I hate not running

[mrqwest]

I've found it really difficult to get out for a run this past 6 weeks or so. I'm really struggling to find the time.

Mornings are a no-no now. Our front door is a heavy modern fire door and tends to wake the kids up when I creep out at 5am. This does not make for a happy wife.

I get home from work and spend a couple of hours with the kids and put them to bed at 8 and then spend some time with my wife. By that time, it's 9pm, I've been up for nearly 16hrs and in this cold dark cold climate, it's not that motivating to head out that late at night.

Which leaves weekends, and I try to get out for a run every weekend, and if I have a days holiday from work, then I'll go for a run mid-week too.. but at the moment, I'm literally squeezing one run a week... and I *hate* it.

I'm now struggling to run 5k without stopping, let alone upping my distances to the magical 10k I want to hit and run comfortably.

Anyone got any tips or tricks?

[jenniej Graduate]

I dont know if this is possible for you, but some people at my workplace either run to work, go for a run at lunchtimes or else go out at end of working day before going home. We're lucky that we've got shower facilities in the office which makes this feasible.

[mrqwest Graduate in reply to jenniej]

That would be absolutely ideal. I work on the edge of Wandsworth common, a huge flat park in South West London and I could easily run around it for 5k but my office lacks a shower. I am trying to get that changed, but I doubt we'd have one installed.

I am tempted to nip out the door half hour early at the end of the day and run around the park before home time but as yet, I've not tried it.

The perfect option though, would be to run in the morning as I tend to get to work half hour early!

[TJFlute]

I really understand how difficult it is to squeeze in a run as I also work and have four children and my husband works away all the time. But I have a few ideas which may help

~ Keep a pair of trainers in the car and a water bottle. It may be that you can squeeze in a 20 minute run straight after work (before you get home) or at lunchtime. I find that if I go home after work doing a run is the last thing that happens, but if I do it inbetween work and home it is much easier.

~ Take the kids to the park and jog around whilst they play. (I don't know their ages)

~ Maybe you could skip the bedtime routine/story one night and go out for 30 minute run. Then the next night your wife could use that time to go out and do something else whilst you do the evening slot at home.

~Do two runs on the weekend...every other weekend. Make one a short one (perhaps intervals) and try and do it early on Saturday so that it is out of the way. Then if possible try and do a longer one on Sunday (maybe before everyones up). If you do this every other week then it won't seem like too much time away from the family.

Good luck !

[mrqwest Graduate in reply to TJFlute]

First off, I have absolutely no idea how you cope with 4 kids! I struggle with two.

See my answer to jenniej about running at work, I'm tempted to do the 20/30 min run straight after work.

Our kids are 3yrs and 1yr respectively so unfortunately wouldn't be able to leave them up to their own devices in a park

And your idea for going out twice at the weekend is a good one. I wasn't sure if that'd cause an injury; it never occured to me to make one a short run

Thanks for the advice ladies

[TJFlute in reply to mrqwest]

Mine are a lot older than yours..although they can still be demanding in many ways, as you can imagine! Yes, one run after work and a couple on the weekend sounds like the best idea, and view the runs as a much needed break and a chance to unwind!! Let us know how it goes.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Have you tried putting your difficulty to your wife and seeing what suggestions/observations she might have? Reading your description, in her place I'd be voting for some attempt to close the door quietly and putting up with the risk of having to deal with wakeful children (of course that depends on whether *they* are then all having to go off elsewhere two or three hours later or can sleep in a bit and catch up on the bit where they woke up) Definitely in preference to having you home later at what can be the 'witching hour' with young children. But she may feel differently.

[mrqwest Graduate]

So last night, just as the boys had nodded off to sleep, my wife & I where having a chat. I mentioned I had to swap out my work fleece coat today as the XL I was given 2 years back is far too big and now I'm wearing a medium (!). She then said "I've bought you some bits for christmas, but it means you can't put any weight back on..." which led onto the chat about running.

I said I can't run in the evening as I'm too tired and it's mad trying to fit a whole load in at the weekend, so we both agreed the best bet would be to go running during the week.

On Mondays & Wednesdays, our eldest goes to pre-school so my wife needs to be up relatively early anyway, so I'll be running on Mondays & Wednesdays. If the kids wake up, then so be it!

I'm happy as I get to run a decent amount again as opposed to once a week (if I'm lucky). And MrsQwest is happy as she won't get her chubby hubby back