Leapfrogs and Handoffs
By Garett Graubins
When both Mom and Dad are endurance runners, there are several ways to work in the long run. The no-brainer is to hire a baby sitter for Saturday morning, but who wants to spend all that money? Anyway, that’s too easy. Instead, “Leapfrog Runs” offer the best of all worlds.
Here’s how they work: Dad and Junior drop off Mom—plus her running shoes and hydration system—at Point A. Mom starts running while Dad heads to Starbucks, reads Junior a book, plays with him awhile, or drives directly to Point B. Point B can be several miles away on a winding road, or even two valleys over if it’s a trail run.
At Point B, Mom arrives and high-fives Dad, and Dad starts running solo to Point C. Mom and Junior are reunited (possibly for a feeding) and can play for an hour or two before driving ahead to meet Dada.
There can be all sorts of amusing twists to the Leapfrog Run. Mom and Dad can have fun calculating their mileage together. The run can end in a town or city where the cool-down involves a stroller walk or picnic with Junior. Either way, it’s a win-win-win for everybody: long miles, fresh air, and lots of stimulation.
Posted on September 20, 2007