SOUTH MILLS — Birdwatchers and cyclists beware. Pushy moms and their babies are the new kids on the block on the bike path beside the Dismal Swamp Canal.

Stroller Strides, a national fitness franchise for mothers with young children, was recently set up in Camden County. The first workout of what is set to become a tri-weekly fixture was held on Monday on the path just south of the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center.

Korene Dover of South Mills, an AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor, recently bought the franchise for Camden and Pasquotank counties.

"It started in California and is all about fitness for moms," said Dover, a mother-of-three. "This is the first time it's been in this area. I was a participant in Virginia Beach. When I moved down here I decided to bring it with me," she said.

"It's about getting out here with our babies and us getting exercise and the kids seeing us exercise. We'll be here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m." Dover said.

After a vigorous warm-up the moms embarked on a two mile power push down the Dismal Swamp Bike Trail, Monday

But the pace was hard to maintain for some of the moms.

"This is tough. I haven't lost the baby weight yet," said LeAnn Slater from Weeksville who was pushing her 11-month-old son Jared.

She vowed to continue the exercise program after the free introductory session.

"I'll probably come here again. I need to," she said. "She's going to be opening one in Elizabeth City so I'll probably go to that."

"It's not easy to get exercise when you have kids," Jan Culpepper from South Mill said.

Culpepper arrived at Monday's introductory session with her children Karynna, 4, and Ian, 1, in a bulky stroller.

"If we decide to go with this we will definitely invest in a different stroller because this one's a pain," she said.