Let's be honest. We sign up for races for the shirts. And free giveaways are a HUGE bonus. Ok, maybe because we kinda like running too. 

Raise your hand if you've ever gotten a TERRIBLE race tee? (hands shoot up). I have! Ugh, it's the worst! Well - have no fear. You're NOT going to be disappointed with this year's #StrollerStrong Virtual Run shirts. These black, dry fit technical tanks are cut for women and are SO flattering. As in, I'm still wearing a small and it makes me look like I'm NOT EVEN pregnant. It's cool, it's comfy and it looks great! You can celebrate how Stroller Strong you are every time you wear it, and you'll have your own reminder to bring snacks! 

When you're signing up, don't forget to add in a toddler shirt for your stroller squad so you can all cruise in style! These gray tees are SUPER SOFT and look extra cute on the kiddos! 

On top of getting great race swag in your registration packet - you also have the opportunity to win some HUGE prizes and THAT MY FRIEND...is why I'm posting here today. There is so much good stuff it should be it's own blog post! You're gonna love reading about these giveaways and the genius-mamas behind the products. Cuz we're all about MOM-POWERED around here! 

 You have to be a registered participant to be eligible though - so go register NOW...and scroll on to see what you can WIN!!

​Spoiler Alert: we've got a BOB stroller to give away - you don't want to miss this! 

Alright! You've got your race day swag, you completed your stroller run, NOW - the GIVEAWAYS BEGIN! Here's what we've got comin' at ya! 

Momentum Jewelry is powered by Amy Cochrane - a mom just like you! She wanted to get motivation when and where she needed it most, so creating these powerful mantras on sweat-friendly jewelry was the answer! We LOVE these Motivate Wraps and chose 2 of our favorite sayings for you #StrollerStong Mamas.
2 lucky winners will win one of these wraps! 

The Koala Clip was invented by Kristina, a mom and runner (yep, another mom-powered business!) when she was tired of trying to find a way to carry her phone on her runs. This magnetic phone clip is lightweight and sweat/water resistant. I can't wait to one to try myself with the 10% discount code we've got for every participant! We'll also be giving away a $35 gift card to one #StrollerStrong mama! 

Oh hey look! It's another mom-powered business! We've partnered with Momsanity to bring you some of our favorite supplements for powering through mom-life. I personally LOVE using both the Mom Fuel (it's a plant based protein powder WITH collagen!) and the BCAA's!! You will too! You'll have a chance to win each of these when you enter our drawing! Plus, every registered participant will get a 10% discount! 

Moms are just super inventive it seems! We DO know how to solve problems! Amy Crouse, the founder of BolderBands was sick of taking breaks in her workouts to fix her hair & headband, so she set out to create one that would fit every head! We've got 3 sets of headbands and lip gloss to give away to lucky winners! 

We saved the best for last y'all. You, yes YOU, can win the BRAND NEW BOB Blaze running stroller when you participate in our run! The Blaze Performance Stroller is your ULTIMATE training partner and the fastest ride for your little stroller squad! I ONLY run with BOB strollers and this one is top of the line! It retails for $500 and is available only at REI right now. 

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Oct. 11, 2018

You used to never miss your favorite class at the gym. Your Saturday morning long runs were with friends and followed by brunch. You LOVED working out.

I know. I remember. That was me too.
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Then I had kids. 

2 beautiful, amazing miracles that I wouldn't change a thing about but it sure would be nice if they'd let me get a workout in sometimes. After my first, it wasn't so incredibly hard to get back into it. I got into a regular running schedule and I really enjoyed my home workouts. After my second? WAY harder. Now that I'm pregnant with #3 I'm fully aware of the challenge that is ahead of me. I'm also fully confident that I CAN DO IT. 

After you have kids, you have to realize that exercise is going to be different. Hopefully different in awesome ways, but it's going to take some time to figure it all out. It takes a lot of commitment, drive, and usually, some creativity to make it happen But here's the thing. You CAN DO IT. You can make it happen. 

Next to SCHEDULING YOUR WORKOUT...letting your kids participate is my most common suggestion to mamas.  Is it the most efficient? Nope. Is it always perfect rainbows & unicorns? Nope. 

But it WORKS when you're a busy mom, AND you get the added bonus of showing your kids what being healthy looks like, and getting EVERYONE's wiggles out! The added weight you'll surely have to carry doesn't hurt your strength gains either!! 

You'll have to take extra breaks, you may have distractions sometimes, but making your workout a priority, whether your kids are asleep or climbing all over you will make a huge difference in your success. And guess what? As your children grow, they'll know how important exercise is to their mama, and have a great picture of what commitment to health really looks like. I don't know about you, but that's worth some annoying workouts. I know it can feel like you just don't have time, or you feel selfish about taking the time, but trust me - you'll feel better, which in turn makes you a better mama, which is BETTER FOR EVERYONE!!! 

So, what are some of the BEST moves to do when you're kids are around? Here are my TOP 3 FAVORITES! They top the list because you can do them with kids of any age - from newborns to busy kids, and they target lots of muscle groups! That means muscle multi-tasking which equals greater calorie burn and more bang for your workout buck. 

1. Wall Sits - These are a great leg and core strength move. See how long you can hold it, and each time you do it, aim for adding 15 seconds! You can do this with a front pack baby carrier, with a kid on your lap, or turn it into tunnel time for bigger kids! My oldest even likes to do them next to me sometimes! 

Trainer Tip: Be sure that your knees are stacked on top of your ankles and your knees and hips are both at 90 degree angles. This will keep your knees safe! If you don't have a kid on your lap, don't cheat by holding your hands on your legs. Keep them on your belly, shoulders, or head! 

2. Planks - Once you're ready to start increasing core strength after having a baby (and if you don't struggle with Diastasis Recti), planks are a great way to start. I love that it works your back, stomach, shoulders AND butt!! The ultimate multi-tasker! With little babies, you can lay them underneath you and talk, sing and make silly faces. As they get older, most likely they'll want to climb on your back (hello adorable weight vest!). We also like to do plank high 5's! It make's mama's plank even harder and kiddos have fun being a part of it! 

Trainer Tip: Start with your knees on the ground in a modified pushup position. Lengthen out your body so that you still form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. As you feel stronger, raise to your toes, while keeping that strong, straight line. Squeeze through your glutes, lift and engage your core and pelvic floor, and press through all 10 fingers! 

3. Hip Bridges - This is hands down my favorite exercise for pregnancy and postnatal workouts. Even if it's been a while since you've given birth, it's an important one for all women! Since my little ones were tiny, they liked to be propped up on the front of my legs and taken for a little ride up and down as I raised and lowered my bridge. As they grow, mama gets stronger! You can also hold this bridge up for a period of time, and let them army crawl under you! 

Trainer Tip: Take these nice and slow. Start with your feet on the ground and your knees bent. Tuck your pelvis under and lift your pelvic floor while pressing your lower back into the ground. Slowly raise your hips off the ground one vertebrae at a time. Squeeze your glutes at the top, and slowly lower back down, rolling through those vertebrae as smoothly as possible. 

Hey y'all! 

I get asked a lot about kid friendly workouts, or what kind of workouts I do with my Mommy Strong classes, so I thought I'd pop in quick to share today's class workout! This is a perfect total body circuit to do at home with the kids or with some friends at the park! 

Workout

Circuit 1 - Do each exercise for 1 minute, repeat circuit 2-3x

• Lunges (with a leg lift option)
• Tricep Dips (little kids can hop on your lap!)
• Plank Crosses (hold plank and bring your right knee to your left elbow, then repeat on the other side) 
• 25 yard sprint, return with a backpedal.

Circuit 2 - Do each exercise for 1 minute, repeat circuit 2-3x

• Sumo Squats ("easy" to hold kiddos on this one)
• Pushups (options for knees, toes, hands on on a bench, toes on a bench, kids on the back, kids underneath for kisses)
• Reverse Plank or table top
• Side Shuffles down and back 25 yards

Finisher - "Roxanne" Burpee Challenge! Play the song "Roxanne" and every time they sing "Roxanne", do a burpee! 

​Stretch

Let me know if you try out this workout and what you think!
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