Mom Crush Monday: Dianna Chivakos

I can't believe it's only been a little over a week since the stroller world record was broken by a former Mom Crush and friend of mine! I guess it feels like it was much longer ago because I knew this day would come! I tried to get this post out earlier but.... #momlife... I've been busy....Also, we lost power this morning... SO Right as Monday comes to an end, I give you this weeks #momcrush with a video and my inexcusable commentary to go with it (take that Runners World! haha! Juuuusssst Kidding!!!) ​

You heard it here first; back in May, on my instagram, I predicted this day would come! Dianna Chivakos and her son Evan are World Record Holders! After a recap of my long race history with Dianna, I congratulated her and Evan on their recent race performance and finished my post with"I wouldn't be surprised if we see a Stroller World Record from the duo soon! "...  I wasn't joking. You may have seen it floating in the world wide web, but if you followed my instagram, I said it first!

In October of 2015, Jessica Bruce set the previous (official) World Record in the Marathon pushing a baby in a stroller. She ran a time of 3:17:26 with her 7 month old. Dianna bested her time by exactly 7 minutes running a 3:10:26! And I got to be there to witness it! 

Most runners who have trained for a marathon know the difficulty involved. There are so many more concerns with a stroller. For starters, you need to have a willing and able baby, or in Dianna's case, a toddler. If you are pushing your own child (which I feel should be a requirement) there's a race against your fitness gains and your child's weight gains. The younger your child is, the more likely they will nap on the run, and the lighter weight they are... however,  the less recovered from pregnancy you are... and if breastfed, the length of marathon training requires pit stops. If your child is older, they are heavier, have more free will (no buckles can keep mine strapped in the stroller anymore... If she wants out... Out she goes!) but older kiddos are more advanced and independent when eating snacks and are able to use iphone games or other forms of entertainment without much assistance. It's a toss up which age harder, but no question they are both hard!  This doesn't even include obvious challenges such as pushing up hills, into the wind, or potential flat tires.

Dianna, much like myself, has a husband who travels for work, so training with the stroller was necessary and she started as soon as it was safe to do so. Dianna had been training with the stroller to supplement her own training. She put the Baystate Marathon on the schedule, but as it approached she realized she didn't have the workouts to achieve her personal goals, but having put in 80-100 mile weeks with Evan, she thought the stroller record would be possible! She asked the race director if she could enter and he said yes!

Here are some of Dianna's personal PR's incase you missed my post a few months back: 
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Mile: 4:52 
3k: 9:49 
5k: 17:07 
Half: 1:21:18
Full: 3:02:49 

PR's with Evan:
5 Miler: 32:20
Marathon: 3:10:26 (WR) ​

Congrats Dianna and Evan! I'm so inspired everyday by you, and have been for a very long time! Keep up the strong work, mama! Hope to race you again soon! (but I think I'll leave my stroller at home)...