members who has been there since our inaugural workout and she told me that had it not been for SW Luke she would never have become a runner or met so people as she has. She would still be a shy, new military spouse, first time Mom (but has 2 children now) and never come out of her shell. SW and all its members did that for her. In that moment I realized that I succeeded in what SW is all about and am so happy I decided to start this chapter.
 
It’s been a busy, fun, goal reaching 2 years for SW Luke! Here is to many more. Keep it up Warriors. You never know who out there you may be inspiring. You inspire me every day!

​Ten Years of Awesome
By: Stephanie Geraghty
January 1, 2021

Happy New Year, Stroller Warriors! Many of you may not remember me at this point. So allow me introduce myself. My name is Steph and I get the super cool title of Stroller Warriors founder and retired CEO. I officially retired almost 3 full years ago but still dabble in a couple behind-the-scenes things and LOVE to see what the Warriors are up to. I have to say, I am so amazed and proud that the club still stands and is quite frankly, flourishing. Well done, team. I am overjoyed and so grateful that you’ve carried on the torch. It means a lot.
 
To many of you, it might seem like the club has been around forever, but believe it or not, we’ve only been in existence for 10 short years. In some ways, those ten years flew by in a second because I still remember the early days vividly. One decade ago, I had an idea that maybe a military spouse running club would be fun. Maybe I could make some friends. Maybe my kids could make some friends. And maybe, just maybe, I could survive my first deployment as a mother.
 
There were only 3 of us on that chilly Tuesday morning in North Carolina. It was January 19th, 2010, to be exact, and why I thought it was a good idea to launch a club in a cold winter month just goes to show how excited I was about the idea! That morning, we plodded down the path with our kids bundled under blankets in the strollers. The three of us congregated at our cars afterwards, excitedly talking about how fun this was and how we will do it again. So I hosted another workout that very next Tuesday. A couple more people showed up. And the week after that…and the week after that! It was working! I didn’t take any photographs the first couple months because I didn’t even really grasp what was happening and what this would be. But the images are clear in my head. Every time I saw another vehicle pull into the parking lot, the strollers heaved out of trunks, and little ones running around the playground, my heart was full. I WAS having fun. I WAS making friends. And I wasn’t just surviving the deployment. I. Was. Thriving.

​That, my friends, was the beginning of something special, something beyond what I could have ever dreamed. I am not sure how to capture ten years of Stroller Warriors in one short blog, but I’m going to give it a shot. Here’s my “Top 10” of why Stroller Warriors was the best part of my years as a military spouse.
1.  Home. This is number one on my list because home means peace, comfort, and support. We moved to Camp Lejeune in 2009 when our boys were 2 months and 2 ½ years old. That home in Jacksonville, North Carolina, was 1,325 miles from my childhood hometown in Avoca, Iowa. I had never lived that far from my parents. Additionally, it was intimidating to bid farewell to my husband for 6 months and wonder, who can I rely on? Stroller Warriors gave me the village I needed, a home away from home. They supported me and loved me as one of their own family. I won’t deny that in retirement, I’ve had many moments of yearning for my village. It’s slowly developing but not nearly as fast as what a Stroller Warriors chapter achieves. My hat is off to the best village I’ve ever known. There’s nothing else quite like it.
2.  Fun! Laughter keeps us young. Laughter makes life lighter and simpler. There was not a Stroller Warriors workout that did not feed my soul through conversation and laughter. Whether we were laughing about our kids antics or our own antics, dressing up in ridiculous costumes, or making horses pop out of bushes (I’m looking at you, Lou), we always enjoyed our time together. A smile is good for the soul. I was a bit of a sarcastic smart a$$ on our leadership planning pages and for good reason. One, I was the founder and CEO and nobody could fire me. Win, ha! Two, it made me laugh to see their witty responses, which were equally hilarious. I laughed, a lot. Gifs and memes were a stellar add to Facebook and the Warriors used them like seasoned experts. Thanks for all the late nights and good times. You brought me happiness.

​3.  Generosity. The club taught me to look outside my own obstacles and focus on the needs of others. I loved our outreach activities so much that we kept adding more and more. We were busy, but good busy. Even though I’m no longer an active SW, I still stalk the Facebook page and love watching the creative ideas all of the chapters come up with. Serving meals at the USO airport, collecting clothes for families impacted by fire, sending used shoes overseas, or making meals for our own Warriors in need…every act makes a difference and fills your cup. I always felt better when we were giving back. It always felt right. Keep filling.
4.  Inspiration. I watched my fellow Warriors show up even on hard days. I watched them go through tough things but still log those miles, set those goals, run those races, and then set more goals. I never would have even considered running a full marathon or trying a triathlon if it wasn’t for the club. They inspired me to believe in myself because THEY believed in themselves. I followed their example and bowed to the best kind of peer pressure, Stroller Warriors pressure! I still reflect on many of my friends’ achievements and think to myself, “Wow, I want to be awesome like them.” Thank you for the push, Warriors. All of these years later, I’m still watching and being in awe.

5.  Leadership. I thought I knew something about being a leader prior to the club. This club pushed me to grow in ways I never knew possible. My skin toughened and my heart grew. Leading a massive worldwide organization is not easy. You can never make everyone happy. But, obstacles spurred our headquarters team to brainstorm, to play devil’s advocate, and to unite on the best outcomes for the betterment of the whole. I am so much more open-minded because of the club and I still draw on that wisdom and experiences today. Every tear was worth that growth. To the current leadership staff, I understand your trials and I admire your strength. In those tough moments, remember that anything worth having requires a lot of hard work and it is always worth it. The Lord smiles on every good deed. Keep up the important work. You. Are. Awesome! I’ve got to throw a special shoutout here to your CEO and my dear friend, Kelly Mulder. You guys. She’s so amazing and we owe her so much. Do me a favor and randomly drop her a line now and then just to share something you love about the club. That fills her cup and her team’s cup, which trickles down to all the Warriors. [email protected]. 😉

6.  Memories. So many of my favorite and most positive memories from those years were wrapped up in the club. Why is that?! Well, probably because the club was so fun, the workouts and events were the only places I wanted to be and where I spent all of my time! But, on a deeper scale, that positivity was how all of the activities were framed. Friendship, family, fitness, and fun all create the perfect formula for great memories. I will never forget the races we traveled to together, the Christmas parties, the PFTS, and the all-around fun. And our kids came to all of it because duh, they were the whole reason! My military spouse memories were full of joy because of the club.

7.  Outlet. The military lifestyle isn’t for the faint of heart. The top stressors a person can experience are wrapped up in this community, ranging from moves, health complications, separations, combat, post-deployment adjustments, life, and death. However, the military lifestyle offers the opportunity for us to take care of ourselves so that we CAN endure those things. Stroller Warriors provided an outlet and helped me focus on my own needs, physical, mental, and spiritual. Word vomit on long run Saturdays was like much needed therapy. We could talk about the weirdest most random things in a couple hours and leave feeling cleansed and uplifted. Thank you for the stories, thank you for listening, thank you for lifting burdens. Now, in these retirement years, I have floundered at times. I realized that I needed to be feeding my soul by purposefully doing things that do make me happy and healthy. I needed to do Stroller Warriory things. So I started biking weekly with 3 girls who became my best friends practically overnight. (Sound familiar?!) I started substitute teaching at the school and volunteering more at the church. I’ve been making meals for people in need just because. I even put on a small local race! I felt like my old self again and was grateful I had the SW example to reference. That self-care has been VERY important this year because frankly, 2020 has been a unique level of, um, sh*t show. But we’re figuring it out and SW has been a huge help with that. 2020 couldn’t knock us down. We handled it and now we’ve got our sights on a great 2021.

8.  Parenting. Being a parent is the most amazing blessing in my life. It’s also my biggest challenge by far! Currently my 13-year-old is trying to see how many gray hairs I can grow. Can I getta amen? Way back when, I really appreciated having the club to help me navigate those ups and downs of being a mom. I watched the other parents and realized, hey, I’m not alone. We all jumped in to help each other out. A weight was lifted. We learned from each other too. If I’ve seen one NRR (non-running related) post, I’ve seen a million, and a good portion of them were about our kids. It was so nice to be able to ask questions in a non-judgmental environment. I would like to think my kids really benefited from the club too, not only in their own little friendships but in me striving to be a better mother to them. They also saw the example of all these other parents getting out and enjoying life to the fullest as a community, and I hope they carry that with them. I want them to be “Stroller Warriors” too, in every way.
9.  Food. Okay, this isn’t the most deep heartfelt list item but I love food and Stroller Warriors love food and geez, we ate a lot of delicious food! Most workouts featured some sort of random treat, or we just made up reasons to bring treats. I don’t think it’s an accident that the long runs on Camp Lejeune commenced and concluded at Dunkin Donuts either! Breaking bread together is another way to feel at home and I always appreciated that. So did my stomach. I remember the most exciting treat I ever shared…gender reveal cupcakes for my daughter. What a special moment  and it was so fitting to share it with Stroller Warriors. They were so genuinely happy for me and shared the journey with me and I will never forget that.

10.  Lifelong friendships. This one sums up the list and comes full circle to how the club changed my life and gave me a home. Without a doubt, some of my very best friends to date are still the Stroller Warriors. We’re all over the world at this point and I don’t see them in person often. But, there is just something about that triple threat as military spouses, as parents, and as runners that secures DEEP friendships very quickly and very forever. They saw me at my best and worst and loved me through it all. I have to share this story because I think it exemplifies how you always carry those kinds of friends with you. Two days before Christmas I woke up and realized I had a dream about an very dear SW friend. We don’t talk often and she doesn’t post to social media, so I don’t stalk her very well! But, our hearts are bonded and when we do get time together, we don’t skip a beat. Anyway, back to the dream…I dreamed that she was pregnant! Eek! I just knew God was nudging me. So I promptly texted her and asked if there was anything I needed to know. She responded that I was creepy and that I no longer needed tickets to the real circus because I could just enjoy hers! I promptly called her and we chatted the next hour about her little one on the way and how life has been with her husband, her other five children, and their awesome hobby farm. She is a prime example of all the dear friends I’ve collected. They’re so special to me, unprecedented really. I love you all and am so grateful you will always be a part of my life. (Please keep sending those Christmas cards! And I’ll keep dreaming about you. Literally. 😊)

As I read this top 10 list and think about what I still see happening in the club, I realize that we’re fundamentally still the same as what we were back then. Same mission, same goals. Yes, this year has been entirely unique with quarantines and restrictions on workouts, club activities, and races due to Covid. You had to find new ways to motivate and connect…and you DID. You rolled with the obstacles just like always and identified ways to unite and overcome. I absolutely loved watching the virtual events, the scavenger hunts, and the online chatter. You did not let this deter you from meeting your mission and supporting each other in every way that you could. You ARE changing lives of people like me, who will move on eventually but always carry the club in their hearts. Forever changed. Forever grateful.
 
Happy 10-Year-Runniversary Stroller Warriors. In short, you will always have my heart. I’m very proud I got to be a part of this in the first 10 years.

(I must apologize that this got so long. Thanks for hanging in there. Those of you that know me are not surprised by my verbose blog. Some things truly do never change. 😉 )
Happy Running from your retired founder and CEO and biggest fan,
Steph

By Katie P.

Stroller Warriors® Iwakuni was born long before I arrived in Japan.  

May 2014, Yuma, Arizona.
I was 35 weeks pregnant with my third child and my twins were about to turn two. I was living in a bubble, mostly at home, surviving with two toddlers and my double BOB stroller, rarely venturing more than a few miles from home and I hadn’t run since my 18th week of pregnancy. I discovered a Stroller Warriors Yuma chapter was founded in January while I was living under my chaotic rock. I joined the Facebook page and promptly received a welcome response explaining they were about to start Summer break because it’s too hot for workouts in the Yuma Summer. As any mom of multiple toddlers with a baby on the way desperate for adult contact would do, I attended the last Spring workout. I didn’t know anyone, I hadn’t run in months, and I wasn’t exactly on the top of my self-esteem game. “Welcome!” “We’re so glad you came!” “Wow, 35 weeks? You look fantastic!” Other military spouses with littles had goals for 5Ks to marathons and we talked about mom life, military life, and our lives. I felt like I had found my people!

I went home and told my husband I needed to get a triple stroller or put our twins in daycare so I could run with these girls. He humored my triple stroller search. If you’re wondering, BOB hasn’t made them in years, and the only used triples I could find were upwards of $800 in San Diego. Six months later, I put my twins in preschool on workout days and hit the ground running. Yes, I scheduled preschool around running. In those first few months, I learned a lot of things. Becoming a mom is amazing, gratifying, and life altering. It also exhausting, humbling, and isolating. From my first workout, I found encouragement from fellow members, and within a few weeks I knew at least one person was counting on me to be at workouts. Even if I didn’t feel like running, I had to show up because my friends were there, and that might well be the only adult interaction I had all week! Stroller Warriors reminded me that I can do something for myself, set goals, and push myself to achieve something I didn’t realize I still needed so badly.

My new support system encouraged me to train for and run my first half marathon since having kids, and they encouraged me to set a goal beyond what I ever would have set for myself. I had been running for 30 years playing soccer and other sports, and it took Stroller Warriors before I began calling myself a runner. For the first time since having kids I was making real connections with other like-minded parents. In this crazy military world where we’re often single parenting for weeks or months at a time, these friendships are golden. While I was discovering a new world, I also had the opportunity to see women grow around me as runners and moms, wives and friends. I saw confidence build in moms who had never run a 5K, and then I watched them finish 10Ks and half marathons. I watched moms riddled with injury get the support and encouragement they needed to get stronger and work to become healthier for themselves and their children.

I spent two years running with Stroller Warriors Yuma. When my husband received our expected OCONUS orders to Iwakuni, Japan, it hit me I had to leave my incredible support system. I didn’t know the inner workings of Stroller Warriors and looked to our Chapter Coordinator, Susanna, for information about a chapter in Iwakuni. I was bummed when she told me there wasn’t one; however, she suggested I start one. We received our orders a full 6 months out, so I had plenty of time to mull this idea over while I mourned the expected loss of my best friends. The friends who watched my baby so I could get a run in, who came home on a lunch break to run with me and push one of my kids in a stroller (because I never did buy a triple!), who babysat for me during dental appointments, and came to the rescue and watched my kids while my sweet old kitty was put down. When you find your sole sisters, they become more than just running buddies.

December 2016, Iwakuni, Japan.
I was cold the moment I stepped off the plane. Four years of 120 degree summers and 75 degree winters will acclimate a girl to warm weather. MCAS Iwakuni was a construction zone and the only place that looked safe for me to run with my 2 year old in tow was the seawall, which was closed except for a half mile stretch. Iwakuni is not the big city Japan you see on TV – it’s an old town with old bumpy sidewalks and tight tiny roads and back alleys. It also has a small town charm that will make you fall in love with suburban-ish Japan. 

I did not want to go running. It was cold. Sub-30 in the mornings. It rained. A lot. My husband kicked me out the door at 5am anyway. “You’ll be happier,” he’d say! I ran alone, and then I connected with an old friend from Yuma who showed me some longer run routes off base, and showed me where she ran with her stroller. We got lost and found incredible views of the ocean from atop hills and hidden shrines tucked into the mountainside. I discovered the lotus fields, the Japanese seawall, the Kintai bridge path, and an entrance to the seawall that would suffice for a stroller. I seeked out runners on base and learned there was a previous stroller group that had disbanded some time before I arrived. I met some of the members and a leader, who shared some great routes with me, including one that became a member favorite known as the ‘pickle path’ because of the green pickle shaped signs that indicate a crosswalk. I wore Stroller Warriors shirts when I went to the commissary and the exchange, in hopes I’d find others who had run with a chapter elsewhere. I met at least one incredible friend this way, as she was also strategically wearing a SW sweatshirt in hopes of making a new friend as well. When I applied to start the chapter, I’d found exactly 6 spouses who wanted to run with Stroller Warriors. I knew they’d be at our inaugural workout. That was all the motivation I needed to get us going. I didn’t expect them to show up with their 40 closest friends and what seemed like at least 50 kids!

Membership in Iwakuni is easy. Volunteers and motivators are plentiful. We explored Iwakuni on foot together. We found hidden shrines and a dozen routes to Iwakuni’s famous Kintai Bridge. By the end of our first year, we had 30 members competing in the Kintai half marathon or 10K, the only local annual race. An annual relay race held by the city and MCAS Iwakuni started up and we put together multiple teams of 4-10 to compete in costumes among the locals. Stroller Warriors Iwakuni may have been born in Yuma, AZ, but it has always belonged in Iwakuni. My personal experience with Stroller Warriors has become a similar experience for dozens of other military spouses living overseas stationed at MCAS Iwakuni. I left Stroller Warriors Iwakuni in the trusted hands of Mallory, who I met wearing a Stroller Warriors sweatshirt in the commissary. Soon, Mallory will pass the torch to a new leader who will continue to share a passion while providing a place for spouses to find encouragement, support, and motivation.

Thank you so much Katie for sharing your founding story with us! We are so grateful that you chose to dedicate your time and talents to founding Stroller Warriors Iwakuni, thus leaving your duty station a better place for future military spouses to PCS to! 

If you’re a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at [email protected]! If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions.

By Brianna H.

In 2015, I was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas where a new Stroller Warriors® chapter was starting up. This was my first exposure to Stroller Warriors and I was super excited about it. I loved getting together with others to run around the beautiful rolling Kansas hills. The downside for me, was that the chapter started just a few months before we had to leave Kansas. I was going to have to leave the Stroller Warrior life I had begun to know and love. I was, as some would say, "beginning to drink the Kool-Aid!" I loved Stroller Warriors so much, I knew that I wanted to be in Stroller Warriors wherever we went.

Thank you so much for sharing your story Brianna!
We have no doubt that Stroller Warriors Fort Hood will continue to grow and have a positive influence on not only it's members but the surrounding community as well!
Keep up the great work!

If you are  a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at [email protected]! If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing
Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions.

By Yvonne Z.

I heard about the Stroller Warriors® Running Club at Ramstein, Germany, where I am originally from. My husband and I attended a 5K fun run which was organized by an organization called the “KMC 5K Runners”. The Stroller Warriors Ramstein, Germany had a table there with some info about them and I instantly liked what I saw! This was in 2017.

Stroller running was brand new to me, since I had just had my daughter and I thought joining the Stroller Warriors sounds promising. I joined the group and my good friend and I attended a few workouts in the local area. I felt right at “home” going to the workouts. Shortly after I had discovered Stroller Warriors Ramstein, we received orders to Keesler, Mississippi, which was my very first PCS and the first time moving away from home. The Stroller Warriors community was super helpful, giving me lots of tips and advise that they have gained with their past moves. I was sad that I had found them so close to our PCS, but was looking forward to our new adventure.

Once at Keesler I drove around the base to explore our new home while my husband had his first day at work. We were still living in the Temporary Lodging Facility (TLF) and my daughter and I were out and about. One of the first things I noticed was the beautiful running track that bends around the flight line adjacent to the Biloxi Back Bay. Coming from Germany I always wanted to live close to water and was in awe of how beautiful the scenery was. “With such a nice running track, there must be a SW chapter on base” was the first thought that crossed my mind.

Back in TLF I took my laptop and started searching for a SW chapter but couldn’t find one. I emailed Headquarters (HQ) to verify. HQ answered quickly saying that there was not a chapter yet and asked me If I would be interested in starting one… I filled out the questionnaire to launch a chapter right then and there, two days after arriving at Keesler.

Of course I had doubts if I would be able to “pull it off” since my time with Stroller Warriors in Germany had been so short and I didn’t have time to really get to know the club, BUT with full support from my husband and my fantastic Regional Mentor, Kim B., I was able to build up the chapter.

On March 22nd, 2018 we officially launched our Keesler chapter with a fantastic inaugural workout. We had a great turnout, the weather was perfect and everybody had a great time. I remember that after the workout I was so pumped. I didn’t remember what I had said in my speech or anything, but I felt happy and confident that this was going to be an amazing adventure.

I was incredibly lucky to have had quite a few Warriors in the group from the day our Facebook group launched, who posted their running stories, photos and motivated others to do so as well. I am so thankful for them. They will always be a big part of building up the chapter.

Just a few weeks ago we celebrated our ONE year Runniversary with a birthday party themed workout and also kicked off our second round of Couch to 5K (C25K)!! It was a very special day for me and made me reflect on the past year and all the accomplishments and friendships I was able to make with the chapter.

The only way to describe this past year is that is was phenomenal! We had an incredible kick
off, motivated Warriors from the get go, we dedicated several workouts to charity organizations,
held donation drives for Fisher House and Toys for Tots, we also had so much fun putting our
first Mini Warrior program together and had a very successful first round of C25K in the Fall of 2018.

Most importantly, we built each other up, made friendships that will last a lifetime and celebrated personal goals, no matter how big or small. I can’t wait to see what this next year holds for us as a chapter. We are growing and are well- known throughout the base and surrounding military installations. So far I have received nothing but positive feedback, which makes me very proud.

We are currently working on our chapter specific logo and I can’t wait to proudly wear our own
Keesler specific Stroller Warrior gear soon.

Thank you so much for sharing your story Yvonne!
We have no doubt that with your guidance Stroller Warriors Keesler will continue to grow and create many lasting memories!

If you’re a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at [email protected]! If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing
Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions.

By Amy A.

To explain how Stroller Warriors® Eielson was founded, I have to go back to before I knew anything about this running club. I was living in Ohio and still new to distance running when I ran a 10K race. I ran it by myself and struggled every step past 1 mile. I remember feeling accomplished that I finished, but frustrated that it was so HARD. The very next weekend, I went to run with a friend of mine and a group of ladies who called themselves Marathon Moms. We chatted, shared our struggles and before I knew it, I had ran the exact same distance that was so hard for me the weekend prior. That is when I first saw the value of community and support when it comes to distance running. Just a couple weeks later, I went on to run 8 miles “just because” with someone from the same group. Through that winter, I learned to love running in all types of weather and circumstances. I did several runs, and a couple races, in the snow; thus jump starting my love of winter running. With good company by my side, running was an adventure and so much fun.

We moved to Alaska the following spring and I dove into racing in our new home. It wasn’t the same. I went to several local races alone, and while they were fun, I missed my people. Talking with my friend from Ohio, she mentioned starting a group of my own in Alaska. I laughed. Who was I to start a running group? I was still pretty new to distance running.

That winter I was reading my new Runner’s World magazine and I came across an article about this running club, Stroller Warriors. I remember reading Stephanie’s words and mentally agreeing with and seconding everything she said. The article mentioned that you could find a complete list of active chapters on their website. Of course I immediately went to see if Eielson was on there. It wasn’t. There was an e-mail listed with instructions to inquire about starting a chapter in your location. I don’t really know what I thought the result of my e-mail would be, but I assure you it was not what I got. They wanted ME to start the chapter. Me.

After talking it over with my husband, who has always been the biggest supporter of my endeavors, I decided to apply. I figured they wouldn’t hire me but at least I could say I tried.  Imagine my surprise when I opened the e-mail informing me that they did, in fact, want me to start a chapter at Eielson. The next few months were overwhelming as I prepared to launch this new chapter of Stroller Warriors. It felt a little foreign because I had not actually been to a workout at a chapter, so I was building this based on my mentor, Kelly’s, guidance.

The day before I was set to launch the Facebook page for Stroller Warriors Eielson, I had a health scare. I was 11 weeks pregnant and ended up spending the day in the ER with a threatened miscarriage. Over the next weeks and months I had a rough pregnancy and woke up every morning wondering if I would still be pregnant that day. The doctors couldn’t tell me anything definitively. After talking with Kelly and Stephanie, we decided to postpone the launch until my pregnancy was over and I had time to heal. After a scary arrival, and a week in the NICU, Addison was born and the both of us were on the path to healing.

It took me a long time to understand the benefits of waiting to launch SW Eielson. For a while I was angry and frustrated, but then I saw the value in getting an entire year to fall in love with this running club that I was about to be leading. I needed that time to learn more about Stroller Warriors so that I could adequately support its mission and be the best leader possible for our chapter. I also needed to learn about the struggles of Alaska and how to better encourage people through them. It was during this time I fell in love with everything about our location and gained the desire to help others love it as well.

I was raised by a mother who always finds the good in every situation. She always says that you can do anything for X amount of time. I moved to Alaska with the mindset of, “I can do anything for 3 years.” By the time we left, I could not believe I had to leave behind a place I grew to love so much. I believe all things happen for a reason, and while the circumstances of my pregnancy were not the best, in the end everything turned out the way it needed to. This is not to say that my circumstances happened BECAUSE of what I needed to learn, but instead I chose to learn from my situation.

When the day came for SW Eielson’s inaugural workout, on May 4, 2016, I was better prepared because of the time I had to prepare. I was able to lead our amazing Warriors for a year and watch them thrive in a place that could easily suck all motivation from you. I have never met a stronger, more motivating group of people than the Warriors at SW Eielson.

There were days when I canceled workouts because the temps were below -30, but they showed up to the gym anyway and drug me with them. People may not realize it, but for about 8 months of the year, Eielson Warriors run on a small indoor track. It takes a lot of mental strength and flexibility to stay motivated in such circumstances. 50 laps to get in a 10K may seem daunting, but with Warriors by your side, it’s not bad at all!

My story with Stroller Warriors varies a lot from most chapter founders. Most fall in love with SW, and upon PCSing decide to start a chapter in their new location. I will be forever grateful that SW took a chance on me, someone completely new, and allowed me the privilege of founding and leading a chapter in Eielson, Alaska. It warms my heart to see the chapter still thriving, 2.5 years later. My life has been forever changed because of the people and my experiences with this club. It really is so much more than a running club.

Amy may have sinced moved from Eielson, Alaska, but her dedication to Stroller Warriors has continued and we are incredibly grateful! Amy is  an important member of our Stroller Warriors Headquarters Team where she serves as a Regional Mentor and our Gear Guru, as well as weighs in on all Headquarters topics.  As a Regional Mentor she helps found chapters and interviews potential candidates, as well as mentors them throughout their tenure as a Coordinator. As our Gear Guru she has helped create the SW heart "We run free, because of the Brave!", Runopoly and Marine Corps Marathon logos you find in our Spreadshirt store - HERE! She also updates the Spreadshirt site with various options and sizes, as well as adds seasonal gear; Christmas, Valentines, etc. 

Amy has inspired us all this summer with her marathon comeback during the Marine Corps Marathon. Her Air Force Marathon in September had been cut short by race directors due to unsafe course conditions. Undeterred, even in spite of a nagging injury, Amy signed up for and ran the Marine Corps Marathon alongside numerous fellow Stroller Warriors.

Amy, we are so proud of all you have accomplished as a runner, and as a Stroller Warrior. You are truly leaving the world a better place than you have found it. We will forever be thankful that you chose to dedicated your time and talents to our running club! 

If you’re a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at [email protected]! If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions.

Today we have for you the founding story of Stroller Warriors® Fort Riley!
 
Stroller Warriors® Fort Riley was founded by Christie L. and we are so grateful that she did!  After only 6 months of running with the Stroller Warriors in Monterrey, CA her husband received unexpected orders to Kansas!

We will let her share her story in her own words...

By: Christie L.
 
    I first heard about Stroller Warriors® when my soldier was stationed at the Language School in Monterey, CA. At that point in my life, I had only been running for about a year. I had started running to help encourage my husband in his running as he was preparing to leave for basic training. So not only was I new to running, I was also new to the military life. I was 32 with 3 kids and 13 years of marriage behind me.
    Leaving our home in South Carolina after 13 years is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. California might as well have been a foreign country. I was lonely, missing home, family, friends, and all things familiar. Finding Stroller Warriors® Monterey was a life saver for me! I never realized that running could be a “team” sport and was intrigued by their mission and loved that it was for military spouses, i.e. people like me!

     My first workout was not the shining moment I hoped it would be! I am not by nature an outgoing person, so just showing up was very hard for me. At this point, I hadn’t run more than a handful of times in the months leading up to our move and arriving in Monterey. There were HILLS (I’m from FLAT Coastal Carolina), I did not have a stroller, I got lost on the trail (totally my fault), started having knee pain, and didn’t stay for the post run workout. To say I was discouraged was an understatement. But I made myself go back. I don’t remember my second workout, but it must have been better because I kept going! I met some wonderful ladies, bought a jogging stroller, joined C25k, and ran my first ever 5k race with the C25k group. I was hooked!
  We unexpectedly got orders to Fort Riley, KS after only 6 months in Monterey. The first thing I checked was whether they had a chapter there. The second thing I did was talk to Virginia Martinez and Kelly Mulder how to go about starting a chapter! They pointed me to the global page and encouraged me to get settled then fill out an application.
    We PCS’d to Fort Riley in Oct-Nov of 2015 and arrived just in time for a rude awakening to Kansas winter: below freezing temps, ice, snow, and WIND! Needless to say, I did NOT run at all during our first winter here! I knew I wanted to start a chapter here and I strongly believed in the SW mission and wanted to help and encourage military spouses like I had been in Monterey. I also knew that I was going to have to brave the cold weather, get out there and get running before I did!! I started the C25k app for the second time and with the encouragement of a friend, signed up for my first ever paid race! I felt like I was ready to get moving on starting a chapter here.

  When I reached out to Kelly again, I found out that HQ was on break from starting any new chapters but would pick up again in the fall. During the late spring and summer of 2016, with the company of a couple runner friends, I kept up with my running and trained for my first 10k. I worked on my application for Stroller Warriors® and also started preparing for my husband’s 1st deployment to Korea.
  It was a very busy and emotionally crazy time for us, but I knew I wanted to see this through and bring Stroller Warriors® to Fort Riley. I submitted my application, waited on pins and needles for the Skype interview and to hear whether or not this was going to become a reality. All of us coordinators know how much work on our end and HQ’s end goes into starting a new chapter. It’s hard, overwhelming, and scary all at the same time. But Stephanie and the staff have it down to a science on launching new chapters and even though it was nerve wracking, I felt prepared to start this venture.

  We said “see ya later” to my husband on October 15 and our inaugural workout was October 18, 2016. We had 14 in attendance and beautiful weather. I left feeling happy and encouraged that once again, Stroller Warriors was there for me during a significant upheaval in my life. I was able to make it through our first deployment, found amazing new running friends, and discovered a whole new level of love for running!

  Being a coordinator for this club has grown me in ways I never imagined. I thought I knew a lot about running and fitness when we started, but I have learned so much more since then and know there is so much that I could still learn! Most of all, I am just so thankful for the opportunity to help other military spouses in the same way that I was helped. To not just survive the military life but thrive!

  Thank you so much Christie for sharing your founding story with us!

  If you’re a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at [email protected]! We would love to have this for ALL of our chapters!
If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions.

Today we have for you the founding story of Stroller Warriors Fort Meade!
 
Stroller Warriors Fort Meade was founded by Rachel S. I had the privilege of meeting Rachel first hand this year. We Captained a Ragnar team together for the 2017 Ragnar DC. Rachel is funny, caring, and a great team player. Sit back and enjoy the founding story of SW Fort Meade!
 
Rachel says she first heard about Stroller Warriors when she lived in Monterey, CA. “There was an active chapter when I was in Monterey, CA but I never joined because I was doing my own thing and thought I didn't need a running group.” Little did Rachel know she was about to learn how wrong she was about not needing a running group!

​Rachel’s interest in Stroller Warriors Running Club was peaked by social media. “A friend of mine moved away from Monterey to Pensacola and she founded the Stroller Warriors Pensacola chapter. Every other post she made on Facebook was about how awesome it was to have a group of runners who supported each other.”

This got Rachel thinking about how awesome it would be to have like-minded individuals in her life to support and encourage one another. Once her son was born and she was back into running she felt the need for a community of runners in her area.

​“We seemed to have a strong community of runners for the post Run Series but there wasn't a specific group. I suddenly wanted a group here in Maryland. I was nervous to start the Stroller Warriors chapter and initially teamed up with a friend. I almost let her take it over while I sat back. I was afraid that I wasn't the right person to lead a Stroller Warrior chapter because I had never been in one. That friend ended up stepping back and allowed me to become the founder of Stroller Warriors Fort Meade.”
 
Rachel says she now has a new motto in life. Her motto is, "Jump in with both eyes closed!"
 
Jumping in with both eyes closed has taught Rachel valuable lessons about herself. “From launching a Stroller Warriors chapter without ever having been involved in one I have learned that I am more outgoing than I give myself credit for. This has allowed me to take on things I didn't think I'd ever do because I was timid and afraid. This chapter was possible all because a team (SWHQ) took a chance on me.”

​Being a Coordinator has not only enabled Rachel to give back to her local community, it has also helped Rachel to grow and develop as a person. “I have grown a lot as a person in the year I've lead the Fort Meade chapter and I know a lot of that goes back to the awesome members we have. These members have become great friends and a vital source of encouragement in my life. I'd never be where I am today without the chapter and it's members. Some people might think that as members they have lots to gain from their leader, but it goes both ways. As a leader, I have gained lots from my members.”
 
Thank you Rachel for sharing your story. We know Stroller Warriors Fort Meade will continue to grow and flourish under your guidance! 

​If you’re a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at [email protected]! If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions.
 
Thank You and Happy Running!
Kelly

by Kelly M.
 
When I found out my family would be PCSing to Okinawa, Japan I was both excited and scared. I had always wanted to live outside of the United States. I also loved my life in North Carolina and didn’t feel motivated to leave. I had a great house on base, great neighbors, an amazing running club and great friends. I wanted to move, but I didn't want to move. The perfect option would have been to take my whole community to Japan with me but I didn't see that happening any time soon.
 
One run while pondering my life and what it would become I realized three important things: 1. I am a military wife (and a proud one at that!) 2. I cannot change the fact that my husband needs to move (but I can change my attitude about it) and 3. While I couldn’t take my friends with me I could potentially take the things that made my life so full. At the time the things most important to me were the friends I had made through Stroller Warriors and the neighborhood Coffee group.

​​So, I approached Stephanie Geraghty at a workout and asked about the possibility of taking Stroller Warriors to Okinawa, Japan.  Stephanie was enthusiastic about the idea. 

At the time I was pregnant with my second child and first son, Asher. We packed up everything and sent it off to storage or to Japan and then moved to Virginia Beach for three and a half months. My husband, my daughter and I lived in a hotel while my husband went to school. When I was 34 weeks pregnant we PCSd to Okinawa, Japan.

​When I arrived I knew without a doubt that I wanted to start Stroller Warriors and a Coffee group. I talked regularly with Stephanie about it and she always told me I needed to give birth and get settled first which I completely agreed with.

After what felt like forever I finally gave birth and started to build back up to running. I wanted to wait to start Stroller Warriors until I could run. It didn’t feel right to found a chapter when I could not even run yet. After I built up to running 3 miles, I contacted Stephanie again about starting Stroller Warriors in Japan.
 
She sent me an email with all of the files I needed and we talked on the phone and over Skype so she could mentor me and help me. With Stephanie’s guidance and files I created business cards, flyers and built the Facebook page to be in line with the other two Stroller Warrior chapters already in existence.

​Finally the first day of the workout was here and I was so excited but also nervous. There were 16 RSVPs and I felt that I was really going to make new friends and build new runners. The morning of the first workout it started to rain, and it kept raining. Frantic, I called my friend Katie who had been living on Okinawa for years. I talked with her and asked, would she run in this weather? What should I do? Cancel? Hold it? Katie said she would run in it if it was just her and her boys. I frantically messaged Stephanie as well and she made time to skype with me and discuss what I should do. We didn’t want me to look like a flake and cancel my first workout so we held it anyway. Of the 16 original RSVPs only 5 brave souls showed up. We ran and did a post workout amidst a sprinkle of rain and had some clear skies towards the end.
 
I was so pumped. The energy you get from a group of spouses all running together is always amazing. Over the years of Coordinating Stroller Warriors Okinawa I met so many amazing people, learned so many amazing things and have become a better and stronger version of me because of them. It’s so great to have a positive environment where we all motivate and encourage one another. I love my Stroller Warriors life and wouldn’t change it for the world! I am so thankful to Stephanie for allowing me to take her dream and make it a reality at another base. Stroller Warriors Okinawa really did help me to make the most of my tour in Japan. 

One of my favorite things about being a Stroller Warrior Coordinator is that I get to see the ripple effect first hand that this club starts. It begins with spouses joining together for fitness and friends but it becomes so much more. Families become fitter as a result of Stroller Warriors, new goals are reached, confidence develops, and so much more. It starts with one person but then moves to their immediate family, their extended family and also their friends. The way of life we live both in fitness and in taking care of one another like a village impacts the lives of others in a deeper way than I can describe. So if you've ever considered becoming a Stroller Warriors Coordinator, know that the work can be hard, but the rewards are immeasurable!

If you’re a Chapter Founder and would like your story featured please email me at [email protected]! If you’re interested in founding a chapter and bringing Stroller Warriors to your location, please follow these instructions.