Running doesn't have to stop once you become a parent.

Many aspects of running are different since I became a mother to my two sons...Quinn, who is almost 2, and my micro-preemie Anders, who is now 6 months old.  Before my children were born, I was very worried about what would happen...I even wondered if my running days would be over.  Although there have been several modifications, this has not happened.  My children are very young, and thus require 24/7 supervision, so most of the time I run when they are sleeping, either very early in the morning or when they are napping.  The following are my tips for parents and things that I do to keep the miles coming.

Be flexible.  Obviously, my children's needs come first.  Sometimes, despite my best efforts, I don't get to run.  Life will go on.  In a perfect world, both boys would nap at the same time.  In my world, Anders naps in the morning and Quinn in the afternoon.  But on the very rare occasion that this happens, it's GO time whether I feel like working out or not.  But it is SO hard to chose my treadmill over a nice nap!! (Case in point, they are both sleeping right now and I'm typing this blog entry instead of biking...)


Plan ahead.  Now that there are two children in our family, this is crucial.  My husband is also very active, so we plan who is going to run and when.  Usually our days begin at 5am so both of us can get our workouts in before the boys wake up.  Philip and I do two-a-days several times a week, so Philip will try to catch a swim, bike, or run over his lunch hour.  If we sign up for a race, we decide who is competing so the other parent can watch the kids, or arrange for relatives or babysitters to care for them if we are both running/competing.

Bring your kids with you or the equipment to them.  Option 1: I've taken my youngest downstairs to our workout room with me a couple of times so I can run when Quinn is napping.  I don't usually make it too long using this option because Anders gets fussy quickly.  Moving on to option 2:  After Anders came home, we brought our spin bike upstairs to the living room so I can bike, not have to take Anders anywhere, and can easily see/hear Quinn.  Option 3: Take both kiddos along using the double jogging stroller.  I have not done this yet as it's been too cold, but come spring, WATCH OUT! Option 4:  I also know that the YMCA has a daycare facility where you can drop your kids off so you can work out, but I haven't done this.


Sometimes you get faster.  Have you ever tried to run on a treadmill with a VERY busy little boy in the room? Or a baby? Oh man.  I have only done it a handful of times, but let me tell you...I keep hitting the UP button to go faster and faster.  The faster I finish my 3 (or 1!) miles, the better.  I think Philip ran a 5:40 mile once when Quinn was "helping" him.  Even when Philip is home in the mornings or evenings, our time is pretty tight and honestly I do not want to miss out on time with them. This is another reason why I run as fast as I can on the treadmill.  Thanks for last year's 10k PR, Quinn!! :)

If possible, get a treadmill.  I do most of my training on treadmills now.  Before having kids, I never ran on them...I was actually in the camp of people who HATED them.  I know these can get a little pricey, but cheap ones (sometimes even free!) can be found on craigslist or facebook swap shops.

3 miles is better than no miles.  Philip and I live by this mantra.  Before kids, my daily minimum was probably 5 miles.  It is also easier to motivate myself for three miles than it is for more...when I am exhausted from lack of sleep, I can usually muster up the motivation for a quick three.

1 mile is better than no mile.  Never thought I'd see the day. However, this has happened more times than I would like to admit.

As I mentioned above, my husband and two boys are my number one priority.  BUT I am a much better mom when I am able to run...I'm more patient, more alert (crazy how that works), and just happier in general.  Plus, Philip and I are so proud to be able to teach our boys about healthy lifestyles and working hard to meet goals.  

Happy running! :)