Dad Sets Record for Fastest Mile with a Stroller

Nothing quite compares to the workout of running with a stroller. While jogging stroller brands have worked for decades to make the ride smoother, pushing baby along while clocking a sub-5-minute mile is an entirely different challenge.

Silas Frantz, dad to baby boy Otto, recently etched his name into the record books with the fastest stroller mile ever run. Pushing a Thule stroller around the Arroyo Grande High School track with Otto in tow, the California dad clocked a mile in at just 4:26.29.

The record-setting run—currently under review by Guinness World Records—sparked plenty of celebration. But it also raised an important conversation about stroller safety. Frantz attempted his feat with Otto at just over two months old, at least four months younger than what’s considered safe.

Jogging stroller maker Thule notes in its online jogging guidelines that babies should not be taken out in a jogging stroller until they are at least six months old and able to sit up and hold their head steady without assistance. This is advice confirmed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, who note that it’s important that baby be able to sit up and have full head and neck control to safely handle the bumps, turns and stops of jogging. Without it, their developing spines and heads may be at risk.

Speaking with Runner’s World, Frantz admitted he hadn’t come across those guidelines in his research. “I did not think there was a danger for head and neck stability,” he told the outlet, adding he thought it would be similar in risk to driving with a car seat. “I wish I’d have spoken with a pediatrician beforehand,” he added, saying he wouldn’t run a race like this again with a child under six months. While he never intended to put Otto in danger, Frantz said he hopes “people use this moment to learn about what is or isn’t safe.”

Looking to get out on the road with your little one when the time is right? Check out this list of the six best jogging strollers tested by active moms.