I’m going to be real for a moment: I can’t run a marathon. At all. So, it’s hard for me to even imagine how it’s possible to run a marathon and win–all while pushing a baby stroller, like the extra 30 pounds is NBD. Yet this is exactly what Jessica Bruce did during the Abingdon Marathon in the United Kingdom, finishing with a time of 3:17:52. Her time broke the Guinness World Record for a woman pushing a stroller during a marathon (because that is apparently a thing).
Bruce began training when her son was only 4 months old. Since her husband often worked long hours, she usually had to take her baby on her training runs. When it came time for the actual marathon, her husband ran alongside her and also held a bottle for their son Daniel at the 21-mile mark. She’s pretty much a supermom. And it seems Daniel is a world class napper.
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Bruce told Runner’s World how supported she felt, stating, “I am just quite amazed we managed to do it in that time. Nothing went wrong, and I was so encouraged by the support along the way.”
While I’m not advocating for every mom to start running marathons while schlepping a stroller, it provides inspiration to take charge of your ambitions–to believe in yourself enough to take initiative. This is a message everyone needs to hear sometimes, especially when you’re feeling discouraged for any number of reasons (like sleep deprivation and toddler tantrums). So go for it, but remember–it’s OK if you don’t break a record.
