BOB news

Michael Wardian to Defent World Record of Fastest Marathon with a Jogging Stroller This Month

Boise, ID - November 12, 2009

World-Class Runner Pushes Athletic Limits and BOB® Strollers

BOISE, ID (November 12, 2009) – Michael Wardian, 35, admittedly has grandiose goals. His current “to-do” list includes competing in the Olympics, climbing Mount Everest and setting a couple of World Records along the way. Lofty, maybe, but also quite possible, based on the Arlington, VA, athlete’s past accomplishments, which include completing 100 marathons on three continents, winning four USA Track & Field (USATF) National Championships, competing twice in the Olympic  Marathon Trials and setting the Guinness World Record for fastest marathon with a jogging stroller.
 
This month, at the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, OK, Wardian intends to defend – and break – the “Pram-pushing Fastest Marathon” World Record he set in 2007 with his son, Pierce, and the family’s trusty BOB Revolution stroller.  
 
Now a father of two, Wardian first aspired to set a new World Record in this category even before he had children, intrigued by the opportunity to share an athletic challenge with his family. So, when little Pierce came along, he waded through the paperwork, researched the requirements and began training with his toddler in tow.
 
In need of a stroller that could stand up to his athletic demands, Wardian was gifted a BOB Revolution by his local running shop. Known for their high-quality, rugged designs and features that help facilitate active family endeavors, BOB strollers have developed quite a following among elite athletes.
 
“BOB strollers really work for my lifestyle, because they’re responsive, they handle well, and once in motion, they really move and smoothly cover ground,” said Wardian.
 
On May 6, 2007, Wardian, along with Pierce and the BOB Revolution, crossed the finish line at the Frederick Marathon in Maryland in 2:42:21, creating a new Guinness World Record. At the Route 66 Marathon on November 22, Wardian will push the BOB Ironman stroller, a lightweight model with stiffer shocks designed specifically for serious runners, and it will be his younger son, Grant, who will get to enjoy the potentially record-breaking ride.
 
“Setting the World Record with Pierce was pretty special and definitely one of the accomplishments I look back most fondly on,” said Wardian. “I’m looking forward to sharing the experience with Grant this month.” 
 
Further spurring Wardian’s already competitive nature, there’s buzz circulating that there may be another contender going for the World Record. Well-prepared for the anticipated “duel,” the 2008 Ultra Runner of the Year (USATF) runs approximately four races per month and has already completed two of the world’s most challenging – the Marathon des Sables and the Western States 100 – along with several others, this year, alone.
 
Wardian also trains regularly with both Pierce, 3, and, Grant, 10 months, in their two-seater BOB Revolution Duallie.
 
“Even while pushing both boys in the BOB, I’ve been able to continue to run 6-6:30 miles with the guys I normally train with, although it makes for a pretty funny scene,” said Wardian. “The kids and I really enjoy getting out together and making up all kinds of games and fun things to do while they’re riding in the stroller.”
 
And despite working full-time and logging sometimes 20-plus miles of running a day, Wardian still makes time to help his wife, Jennifer, with the morning and evening routines of getting the boys dressed, fed and bathed, and even makes sure the family dog, Maggie, gets two walks each day.
 
“It’s a busy schedule, but we love it and wouldn’t have it any other way,” Wardian said.
 
So far, Wardian has championed his goal of doing the absolute best he can in all aspects of his life and is showing no signs of slowing down.
 
“I continue to test the boundaries of what is possible, and I see each day as an opportunity to improve,” he said. “I have grandiose goals, and I know that to reach them I need to make the most of each and every moment.”
 
For more information on Michael Wardian or BOB strollers, editorial media can contact Jordan at On the Horizon Communications at (805) 773-1000 or email jordan@thepressroom.com. More details on BOB, including the company’s entire product line, can also be found at http://www.bobgear.com/.
 

Look for BOB strollers and accessories in baby stores and sporting goods stores nationwide. BOB formed in 1994 as one of the first manufacturers of single-wheeled bicycle cargo trailers.  As the founders of the company became fathers, they designed and developed the first Sport Utility Stroller in 1998. For more information, visit the website at www.bobgear.com.