​Stroller Warriors® believes community outreach is 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.
 
At the beginning of 2022, the Stroller Warriors chapters quickly continued its commitment to community outreach:
 
Stroller Warriors Kaneohe Bay organized a shoe-drive benefitting individuals in their community.  The shoes were donated to Runners HI, who then distributed the shoes to Habilitat, as well as local school children, and to those in need.  In only 12 days, the chapter collected a remarkable 146 pairs of shoes.  Along with the shoe-drive, the chapter also organized two beach clean-up days at Fort Hase in both January and February.  

Stroller Warriors Fort Belvior committed to, and completed 2000 Burpees to support, and to raise awareness for the nonprofit Stop Soldiers Suicide.  This veteran created and managed organization has a simple, yet profound mission—to end veteran suicide.  Through the 2000 Burpee Challenge, the chapter also raised $245 for this crucial cause.  To support this organization, please visit their website: stopsoldiersuicide.org

​Stroller Warriors Fort Riley collaborated with the Fort Riley Spouses Club to take part in the “Sock it to Me” community outreach event.  This initiative supported Flint Hills Girls on the Run®, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.”  The chapter, alone, collected 152 pairs of socks which will contribute to the Girls on the Run Gift of Shoes Fashion Show in March.

Thank you, Stroller Warriors, for your continued support to improving your local communities and beyond!  

Happy Running, 

Rose :)

As a female runner, I hardly feel safe when running alone. There’s a little voice in the back of my head, telling me the horror stories of female runners before me. A little voice reminding me of the times I’ve been stalked, touched (I’ve had bikers assault me on a rec path) and yes, even the times I’ve had others try to abduct me while I was running. When I started running with a stroller I felt a little safer. Children in a stroller complicate things for a would be-rapist or attacker. The lone stroller would attract a lot of attention and there’d be more unknown variables with screaming kids around. My stroller was like a safety blanket and we ran everywhere, freely.

​Well, I’ve been a Stroller Warrior for 12 years now. My children are getting older and while they’re not out of the stroller entirely yet, I’ve had a lot more stroller free runs while they’re in school. I’ve begun to feel the need to learn to protect myself. What if I was attacked on a run? Would I know what to do? Would I be able to get away? I’m the kind of person who thinks of a “plan” in the event of x,y,z and if I ever was rushed and someone tried to attack me, my plan was to step wide to make a wide, firm base, and hope that they got thrown off track and I stayed stable so I could run away. That was the entirety of my plan. I had no idea what to do when/if we actually hit the ground together. Or even if we were face to face, with an attack imminent.

In preparation for a return to the States after living in Okinawa, Japan (maybe the safest place on earth? Certainly dubbed the “happiest” by most of the world!), I wanted to learn some self defense. Long ago I picked Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for my kids to do as a sport. After working for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, I wanted my kids to have the ability to defend themselves. I liked that Jiu Jitsu gave them muscle memory and hands-on experiences. I knew from researching that 90% of fights ended up on the ground and if you could gain or maintain ground control, you had a MUCH better chance of winning; of living. I had watched my children for years but never took any classes myself. In preparation for stroller-less running, I signed up.

​So, at 38 years-old, I entered the matted room on base and walked into an entirely new world. I’ve been training for 8 months now and have one stripe on my white belt. I’ve completed in one tournament and took home Gold, beating out two other competitors. I have learned to fight from the ground, on my back. I have learned to choke someone out with my legs (it’s called a triangle choke). Who knew you could choke with your legs?! I primarily “roll,” aka fight, male marines and I’ve learned that I’m so much stronger than I give myself credit for. My running has been an incredible asset to me, which I particularly noticed in the tournament. When I am training BJJ, I didn’t tailor my running at all. I figured if I’m going to get attacked, I’d most likely get attacked on a run. So learning to fight while tired was a goal of mine. So on Saturdays I’d do my long run at 5am, generally around 12 miles, and then go to open mat where I’d spar for 2 hours. When competition day came, my stamina was incredible. I was hardly tired while my competitor looks clearly gassed.

BJJ hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine. I’ve injured my ribs, and continually have bruises. But in the past 8 months I also have been injured just walking down the steps! (My socks slipped). To me, an injury while learning is part of the game and I’m not afraid of it. Nothing worth fighting for is ever going to come easy, and I have a lot more to learn.

​​I’ve grown in confidence and am learning not only how to choke but how to protect from a choke. Sparing/defending yourself ignites something primal and I am learning how to breathe through that and regain my mental focus in a fight. My friend Anne and fellow runner who is blue belt in BJJ said, “my goal if attacked is always to be a big enough pain that they’ll decide I’m not worth it and go away.”


Before BJJ, had I been attacked, I think once we hit the ground I probably would have tried to talk to them, to play nice and get them to realize I’m a human, a mom. Now, I know when we hit the ground that’s when the fun really begins and I’m not stopping until you run away, I can run away or you passed out from me choking you.


If you’ve ever felt scared for your safety on a run. Consider taking some martial arts or self dense classes. There are a variety of options to choose from and all of them will help your knowledge and confidence grow.


Happy Running!
Kelly

Why do you run? 
 
We all run for different reasons— reasons that vary by day, year, and throughout the seasons of life. I’ve run because I had to— to pass the Army PFT; because I needed some me time— when my youngest was a baby I started a Couch to 5K plan; and for friendship— I love sharing miles with friends. Running with Stroller Warriors® Yuma taught me the last reason- friendship- is my favorite reason to run. There are no mile markers, no pace keepers, no timers or limits on the amount of fun found in miles with friends.

The last couple of years have been challenging times to run with friends due to restrictions, limited in-person events, cancelled meetups and races. I desperately miss running, training and racing with friends. These days, when I head out the door to run, I find that I’m missing my friends and I follow the footsteps on the paths that we shared together. It brings me such joy as I remember the miles and my friendships on these running routes.

I live close to the Mount Vernon Trail— a paved multi-use trail that runs nearly 18 miles from George Washington’s Mount Vernon to Washington, DC that parallels the nearby shoreline of the Potomac River. The Mount Vernon Trail has been a regular weekday and weekend long run route for Stroller Warriors Fort Belvoir.  Additionally, the trail is a favorite running course for members of Stroller Warriors Quantico during marathon training season.  I can hop on at any section of this route and “run with friends”. I can retrace my first marathon training season with my friend Robin and remember ALL THE MILES we ran together. The muggy mornings, the pleasant and not “too” sweltering summer runs and most of all, I vividly remember running my longest runs on this trail week after week. When I begin my runs at Gravelly Point, I immediately flash back to the morning that Sarah and Virginia ran the length of the GW Trail while training for Sarah’s first marathon. If I start at Dangerfield Island Marina, I remember sharing early morning marathon training routes with the Fort Belvoir crew. A 2018 favorite were marathon training miles from Jones Point Park to the GW trail and over the Woodrow Wilson bridge.

Hot summer miles remind me of my running friends at Stroller Warriors Yuma and Stroller Warriors Jacksonville. Yuma and Jacksonville are two distinct kinds of hot, but the feeling is a lot the same. There is no escaping the heat in either place and trying to beat the heat was best done with friends. A favorite Yuma memory was the time we ran from Susannah’s house to the Marine Corps base to catch up with our families at various kids’ sporting activities. Every time I’ve ever squeezed in some miles waiting for my kids at practice, I remember the fun we had on that point-to-point training run. Another great Yuma running memory was a fun run strategy my friend Stacy called a “doodle run”. A doodle run is when you head out the door without a planned route, direction, or mileage goal.  The runners decide the run turn by turn and run as far as the street will let you before going back to pick another direction until you’re ready to go home. Doodle runs are best in neighborhoods with cul-de-sac streets and plenty of ins and outs.  My neighborhood in Yuma and my current neighborhood are both great for doodle runs.  My friends from Yuma come to mind when I run around my current neighborhood to complete a doodle run.  Doodle runs are perfect during the holiday season— running the streets while admiring everyone’s holiday displays. I don’t often listen to music while I run, but holiday tunes make doodle runs in the winter extra special. ​​

​Jacksonville holds a special place in my heart, as I am the founder of SW Jacksonville, Florida. In the process of starting the chapter and in the year after, I ran every neighborhood possible looking for new running routes for the chapter. There are some great running routes in Jacksonville. After all, you’ve got a lot of miles to choose from as it is the largest city by square miles in America. There are lakes, beaches, paved paths, bridges, and sidewalks. You can see a variety of wildlife— snakes, alligators, birds, cranes, turtles, and squirrels. I have a few routes in Northern Virginia that remind me of the trails and paths I would to run in Jax. Anything with water or a bridge and I flashback to the Fleming Island trail and running the bridge over Doctors Lake with the original crew of SW Jax.

The current winter weather reminds me of the miles I shared during challenging weather conditions. Cold winter runs remind me of the race I ran with my friend Angela outside of the Grand Canyon in May. It was freezing at the start of the race. We lived in Yuma, Arizona at the time and it was never near freezing and certainly not in late spring. Rain takes me back to two races. Women’s Half Marathon in May with Warriors from Fort Meade, Fort Belvoir and Quantico where it rained from start to finish. And 2019 Marine Corps Marathon-- there was a torrential downpour for the first half, so much rain that sections of the race were completely flooded.

Even though my running miles are less than they’ve been in years past, I realize that I never run alone. I run with a happy heart because of all these miles shared with the best running friends ever! I love Stroller Warriors for all that it has brought into my life and I know there are a thousand of you out there who think exactly the same. Thank you to friends at SW Yuma, SW Jacksonville, SW Fort Belvoir, and SW Quantico for the memories, friendships and miles shared! 

Happy Running!
​-Heather 
​_______________________________________

Heather is a proud mom of 3 and is now a retired Navy spouse. She belonged to SW Yuma and SW Fort Belvoir and is the founder of SW Jacksonville. She also served on our Global Page Team and Headquarters Team until her retirement in 2020. 

In 2010, when training for my first Boston Marathon, I stuck to every prescribed mile on my training plan— I ran through small injuries, bronchitis, fatigue, and all during a bitingly frigid and snowy Boston winter.  Race day was naturally exhilarating, and my mind was thrilled, but my body was not— it was tired, beat-up, and sick of running!  The race went well, but I knew my training would need to change for enhanced performance in the future.  Soon thereafter, I began functional fitness training and continued running often, but not quite as much as before.  As my fitness diversity increased, my running times decreased!  I learned to combine a mixture of workouts ranging from short-duration heavier-weight workouts, to longer metabolic conditioning sessions through other domains such as rowing, or 100+ burpee box jumps.  This naturally strengthened my legs and arms, but most importantly it built a stronger-core— no longer would my back feel strained on long runs, nor my quads cramp at 20+ miles on hilly terrain!  Best of all, it made running more exciting as I craved some miles on road/trail more after not doing it daily!  I specifically remember the excitement of running alongside the roaring Missouri River Trail in Montana while stationed at Malmstrom AFB—running was fresh, I felt refreshed, and I was hungry to get at it!   

This is cross-training.  Cross-training employs various exercises to improve one’s performance in a particular sport— in this case, running.  Cross-training is versatile and can be completed through many different methods— rowing, biking, swimming, strength training, yoga, or even through your favorite sports (soccer and volleyball for instance).  For me, functional fitness training was my major introduction to effective cross-training.  By implementing a multi-domain approach primarily focused on weights, gymnastics, and weightlifting, functional fitness provided me a cross-training experience that improved my running capabilities.

This is what I’ve learned in the past 12 years after adopting cross-training into my running routine and learning that I can run better by training smarter:

1). Cross-training conditions your body to run better by strengthening auxiliary muscle groups not trained while running, while giving your primary running muscle groups a much-needed rest.  Like a car, if you never rotate the tires, you’ll get a flat!  As runners, we also must “rotate” our routines.  Cross-training incorporates many different elements of fitness that activate all muscle groups…this improves endurance while avoiding injury and muscle loss through a diversified use of all muscle groups. 
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2). Cross-training helps athletes maintain their fitness level when overcoming a running injury.  After running the 2012 Boston Marathon, I injured my hip through overuse as it was compensating for a post-partum core in need of strengthening.  My physical therapist recommended I break from running for three months and CrossFit instead.  Through some great coaching at Big Sky CrossFit in Great Falls, MT, I increased my overall endurance/stamina through other multifunctional domains.  After my physical therapist cleared me to run again, I noticed an immediate change— I felt stronger and more agile.  

​3). Cross-training is a form of active recovery.  What is active recovery?  Active recovery is low-intensity exercise after a long, vigorous run, or workout.  Think of how your legs and body feel after a big race or long training run— shattered, as stiff as a board, feet are achy, and you just want to sit for days!  This is when active recovery is useful— helping your muscles and joints recuperate by staying loose.  A family walk, an easy hike through the woods, an enjoyable bike ride, a slow rhythmic pull on the rowing machine— this is a small list of my favorite cross-training activities that I use for active recovery.  

​4). Cross-training offers a change of pace from my usual running schedule, which bolsters my long-term love for running.  Sometimes I just need a change of pace up from my every day running routine with the stroller and the dog, or running on the flat roads in Charleston.  Enter the rowing machine— instead of running my scheduled 45-minute run, I will put on a soundtrack and row for the same duration I’d normally run (my kids ALWAYS choose “The Greatest Show Man” or “Hamilton” soundtrack).  Sometimes I add a bit of strength training to the end of a row— a double TABATA of front squats and pushups!

​Run Better by Training Smarter.  Find what works for you, work it into your routine, and enjoy the results.  Be it weightlifting or a hike, get out there, vary your fitness, train smart!

Happy Running!
​-Rose :)

Running has always been our family’s approach to explore a new duty station’s surroundings, or a new travel destination.  A few assignments ago, we were stationed in Europe— what an incredible opportunity this was!  We often ran with our children through our little German village, as well as the other small villages nearby— making stops at the local Bäckerei, or at the neighborhood market to buy a special German treat.  Finding stroller friendly sidewalks and running trails on our travels was something we would often do too— from mountain trails in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland; the bustling city sidewalks of Berlin; through the tulip fields of Holland, bursting with color; to the craggy lakeside trails in Killarney, Ireland…running with our kids was always an enjoyable way to sightsee, and to absorb the local culture.

Strollers Warriors launched its Ramstein chapter a few months after we began our assignment in Germany.  I was able to explore many other German villages with my running friends and their children— these people became my tribe/family…we traveled together, hiked together, and ran together in other European cities.  The thing about Europe— it was very uncommon to see a tandem BOB stroller…sidewalks and doorways were narrow, sometimes too narrow for even a single BOB!  Furthermore, one rarely saw an individual running with a jogging stroller through the streets of European cities (especially in Paris).  There is shared solidarity with friends when taking jogging strollers onto a crowded Bernese gondola to a mountain-top Swiss village.  So, having friends share similar stories about their BOB strollers rolling through streets all throughout Europe, to enjoy a scenic run…that’s running buddy love and solidarity!

I mentioned Paris above. Our family visited Paris multiple times (I am a history lover, specifically French Revolution history) and waited until one of our last visits to Paris to finally run with the stroller.  This Parisian run with my husband and kids in the double BOB is one of my most beloved running memories:

We began our run at the Louvre and ran into the Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden)— zigzagging our way through its packed-dirt paths, loudly chatting with the kids about the sculptures, trees, and fountains until we made our way to the opposite side of the Tuileries, overlooking the Place de la Concorde (serious French Revolution history happened at this location).  We then worked our way across the heavily trafficked street to the sidewalk that ran along the River Seine to stare and admire the Eiffel Tower!  There is always more than what meets the eye…we smelled aroma of delicious French food from the plethora of streetside brasseries, and we heard Parisian conversation at every turn.  We crossed the gorgeous Pont Alexandre III Bridge— Les Invalides was straight ahead (hello, Napoleon), then down a ramp down to the river’s walking/running path.  We discovered a neat athletic area along the river— “exercise parks” (as my kids call them) for adults and kids, small playgrounds and climbing walls…all along the way to the Eiffel tower sans traffic!  After letting the kids play and some box jumps, we made our way over to Trocadero to enjoy another view of the city.  It was a chilly February day and I found it odd to find an ice cream cart at Trocadero.  Living in this magical moment though, we bought ice cream for the kids, which they enjoyed while we then ran to the Eiffel tower to take one last carrousel ride in Paris. 

Once the ice cream was finished, the carrousel ride ended, and we began the final leg of our run, it almost seemed like a movie as a large group of Parisian school kids (all donning matching blue blazers), cheered for us as we raced to the end of the Tuileries Garden!  It was a brilliant run!  

​Oh, the places we run...make incredible memories! 
 
Happy Running!
-Rose 

​Our family spent last weekend in Columbia, SC, participating in a trail race series (50k for my husband, 25k for myself) and hiking with the kids and dog.  On Saturday morning, the kids and I set up shop by our car to cheer for the runners as they began the 50k trail race— tailgate open, camping chairs, coolers for a picnic, books, blankets to stay warm, dog bed for the dog— we were going to be there all day!  After the runners took off, breakfast completed and a game of bean-boozled, the kids and I set off hiking hoping to run into my husband, Chris, along the course.  After a 5-mile hike through a beautiful pine forest, we finally ran into Chris after the 14-mile marker.  The kids were excited, but I was frozen like an icicle and ready to get back into the car.  The kids cozied up with a pile of blankets in the back of our car with the dog (on the dog bed) and watched a movie.  Not only did they look warm, they requested I open the car windows because they were too hot— I, on the other hand, was still frozen like a gallon of ice cream that was stuck in the back of the freezer for months and set out on the kitchen counter to melt.  Just when I began to thaw, Chris called to tell us he had about 5 miles to the finish.  I bundled the kids up again, and off we went back into the forest— meeting Chris with .5 miles left in his race, our oldest ran him to the finish line.  It was a fun day; however, all of the time hiking and playing outside in the cold left me feeling exhausted.  
 
I woke up the next morning feeling grouchy and dreading the 16 miles of cold I signed up for — I did not want to run and was trying to think of reasons to instead hang out in the warm hotel room.  Unable to come up with a good excuse to defer my race number, we soon arrived back at Harbison State Forest with what I thought was just enough time to grab my number, use the good ole’ porta-potty, and start running.  This time around, I was early…super early, and waited an extra 40 minutes in the cold (Chris thought the start was at 8:30 when it was actually 9:00) — “UGH” was my inner monologue.  I bounced around to the music playing over the loudspeaker to stay warm in the meantime.  
 
The race began with a horn blast, a few barking dogs (especially ours), and spectators cheering along the trail’s edge.  My brain immediately focused on a few bothersome sounds— the gravel crunching beneath hundreds of feet, the heavy mouth-breathing from the runners around me, my hydration pack’s water spout bouncing against my number, and the water sloshing as it tossed side-to-side on my back.  Early on in the run, I looked down at my watch to see my pace and I face planted in the dirt.  Needless to say, I felt grumpy!  Yikes!  I looked down at my watch (again) and I was only at mile 3.  I needed to turn things around and fast!
 
I began thinking about the kids, Chris, and the dog— they were probably off at a park having a great time playing, or maybe hiking again in the forest and picking up pinecones.  
 
I recalled the last time I ran this same race— it was 2020, right before Chris left again for the Middle-East and before COVID hit. My friends drove up early on a Saturday morning to run the 50K. This was my second ultra-marathon. I remember the encouragement from my friend, Beth, as I arrived at the halfway mark during the 50K and how her words and presence boosted my spirits.  It was uplifting seeing Jess as we realized the course distance was longer than 32 miles! 
 
I thought about a Stroller Warrior friend from Ramstein.  Molly and I ran the Jungfrau Marathon together in 2019.  Our families enjoyed a pre-race meal the day before the Jungfrau that included a pot of fondue from a mountainside restaurant— one of the most delicious meals of my life!  I am incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful friend who also enjoys racing up tall mountains! 

​I reminisced about a fun team road race in 2019 with my Stroller Warrior friends from Fort Belvoir.   A bunch of us organized teams of 4 and split 26.2 miles.  I ran about 10 hilly miles before I passed the tracking device to my team mate.  One Stroller Warrior ran a double leg totaling 17 miles to replace a sick team member!  Afterwards we all enjoyed a post-race celebration in a gymnasium where many of us SW members- families included- talked about the racecourse.  It was a fun race with amazing friends and the longest run I had completed postpartum! 

​Before I knew it, 13.75 miles of trail had passed, and I was at an aid station getting some Pepsi to help push me to the end.  These happy memories helped me break through the running wall that I hit very early during the race.  This experience helped me realize the importance of not only physically training for athletic endeavors, but also training the mind to stay positive.  I am grateful to have incredible memories with my Stroller Warrior friends and family that help me overcome obstacles. 
 
How do you overcome hitting a wall during a race?  Please share your stories!
 
Happy Running,
Rose 

:The New Year always inspires people to change, but this desire to change doesn’t always come to fruition- commit to simple yet satisfying goals for 2022 and you’ll find yourself happy with the results.  I’m committing to simple and achievable goals whilst living in a rapidly changing military environment with three very active kids and an energetic and faithful furry K9 running buddy! 

Have realistic and obtainable goals:
Our former neighbor is currently tackling an athletic feat of strength— he and three other adventurers are literally rowing across the Atlantic Ocean (over 3000 miles) in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge.  I thought it would be a fun goal to row 3000 miles throughout 2022 on my C2 Rowing Machine at home…then I did the math— I would have to row over 8 miles per day…yikes!  Time for a new (realistic and obtainable) goal!  I can commit to at least 30 minutes of daily running, walking, biking, rowing, or strength/functional fitness training! 
  
Looking for a fitness goal?  Stroller Warriors currently has the Run the World program for 2022.  Committing to X number of daily/weekly/monthly miles is a great way to obtain realistic and obtainable fitness goals.

Remain committed:
I am registered to run a 25k trail race this weekend.  My husband mentioned the rainy race day forecast and my first thought was “maybe I don’t want to run this.”  However, I am healthy, injury-free, and I must weather the storm…literally.  Life can always throw a curveball with injuries, sickness, or other commitments, so it’s best to “seize the day” sans kids despite the rain! 

Continue to build resiliency with a pivoting mindset:
In a recent blog piece, I mentioned journaling about 5 positive aspects of daily life to be thankful for —these can be big or small, it doesn’t matter.  I have found this helpful in creating resiliency.  This reaffirms positive thinking, and it directly correlates into ways to overcome the “dark place” or “hole” that challenging races might put you in! 

www.strollerwarriors.com/blog/my-self-care-toolkit
​
Change my running sneakers more often:
You may have all read the blog piece about my “quacking” sneaker (yep, it was only one of them):

www.strollerwarriors.com/blog/sentimental-about-running-sneakers

I was long overdue for a new pair of trail sneakers.  Changing out your sneakers can be a bother, but I always try to capitalize on my favorite sneakers when they’re on sale (purchasing multiple pairs for future use)!    

​Wishing everyone many enjoyable miles in 2022—be it trail or road!
​
-Rose 😊

​Giving back is an important part of the Stroller Warriors® mission. Over the years, our members have supported, participated, donated and fundraised for many causes, groups, and organizations. In addition to tangible goods and volunteer hours, our efforts include awareness campaigns using our social media resources to reach our vast network of military spouses, their families, and our friends.

For the month of November, Stroller Warriors participated in a global initiative in support of Soldiers’ Angels.

Founded in 2003 by Patt Patton-Bader, Soldiers’ Angels carries an important mission of supplying aid, comfort, and resources to the military, veterans, and families.  Patt’s personal story is the reason behind the creation of the organization— while deployed in Iraq, Patt’s oldest son, Staff Sergeant Brandon Varn, noticed that he was one of the few service members receiving care packages. With this news, Patti gathered a group of friends and neighbors, and began sending packages to her son’s whole platoon.
As more packages were received, it was brought to the group’s attention that requests for help were needed for soldiers, hospitals, and families at home. Patti, her friends, and neighbors knew there was a continued need for help. They also knew there were more people willing to help! Patti used technology at home to create a means to match the specific requests from soldiers to willing volunteers. In a few months Patti went from sending a few care packages to thousands across the world.

Soldiers’ Angels has grown exponentially since its start and offers programs for deployed troops, families, veterans, and wounded. To this day their Deployed Support team remains popular— sending thousands of cards, letters, care packages and other requested items to service members deployed all over the world.

Please check out the wonderful ways our chapters gave back to this amazing organization.

Stroller Warriors Okinawa, Japan donated seven boxes to deployed troops thanks to the deployment support team. These boxes are packed full of great hygiene items, snacks, magazines, a pillowcase, and other great items. Every box is unique based on what items they happen to have in stock, so no box is identical, and it is unique to each recipient.

Stroller Warriors Iwakuni, Japan was honored to support the Soldiers' Angels Global Outreach Event for the month of November. They had 11 runners who collectively ran 405 Miles for the month. This also included a dedicated 10 mile run on Saturday, 11/20. This also happened to be a SW Mileage Incentive milestone run for two of our Warriors reaching 500 miles for the year.

Stroller Warriors Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii  hosted a run on November 12th and dedicated  miles to Soldiers' Angels. We ran a total of 49.39 miles that day as a team!

Stroller Warriors Twenty Nine Palms, California had 7 members collectively dedicate 435 miles for Soldiers' Angels over the month of November.

​Stroller Warriors Scott, Illinois kicked off the month by collecting leftover Halloween candy for Treats for Troops, a program put on by Soldiers Angels. In all, they compiled a massive 27 pounds of candy.

On November 15th, Stroller Warriors Fort Belvoir, Virginia hosted a dedication run. They collectively dedicated 14 miles.

As always, our members went above and beyond supporting this wonderful organization. Congratulations Warriors on a job well done!

If you are interested in learning more and supporting Soldiers’ Angels please visit their website at https://soldiersangels.org/.

Winter break is upon us— holiday travel is happening, kids are on school vacation, visitors are coming from out of town.  Lots of wheels are turning, but I still make it a point to prioritize fitness.  How can we make fitness happen over the holidays?  Here are some examples on how to integrate your fitness schedule into holiday craziness…
​
1). Include your children in your fitness routine.  This is something that Stroller Warriors do so well!  Throughout the school year, many of us have older children at school during the day.  As for me, many of my runs and workouts include my youngest in the jogging stroller (and our dog) right after I drop off my older kids at school.  During holiday break, I am shifting gears to ensure that I get in my daily fitness with my older two children home from school— planning running routes that are scooter and rollerblade friendly, adding a park pit-stop midway when I decide to do a longer run, opting for a shorter run to a local coffee shop and a walk home through the town square (the Christmas decorations in our town are lovely).  

2). Coordinate a solo run.  Even on non-school vacation days, it is splendid to have 30 solo minutes running.  I will coordinate with my husband’s work schedule to run before or after work.  In the past, I coordinated with my fellow Stroller Warrior friends— half of us would run, while the other half would watch the children at the park.  This is a wonderful time to lean on your Stroller Warriors community!

3). Diversify your strength training.  Strength training does not have to happen in a gym setting— it can happen anywhere!  As I was in the middle of cooking dinner a few days ago, I set my workout timer on the EMOM function (every minute on the minute) and for every minute for 60 minutes completed 10 air squats.  This past weekend while doing yard work, I pulled my barbell out from the shed and completed 8 rounds of 5 heavy deadlift in between shoveling leaves into giant paper bags.
 
4). Make hotel workouts quick.  I am not a fan of running endless miles on a hotel treadmill.  Create a workout that keeps you engaged.  Here are a few examples:
​
              - 1 minute intervals on the treadmill for 20 minutes (1 minute fast, 1 minute decreased speed)
              - 4 rounds of a 400 meter run at an incline with 25 sit ups between each run. 
              - 10 rounds of 10 jumping lunges, 10 push ups

It is a festive time of year, so remember to keep running and fitness enjoyable and merry!

Happy Running!
-Rose