I have three kids, am married and have a demanding full time job. I don’t have much room in my schedule for running but I always make time to do it. I love to run – it’s very important to my overall well-being. I have been referring to running as my therapy for years. This is not far from the truth, running helps me clear my head, gives me a boost of energy and gives me some time to work through tough issues. There is clear scientific evidence that exercise helps with mental health by reducing stress and anxiety. Running is also great for boosting your self confidence. It feels great to know that I can lace up my shoes and go run without having to do any preparation. Finding time to run is always challenging but I have found a number of ways to make it work.
Wake Up Early
Long runs are the key to distance training and I always do them on the weekend since I can’t take that time off work during the week. I get up at 5am or 6 am and run for two to five hours while my family is asleep. It sounds cruel to get up this early on the weekend but it works really well for me. I always feel great about running early in the day and not missing too much time with my family. I get a nagging feeling on the days that I sleep in – I’m constantly thinking about when I will run and feel anxious that I won’t have enough time. During the work week, I run for one hour in the morning or at lunch, at least three times per week. Keeping my run to one hour does not interfere with my work day and splits up my day nicely.
Split up your Run
Despite my best efforts there are weekends when I can’t run early in the morning. I will split up my long run when this happens so that I can still help out with the kids. For example, if I have a 4 hour run scheduled, I’ll run for two hours in the morning, come back to make lunch for the family and then run for another two hours so that I’m back for dinner.
Multi-task While Running
I have also learned to multi-task on my runs. I love to listen to audiobooks and have finished close to one hundred books. I have prepared for meetings and presentations by recording voice memos and listening to them while running. I am a big fan of meditating and practicing mindful running. I work on staying present in the run by clearing my head and focussing on the sights, smells and sounds of the trail. I also concentrate on the way my body feels while running – the motion of my legs and arms. I will often repeat the “so-hum” mantra which is very helpful in keeping my mind from wandering.
Running Strollers
Running strollers are great for busy parents. Spouses can often feel resentful when you need to leave for your runs. You can avoid an argument by bringing the kids with you on your run. We have a Chariot (now Thule brand) stroller which holds two kids. The stroller was expensive but it was a great purchase, we use it all the time. I’ll often push my two youngest kids in the stroller while my oldest rides her bike. We’ll stop and play at the park to break up the run.
One of my favourite runners, Dean Karnasez keeps motivated by reminding himself that he always feels better after a run. Some days I feel like I’m too tired or that I don’t have enough time to run. I have never regretted going for a run on these days and have always felt better, just like Dean says.
