Running for Mums 101 Part 2: Time Management
This is part 2 of Tuvizo‘s series on running for mothers as told by our guest blogger, Ann Steel. She describes herself as follows: “I’m Ann; baker of cakes, runner of miles and mother of two. I started running as a way of gaining balance during some difficult teenage years but also as a way of avoiding anything that was remotely related to ball sports in P.E. in high school. I have been running ever since, through the good times and the bad. When I’m not running you can usually find me in the kitchen, or curled up with a good book or telling my kids to please pick up those Lego blocks I just stood on.” Time is a precious commodity. This is especially true for mothers. Maybe you know the scenario; you have half an hour till you need to be out of the house, which is fine, because you’re prepared and
you’ve packed everything you need. But then, oops, you can’t find a matching pair of shoes for the kids, one child needs to pee, then another child needs to pee, then all this talk of peeing makes you need to go, when you come out of the toilet one of the kids has gone to the kitchen for a snack and spilled Cheerios all over the floor, after cleaning it up another child also demands Cheerios but you are out of time and need to go. Naturally, a massive meltdown ensues which takes a good 10-15 min to deal with. Before you know it you are actually very, very late. When this is your reality it seems very easy to dismiss running with “I don’t have time!” But there are a host of things that can make it easier to find the time. RUN WITH YOUR CHILD If you have a baby, at about 6 months s/he should be old enough to sit in a baby jogger and you can bring the baby along for a run. A lot of babies enjoy getting out and about while older kids enjoy the speed and are likely to encourage you to go faster and faster. Toddlers can be as merciless as the toughest personal trainer [TWEET THIS!]. SACRIFICE A BIT OF SLEEP For a lot of runners the best way to make time for running is to run early in the morning before kids get up and before work beckons [TWEET THIS!]. Yes, sleep is the other very, very precious commodity for parents but the energy you get from a run makes up for getting up earlier. I have, as of yet, never met a runner who said “I wish I had slept in rather than gone for a run”. Once you are out there it is always worth it. DON’T COMMUTE, RUN Is it possible for you to run to and from work once or twice a week? Many workplaces have facilities for showering and
changing so take advantage of these if they are available. Fresh air and endorphins sure beat traffic jams and mind numbing radio. Similarly, at work, you may be able to incorporate a short run in your lunch hour. You could even start a running club with colleagues, a sure fire way to boost office morale [TWEET THIS!]. DRESS THE PART If you plan on running in the morning, dress at least partially in your running clothes before going to bed. You will feel a bit silly, your husband may not find you very sexy but you will save a good chunk of time in the morning. Dressing when you are barely awake and it is dark or maybe even cold, takes approximately twice as long as it otherwise would! Sometimes, I have errands to run and find myself having some spare time before, say, picking up the kids from school. Those little pockets of time are ideal for taking advantage of, if you have dressed in advance for running. No, it’s not a good idea to dress in running clothes for a job interview in the hopes you can go running afterwards. But people don’t bat an eyelid if I walk around the shops or meet a friend for coffee in more casual clothes. Sometimes I wish we all dressed like extras in Mad Men, but in these situations I am happy to be living in modern times where I can put my healthy exercise routine before appearances! SWAP BABYSITTING DUTIES If your child is still young, you may find yourself spending most of your time with him/her with little opportunity to get out there and clear your head. Maybe the cost of babysitters and nannies is preventing you from carving out the time you need for running. Try and find another mom, a friend, who may be interested in looking after your little one for a while so you can run if you offer to do the same for her. Trust me, it shouldn’t be hard to find someone who is very keen on the idea, sometimes all you need to do is ask! A huge benefit of running over other forms of exercise
is that you get maximum impact in a minimum amount of time [TWEET THIS!]. So it really wouldn’t be any time at all and with time your child is sure to enjoy these little playdates. Not to mention the refreshed and energised mommy s/he gets back afterwards. Everyone’s a winner!
Tick tock, tick tock, tell us about something you have done to make time for running in your life. And if you haven’t found that time yet, let us know where you are struggling and we and our readers can help you out (the door). Tuvizo is a manufacturer of high quality reflective running gears.