My quads hurt.  They’ve hurt for days.  Don’t worry; it’s the good kind of hurt.  And it’s not just my quads; it’s my glutes, too.  And there’s a twinge in my triceps as well.   Why all the pain, you ask?  I’ll tell you: Stroller Strides.

Let me back up.

After E. was born, Doc said no exercise for six weeks, minimum.  I cheated a bit and snuck in a couple of easy elliptical workouts at around five weeks.  I had to.  I was crawling out of my flabby post-baby skin and needed to move.

At six weeks, I upgraded to the treadmill.  I left for the gym one day telling to whomever was watching Elisabeth (I honestly can’t remember), “I’m just going to do an easy 30-minute jog.  Be back soon!”  I was positively giddy at the prospect of running again, but as it had been six weeks since I had last run, I knew I had to take it slow.  A 30-minute jog would be just the thing.

Right.

I stepped on the treadmill and began walking to warm up.  I gradually increased my speed.  Within minutes of “running”, I was clutching the side of the treadmill to keep from falling off, gasping and panting and seeing stars, frantically punching the decrease speed button.  Decrease, decrease, DECREASE FASTER DAMN IT!   The treadmill speed slowed and I steadied my shaking legs, utterly confused.  WTF is going on with my body?  Then I remembered:  It hadn’t been only six weeks since my last run, it had been more like 4-5 months.  I had forgotten my whole run-less third trimester.  Whoops.

My easy 30-minute jog was out.  As it turns out, any consistent running was out.  The Californian in me doesn’t run outdoors when the temperature dips below 60 degrees, and the paranoid New Mom in me doesn’t leave her precious little baby girl in the sketchy gym daycare.  I needed to get in shape. What to do, what to do?

Thankfully, Stroller Strides entered my life.  On the recommendation of another mom, I checked out a class in early January.  All I knew of the program was that it was a workout group that met in the mall.  I went in thinking it was a bunch of women strolling their kids around the mall, chatting and window-shopping.  It probably wouldn’t be the greatest workout in the world, but heck, walking is better than nothing, right?  And if anything, it would be something social.  Couldn’t hurt.

Ohhhh I was sorely mistaken.  (See what I did there?)  Sure, there was walking.  Power walking.  And stair running.  And squats.  So many squats.  Not to mention bicep curls and tricep extensions and rows and grapevines and high knees and planks and oh so much more.  OK, maybe it wasn’t all that in that one particular class, but you get the idea.  I left tired and sweaty and happy.  (By the way, it’s only held in the mall during the winter months.)

The next day my body burned.  Just like it does today.  I’ve been Stroller Striding for about two months now, and I love it.  Every workout is different and challenging and allows for several modifications to meet your fitness needs, whether you’re recently postpartum or preggers or whatever.  One of the instructors (ahem, Caitlin) has an evil obsession with lunges.  Hence the sore quads and glutes.  And today’s core work KILLED me.  Where the heck are my abs???  Oh yeah, Elisabeth took them from me.  That’s okay though, because workouts like these will help me find them again.

I would highly, highly recommend Stroller Strides to any mom looking to get – or stay – in shape.  You can expect to get your heart pumping with cardio bursts, compound movements with exercise tubing, body weight exercises, etc. etc.  And just to remind you that you’re really working hard, the instructors make you sing to your kids during the workout.  Have you ever tried singing while doing squats with a bicep curl and military press?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.  (At least it’s helping me recall those lullabies I had forgotten.)

I’ll add that Stroller Strides is more than just a workout class.  There are running clubs, a program called Body Back for moms of all ages, field trips with the kiddos, social events for just the moms…  In fact, my first night out away from Elisabeth was a Stroller Strides “Mom’s Night Out”, and it was awesome.

So.  Awesome workouts.  Awesome women.  What are you waiting for?

If you live in the Norfolk area and want to check it out, you can do so here.

The national website is here.

Any other Stroller Striders out there?  What do you love about it?