Lifestyle
Making the decision to run a marathon is not one that anyone should take lightly - because, without adequate preparation, 26.2 miles can easily break you.
But imagine doing just while pushing not one or two, but three kids in a stroller all the way over the finish line.
Well, one hero of a mom - Cynthia Lauren Arnold - crushed the previous marathon record by over an hour - and all with the added weight of her three kids and a stroller.
The mom had performed well in the marathon in previous years, Runner's World reported, but this year she wanted to do something really special; to set the Guinness World Record for the fastest full marathon while pushing three kids at the Missoula Marathon.
Bare in mind, six-year-old Marguerite, three-year-old Simon and 21-month-old Asha and the stroller added about 185 lbs to the run.
The previous three-person stroller marathon record was a seemingly impossible 4:07, but Cynthia ended up blowing that time out of the water, and completed the full 26.2 miles in just 3:11.
And because she's just that much of a pro, Arnold even had time for a popsicle pitstop for kids.
"It’s supposed to be fun for the kids," she said. "I have a bunch of friends who are coming down from Polson. It’s really going to be fun, I think. We’ve been running together all spring with this in mind."
"Running with the stroller has so many benefits for running parents," the dedicated mom added. "Those of us who run know how much it is a part of our identity. You can’t just give that up if you become a parent. The stroller gives one the freedom to carry on a lifestyle with new ones in tow."
When she ran in preparation for the marathon, she normally went without her kids, the mom-of-three told Runner's World.
However, she did make sure to take them with her on occasion so that she would be somewhat accustomed to the additional weight - these runs were limited to just ten miles. Just before the race, however, she took the kids on one 17-mile long run.
While Arnold admits this will probably be the last competitive race she does with her kids, she does plan to compete entirely on her own next year.
And not that she needs it, but the best of luck to her!
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