Buggy running - a cut-out-and-keep guide

Picture the scene: it's a sunny day, you haven't been for a run for a while and you are sitting in the house with a one-year-old, who will no doubt struggle even with a three-miler at eight-minute-mile pace.

All is not lost: buy a buggy, put the kid in it and head out. But before you do so, it may be worth reading this guide to running with toddlers in buggies. These tips of course should not be taken as gospel – after all I have run with only one child (my own) – and if you find that your experience is completely different to mine, then don't shoot me. But here's what I have learned in a year and a bit of buggy-running:

All this could be yours - and your kid's - with the
addition of a decent buggy

1. Choose your machine wisely - look for a second-hand buggy

One with big wheels. And lots of storage. But the most important thing to remember is these robust pieces of equipment usually see no more than two years' use per child, so a second-hand one will adequate for your needs – unless you run in a particularly fashion conscious part of the world. They are eye-wateringly expensive new, but the one I have cost me 50 pounds on eBay and apart from one puncture, has been bombproof. Oh, and make sure your kid can actually sit confidently on their own before you even think about going out.

2. Time your outing

This is no time for spontaneity. A successful run with a toddler requires the youngster to be fed and well-rested. I know from bitter experience that taking a tired kid running is a recipe for misery.

3. The going will be slow

Running with a buggy is no time for sprint sessions. The weight of the vehicle (and child, once he or she grows) and unscheduled stops for drinks etc mean you're likely to run around one to two minutes per mile slower than your usual “long distance” pace. In fact I have found that it is best to keep runs with a buggy “stupid”, “naked” or whatever your term for gadgetless is – except a phone.

4. Choose a loop route rather than out-and-back

One of the first runs I did with my daughter was a two-and-a-half-mile route to a park, with the idea that we could stop in the playground then come back. Except just as I was beginning the return, she decided she'd had enough. And for the next 20 minutes or so, I felt like the worst dad in the world pushing my screaming child home. It was no fun at all. So every subsequent run has been a loop, with short cuts for use in the event we have to get back quickly.

5. Trails! Trails! Trails!

Again, everyone's kid is different, but mine absolutely loves the bumpiness of trails. Sure, she seems to like running along roads, but I have never heard her laugh out loud trundling along the pavement as she does when we judder over tree roots or in mud. And now that she can talk, she yells “look at the view!” when we get to the top of a hill. Avoid sandy trails, unless you fancy a particularly brutal run.

Why you stopped, Daddy?

6. Keep the route interesting

This may sound obvious, but I have found a route with intermittent tree cover and a few hills (preferably with a view at the top) gets a far more positive reaction than one on flat ground. Plus it gives you something to talk about.

7. Keep talking

The conversation is likely to be one-sided, unless your child is some kind of prodigy, but every now and then, as I have been blathering on about “look at that tree”, or “there's a dog with curly hair”, I have got a smiling face turning round to me – or even a “woof woof, another doggy!” in response. And as she talks more, I also get “faster, Daddy, faster!” when going uphill, which is simultaneously encouraging and demoralising.

8. If you are male, be prepared for some weird looks

For some reason a bloke pushing a buggy (especially in midweek – I have irregular days off) garners looks usually reserved for alien landings. Who knows why? I never let it bother me. After all, I'm the lucky so-and-so who's running. Elderly dog walkers tend to make comments like “ooh, you've got your hands full” which usually couldn't be further from the truth.

9. Dress your kid warmly

Again, this may sound obvious, but whatever you think the temperature is, add an extra layer for the passenger to be sure. You can always remove it. There is nothing more dispiriting than a toddler complaining of the cold. In winter, remember gloves. And take an extra pair, because one is bound to get flung off into a puddle. Conversely, in summer make sure you take a hat and a drink bottle.

10. Enjoy it while it lasts

As I write, I fear I have taken my daughter (now two and a half) for one of her last runs. She is beginning to realise that actually doing the running through the trees might be more fun than being pushed. But over the past year and a bit, I think she has enjoyed being my part-time running buddy and surprisingly forthright coach.