Elite U.S. distance runner smashes half-marathon with a stroller record
U.S. distance runner Julia Webb broke the previous record for a half-marathon with a stroller by four minutes on Sunday in Chicago.
New women's stroller WR for the half marathon! @runteamwebb 1:22.57 (previous 1:27.54) That's a fast mama! pic.twitter.com/cAiEZf7snm
— Alan Webb (@alan_webb1) July 17, 2016
An American mother-daughter duo crossed the line at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago half-marathon on Sunday in record time. Julia Webb pushed her nine-month-old daughter, Paula, to a 1:22:57 clocking bettering the previous half-marathon with a stroller record by almost five minutes. She finished seventh overall.
Julia’s last name may be familiar to those who follow U.S. distance running. She’s the wife of American mile record holder Alan Webb, one of the greatest runners in American middle-distance history. Alan is retired from competitive running.
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Webb’s time on Sunday bettered the previous women’s record for a half-marathon with a stroller from last month by Lindsy James. Prior to James’ performance, the stroller record had not been lowered in 15 years. Webb averaged 3:55 per kilometre for the 21.K, half-marathon distance on Sunday.
Webb admits that Paula is a “chill baby” and because she was sleepy before the race, the fast pace did not bother her. The Webb family resides in Beaverton, Ore.
@Louis_Montano @alan_webb1 Paula is a chhhiiillll baby. It also helps it was 6:30 AM and she was pretty sleepy (4:30 her time) 🙂
— Julia Webb (@runteamwebb) July 17, 2016
In 2014, Webb ran a 10K with a stroller pushing a friend’s baby to a 38:15 clocking in Portland, Ore. Last week, Webb ran one second off that personal best at the Butte to Butte 10K in Portland, which proved to be a good tuneup for Sunday. Below is a photo of Webb (and Rio-bound runner Robby Andrews) after the 10K last weekend.
The men’s half-marathon with a stroller record is held by Canadian Calum Neff, who ran 1:11:27 in Katy, Texas on Feb. 6.
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Webb will need to submit proof and footage of the race before the result can be officially ratified as a Guinness world record. Severe thunderstorms on Sunday morning suspended the race briefly before the weather system passed through. The Rock ‘n’ Roll series is a popular circuit of races around the world.
Rock ‘n’ Roll stops in Canada include Vancouver and Montreal.
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