Calum Neff loves running, and, like most dads, he loves his kids. So it made sense to combine his two loves by pushing his daughters in a pram while running in marathons.
The Texan dad set his first world record – Fastest Half-Marathon Pushing a Pram – last year when he ran in the Katy Half Marathon with his 11-month-old daughter Holland. Eight months later, he broke another world record for running full marathon with a stroller – this time at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, with his four-year-old daughter Allesandra.
Neff started running with his girls as a way to spend additional time with them and to motivate other parents to be more active with their children.
He started with 5km and 10km runs, working up to longer distances – all the while creating a bond with his daughters. He said the training gave the girls great preparation for sitting for long periods during the races.
"You don't have to be setting world records with your kids, but the fact that we were able to accomplish those records show that not only is it possible to be a dad, work a full-time job, and have a serious passion, but it's possible to do all of those at a very high level," Neff told Babble.
"Incorporating them into my exercise gives us time together that would otherwise be spent away from them."
He said the girls both did really well during the races and having a pram meant he could stash all the necessary food and hydration he needed to keep his energy levels up.
And he's not done yet, with his third child, Maya, born last month. "I think the next records will be done alongside Maya's cousin in a double stroller," he said.
And what do the other competitors think of him running with a pram?
Neff said running with a pram brought out the competitive streak in other "non-stroller runners".
"No one likes getting beat by a stroller," he said.