As an active mom, I enjoy doing a variety of activities to stay fit. I lift weights to get stronger (carrying a toddler around challenges your overall strength), go for walks to clear my mind, run to get my heart rate up and take a fitness class here and there.
Before having my son, I completed my first marathon, several half-marathons and shorter races in between. But running took a backseat after my second trimester because I was advised not to do activity in the summer heat while heavily pregnant.
It's been about two years since then, and I'm ready to start running consistently. Still, finding the time to run outdoors has been a challenge. Though I'm able to squeeze in workouts at home during the week, having a child means working around his schedule and needing someone to watch him if I go out for "me time."
That's when I realized this season might not be about running alone, but including my son in my adventures instead. A jogging stroller was one tool to help me reach my running goals without having to worry about childcare. I got to test the Guava Roam jogging stroller, and it's made all the difference.
The Guava Roam jogging stroller experience
The Guava Roam jogging stroller is compact enough to fit in a small apartment. One of my concerns about a jogging stroller was that they tend to be huge, and I don't have much storage space. But the Roam folds in half with a pull of a handle and is 50% smaller than the average jogging stroller folded up.
It opens as easily as it closes and only requires turning the knob (to make sure the front wheel is unlocked) and adjusting the handle. The back of the stroller also has the traditional lock and unlock mechanism on the left and right sides that you can press down with your foot.
The three airless tires on this stroller (two in the back, one in the front) are designed to handle different terrain, whether you're walking on the pavement or jogging on a dirt road. I've pushed this stroller over smooth and uneven trails with tree branches, and these tires can handle it.
It can hold a child up to 60 pounds or as young as 6 months old. By 6 months, babies have developed enough neck and head control to withstand the jogging stroller movement.
A side-by-side look at the Guava Roam and Uppa Vista stroller. The Guava is smaller than the Vista folded in half, and takes up less space. CNET/ Giselle Castro-Sloboda
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