How do you fit your training...

Hubby and I are self employed and up to this year ran our business on a semi part time basis (ie 8.30 to 2.00/3.00) so training was no problem - we just ran or swam or biked after work.

Business is such that we have now moved into new business premises and work from 9.00 to 5.00 (in theory - we leave the house at 8.30 and are rarely home before 6.00 somethimes later)  We're finding that we're both really tired and our mojo for training has gone south!

Its the fact that when we get home we've got the dinner to cook and we're both physically tired from our job - plus we now work maybe every other weekend so that time is gone too.  I think half the issue is that we both train - image

Please note I am very glad in this climate that our business is doing so well - I'm just curious how normal motals fit in all their running and such!

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Comments

  • My run starts my day 5.30 ish. Best time of day to run imo any time of year. image
  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    I'm out of the house from about 7.30 am to 6.30 pm every working day, either at work or commuting.

    I'm currently fitting in four runs a week, including LSRs of up to twenty miles, without too much difficulty.  You just have to work round it. 

    I find eating things that don't take long to cook, like pasta, helps with time in the evening.  Or can you put things on in a slow cooker to cook while you're out?  Or cook stuff at the weekend for re-heating in the week?

  • I'll walk to work and take my running gear in a bag. Then when I've finished for the day, I'll get changed and run home

  • gfb - me and Petal (my missus) work together - have done for over 20 years running our own biz - and we are both triathletes so have to fit swim, bike and run training into our lives. however, we don't have kids or pets (used to have a dog) which does make life a lot easier as there is nobody else making demands on our lives.

    as we work 9 miles from home we use that to schedule runs or rides to/from the office - often together (leave car at office, run home, cycle back the following day, bikes in car and drive home) - or we'll do something either in the morning (sea swim if possible, maybe run) and/or the evenings.

    we also have a shower at the office so we can also fit a lunchtime run in if needed - or P will swim at the local pool (I hate pools so don't)

    winter does make it tougher but with decent lights we can still run and ride.

    weekends is obviously where we fit the longer sessions in so it's usually a long run on one day and long ride on the other - plus events of course

    our personal life tends to revolve around our training but we still seem to pack a lot in - no doubt you will learn to adapt and pleased to hear the biz is going well!
  • FreemersFreemers ✭✭✭

    Your working day (8.30 to 6) sounds like a dream to me (I leave the house at 6am and get home at 8pm) image - is it more around losing your mojo when it comes to running, rather than not actually having the time? Could you run before work (or run to work?), or get out even for half an hour as a lunch break?

    With my work, I have a long commute so before or after work are both out. I have to run at lunchtimes - luckily I have a gym close by for showering, and there is also a shower in the basement of my office. I make sure the sessions are quality rather than quantity - so speed reps or a temp run are normally what I concentrate on, and leave anything longer to the weekend.

    Good luck with the business though - sounds like you are doing well on that score.

  • With Wilkie on this, leave the house at 7.15 and never home before 7pm.  I still train 6 days a week except for the odd blip here and there. Still have a home to look after as well, OH is now training for am IM and has worse working hours than I do due to him having to travel a lot up ann down the country.

    Sounds like you got too used to having the afternoons free to do what you wanted image

  • I cook loads of meals then freeze them and then every night I get one out and have it for lunch the next day.   That way I am having my main meal in the middle of the day when I need it most.

    When I come home in the evening I can go straight out to run then I have a light meal when I get back. 

    It does seem sometimes that there are not enough hours in the day especially when your routine is changed.  It takes a while to get into a new routine and finding the best way to fit everything in.

    Glad your business is doing well GFB

  • I suppose it comes down to motivation? If you want to do it, you find the time. image 

    I'm a single parent with three kids (10 through to 16) and I work full time.Their feckless father lives the other side of the world and has nothing to do with them financially or emotionally, so I don't get time off every other weekend like many parents. I can't do anything before work usually, so I train in the evenings once dinner is cooked etc. While the kids are out/watching tv/on computer/eating, I go out and run or gym/swim. I cycle to work in school holidays (10 mile round trip) and weekends, plus a longer run on a weekend. My kids are old enough to not need 24/7 attention which helps. But do I do prioritise training above things like housework. Quite frankly, I think doing a run is more important than cleaning the kitchen floor! The other thing that helps is that I don't have a b/f so I only have myself and the kids to work around. I suppose being unlucky in love has it's advantages - like more time to train.....image

  • I do realise that it's a matter of getting organised (especially re: food) and also to get me lazy arse out of bed in the morning!!

    MrGFB is talking about getting a shower in at our work - so as we can make better use of our lunch tme and the pool is literally just a mile away. 

    It just seemed like a very long summerimage (longer hours - kids off school- our new grandbaby was born) and with both of us getting injured (long story short - me with a badly cut foot and he with a calf strain) it kinda took the heart out of  heading out in the evenings to train or getting up early.

    Probaly just need one of these....

    http://farm1.static.flickr.com/20/71226288_4bed47b736.jpg



  • GFB - as you can see from the posts above, if you want to you'll find a way.  My hours aren't too encroaching (7.30 to 5.45 incuding commute, but I don't live too far from work and have lots of transport options) but have 2 young kids and a wife who's started going to the gym.  I usually run straight from work 2-3 days in the week and end my run at home (running between 5 and 7 miles each run currently) so thats me using what is dead travel time anyway for my core running and then do a more pleasurable LSR at the weekend.

    Good luck with getting your Mojo back and with the business.

  • don't think I could do long training hours and work fulltime let alone long hours..............I have total respect for everyone who manages it..................

    I seem to require 9 or so hours sleep a night and so something would have to go.............

    good luck with getting a routine going GFB.write yourself a training timetable/ food menu for a couple of weeks and try it out........re-evaluate it after a couple of weeks to see what worked and what didn't

  • I struggle - I have absolutely no idea how I'll ever run when I have kids. 

    I'm out of the house from 7.45 to about 6.30 or 7 normally, so not a hugely long working day by a lot of people's standards.  But I don't think time is the problem for me, it's definitely motivation.  I could easily fit a couple of short runs in in the morning before I leave but I can't haul myself out of bed any earlier and I know that some days I just can't face heading back out to run when I've got in from a hot uncomfortable, standing commute on the tram. 

    I'm just about managing now as I'm training for a half maraton so know I need to get the miles in but when I don't have a target, I'm useles.  I guess the answer is always having a race on the horizon! 

    My biggest trouble this summer has been that we are away or have people to stay most weekends so the long run has to be done after work one day, which is hard.  I've managed this so far by either stopping somewhere on the way back from work and running there (if I am driving) or this week ran home from work (9 miles ish - so not quite as long as my long run should have been but better than nothing).  I don't think I could manage running with a rucksack though, so I can only do this if my hubby can take my bag back for me. 

    Very much wish I had the super-motivation of some of the people on this thread though.  Huge admiration for you especially angelic!

  • FreemersFreemers ✭✭✭
    Helen - get the people staying with you at the weekend to come running with you image
  •  I work from 0630 to 1500 with a 30 min lunch so am home before 4pm. We do have 2 dogs but one or the other of us runs with them most afternoons, so they and we get our running done. Swimming is at 7:30pm mostly in a pool (outdoors in summer indoors in winter) with tri club but at weekends we swim with the dogs in a lake high up in the woods, hardly ever anyone else there. Biking is one shorter ride during the week and a longer one at the weekend, often with a transition run after. During the winter I will ride MTB trails or if the weather is really bad, use the indoor turbo. On occasion I'll ride or run to swim training which is about 13km away and do the same back home. I too cook ahead and freeze stuff so I don't have to do it every day. We are moving offices before the end of the year, looking forward to being able to commute by bike (35km) in the other direction instead of having to drive eastwards on the Autobahn every day. There are always lots of ways to be creative and combine your training with daily life - any shortish distance errands I need to do without heavy bags I run there and back, same if we use the local swimming pool which is only about 3 miles away - run there carrying a small backpack, swim, dry off and change, run home.
  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    Helen - stop inviting people to stay at the weekends! image

    I saw a girl running along in central London the other morning. 

    She was wearing running gear, holding a water bottle in one hand and her handbag in the other!

  • Thats a balanced lifestyle Wilkie image
  • I stopped running as I let pressure of work get in the way. I started working away more, travelling more, the usual stuff and I just sort of lost the energy to get out and run. Once I'd done that once or twice, it was far too easy to not go out at all.

    I'm now back and am determined not to go the same way again. So it gets fitted in, along with everything else. Some times something gives, there's a priority order, if I don't have time to run AND eat, well I'll eat, but if it's between running and housework, then the housework looses out. It helps to be a bit organised with meals - plan ahead, so you're only having to do something quick if you run after work.

    Doesn't it take ~ 3 months to form a routine? Accept that you're going to have to work at it for some time before it becomes natural.

  • Morning runner since way abck in 1984. Habit now I suppose though my circumstances have obviously changed.

    Apart from holiday departures nobody makes demands on me at about 5.30am in the morning.

    When I'm fit I also train either at lunchtime (preferable option !) or in the evenings.

  • JWrunJWrun ✭✭✭

    I'm out by 7.30 get back about 6.30 /7 ish but i'm lucky cos I have flexitime so i can work my workload around my training, lsrs are always left to the weekends or friday nights and i make sure i'm out with my club twice a week. I also freeze loads of food, make it all on my rest day then just defrost it and ready to go, i eat a lot of cous cous - it saves loads of time!!! I also go out at lunch or get up extra early if i can't fit it in later in the evening.

    I do wonder how ppl cope with other commitments like kids, think you must have to be meticulously organised - which i'm not!!!

  • I leave the house at 7am and get in at 5:30pm and also have a dog to attend to. I also live on my own so have to do everything. Time is an issue but I try not to let it win!!

    Not read all the posts but having spent most of March-July running 4 days a week (LSR on Sundays) with a friend I found that it was literally taking over my life. I wasnt too bothered initially as we had a target race in mind and trained hard for it, we have competed in another half marathon since but have now dropped to 3 days per week without things being so intense. (I train with weights on Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday).

    The best change I have made is to swap the LSR on Sundays to Saturday morning, this then leaves the rest of the weekend free to either relax or go out and have fun. Running on a Sunday morning effectively means having to shuffle your whole plans around it. (Asssuming you want to be in top form).

    At the moment until we target another race we run Monday nights (this will tend to be around 1hour or 7 miles at a reasonable pace), Wednesdays, (Tempo style, Hills or a more structured session) and then a LSR on Saturday of anywhere between 10-13 miles). I have to admit that I'm usually aching for another session to really push myself (my partner is slower than myself) but in all honesty I'm more likely to injure myself so  I'm happy at the moment.

  •  Sounds like you were spoilt previously, welcome to the real world image

    It's all about organisation, I don't know how many days a week you train, but you need to look at streamlining other areas of your life.

     For instance it's well worth making lots of freezable dinners, spag bol, chilli, paella, soup etc, or at the other end of the scale, slow cooking stuff. This way it means you can get back from work, go for a run and have dinner sorted in 15 mins upon your return.

    Can you alternate your rest days so that one rests when the other trains and vice versa, that way at least one of you will be able to cook etc.

    Obviously morning training is good as well, not something I've got into long term.

    Even though my business can keep me at work until all hours, you simply have to be commited to doing the training, if I get home from work at 8.30pm, it simply means I'll only do a 3-5 mile run rather than something longer. I do my long runs in the week as it's easier to get home and go out for a couple of hours than to wipe out a Sat/Sun morning.
  • I don't go to work. image

    If Mr LB gets his way though, that might change.....image

    Then I shall become deliberately fat and feed him McCain oven chips every night till he agrees I need to stay home again.image

  • 5:00am runs are good. At that time no-ones wants me - the wife, the dog, the kids, the boss, mother etc - I'm free - FREE I SAY !!!!!!
  • MuttleyMuttley ✭✭✭
    angelic wrote (see)

    I do prioritise training above things like housework. Quite frankly, I think doing a run is more important than cleaning the kitchen floor! image

    So do I and I don't have any excuses! I'm lucky in that it takes me 15 minutes to walk to work. Out the house at 6:45 this morning, will be back by 3:15. Also no OH to get in the way, and Muttley Jnr is currently camping at his mother's so I have it all to myself. On the odd occasion when I do have to commute to, say, London for something like a training course I really struggle to fit in any training. Partly for the time issue and partly because if you finish work at 5 but won't get home till gone 7 it's hard to plan sensible eating too. I do wonder if I'd manage to keep up the running if work and commuting were taking 12 hours out of every 24.
  • SP13SP13 ✭✭✭

    I have a full time job, teach one evening a week and am a freelance translator. I also have three children (8,7,7) who all have lots of homework, clubs and groups after school. I am no good a running in the morning as I just can't get my lazy derriere out of bed, but I have a very understanding husband (or has he just given up on trying to talk me out of running?). Two evenings a week at seven o'clock I go out for shorter runs - one 10km and one 15km. I run my long runs at the weekend when, again, my husband is at home to look after the children.

    If I am really stuck (my husband often works very long weeks) then I take the children with me and we run to the athletic stadium. I run round and round and round and round the track and they watch me or join in when they feel like it. It's not ideal, but it's a plan if all else goes wrong.

    I don't have any free evenings, but I would much rather be running when I can than sitting on my bum watching tv.

    I don't know if this helps, what I really want to say is that with planning it's possible to train for and run even marathons even with more than full time work, house, husband and children.

  • thinking about it you will be fitting in 12-16 hours a week training in the new year probably..............I would say get a cleaner in who will cook lovely meals that you only have to heat up.............

    and then she could wash and dry all the kit from doing 10/11 sessions a week eachimage

  • No Kids but two dogs. Have my own business so I can leave about 5ish. I take one of the dogs out, wife takes other and that leaves me 2-2.5 hrs a night to train. After GNR will swim in the morning before work then train in the evenings and weekends. Got to say that I have very supportive Wife as well that helps no end image

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