C25K for parents of young children: C25K has... - Couch to 5K

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C25K for parents of young children

paulw6 profile image
9 Replies

C25K has been recommended to me but I'm struggling to see how I will be able to do it as the little ones are always with us.

I reckon we might be able to free up an hour each per week where we take it in turns to look after the kids (so that's two hours a week).

Can C25K develop a version that works bases on 10 min walks daily and one 50 min session a week?

Doesn't matter if the course ends up longer than the normal one but it might be helpful for other parents.

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paulw6 profile image
paulw6
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9 Replies
AngelaNT profile image
AngelaNT

I m using this cos of the children, I get up an hour early to run before the rest of the household wakes up

alisonx profile image
alisonxGraduate in reply to AngelaNT

Yes i do the same - its the only way i can get it done. Sometimes i get home to find they are awake and watching telly and other times they are still asleep :-)

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

I am sure you will get loads of replies re-this:)

It may be something Health Unlocked think about in the future as we too, here in the Admin Team of C25K, feel there is a lack of provision for our younger generation :) Financial constraints however would make this seem unlikely currently.

Many, many of our forum friends have small ones and they have very innovative ideas...:)

Very small ones are sometimes taken on the runs in a running buggy... folk do get up as AngelaNT says, earlier than the rest of the household ( you could take that in turns) or when the small ones are asleep. Grandparents or relatives may be roped in to help, or friends with small ones too:)

Folk with older children do sometimes do the runs together.

Having said that, it does not matter if you take longer to do the programme than nine weeks...to get the three runs in, you need an hour and a half each week... :) No session is longer than 30 minutes...exculding 5 min warm ups and walk downs..

nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/...

Maybe you could find that extra half hour for each of you:) I do hope so:)

pinkaardvark profile image
pinkaardvarkGraduate

It can be very easy to find reasons not to do something. If you genuinely can't solo parent for a hour so the other partner can go out then maybe a baby sitter?

18Windmill profile image
18WindmillGraduate

My hubby and are doing this and we have a 6 year old. It helps that I am part time. But mostly, I run in the morning, he does the evening. We have to ‘negotiate ‘ over the weekend. My LO can now ride her bike/scooter and could come with me...and probably will have to over the holidays. I’vecseen mum’s push younger kids in their pushchairs if that’s an option. I only manage twice a week anyway. I’d there a friend or relative who could spend an hour to babysit? Or a Saturday club they could join to free you up? Easier said I know. Good luck. 👍

Rignold profile image
Rignold

I’d go with the first suggestion, get up an hour earlier and run while everyone else sleeps. If you are a 2 parent family this is an easy solution: you just do alternate days.

I do this to get my workout in. As a single parent , long runs are more difficult, especially at weekends and in holidays. At a pinch though I circuits around the front and back garden which adds up to 60m. It gets a bit monotonous doing longer distances but means I am never out of earshot of the house(not that there has ever been any sound or disaster at 5am, but you can’t be too careful)

CJDavies profile image
CJDaviesGraduate

This was my dilemma too and I am now just starting week 6. It’s a challenge at times but if you are motivated enough then you will fit it in. Both me and my husband work full time, me with a 1hr15 commute each way three times a week. We have two very clingy children 4 and under, one child who gets up around 545 and the other who thinks 9pm is sleep time. As you can see there isn’t much spare time but I’ve done it so far usually with two evening runs (although have managed one or two lunchtime ones when I worked from home which was ideal) and then one at a weekend. I even go to the extreme of getting all my running gear on then putting my pyjamas on top so I am ready to go as soon as the eldest falls asleep but so she doesn’t know I’m going out!

Make a plan and then stick to it, determination is the key, we can always make time for what we want ultimately. Good luck

Besidetheseaside123 profile image
Besidetheseaside123Graduate

It is possible - I did it and have 4 year old twins - running seemed to be the most time efficient way to exercise as could go straight from home at any time! My husband leaves early for work but did early mornings sometimes on weekends when he could look after them or ran at night when he got home around 7.30. At least the days are getting longer - it's easier to get out early/late when it's light. Good luck with it, hope you can find a way to make it work for you.

useitorloseit profile image
useitorloseitGraduate

I've always been amazed at how parents of young ones with full time jobs manage. It's not the half hour running, it's the showering and hairdrying and everything else attached …

I know it's not a brilliant solution, but have you thought about having a treadmill in the garage or shed or something so you can still run on days when there isn't any other childcare available? Not as nice as running in the open, but it would mean you could keep your routine going? Just a thought.

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