FITTING IT IN

After running the Spring Equinox 50K, I had quite a few moms out there ask me how I fit in training for such a race, what with two small kids and their extracurricular activities and working full time and keeping up around the house and keeping my husband happy. My secret? My husband! His help, his encouragement, and his understanding. There is no possible way for me to train for any event, let alone a long distance race such as a marathon or ultra, without his complete and total support. Simple as that. If I wasn't part of such an equal and committed team, there are likely a lot of things I couldn't do, so I am very grateful for my husband!

To be more specific though, I fit in my runs and cross training by utilizing time that Jay is available to watch the kids (early mornings), time that the kids are cared for either by their school teachers (lunch break runs) or gym daycare instructors (track workouts), and as often as possible, time that the kids are sleeping (so that I don't miss out on too much of their waking hours).
 

My average week during training this winter/spring looked like this:
 

Monday (Cross Training)

wake up at 5:45, work 7:00-2:45 (Jay takes the kids to school), pick up kids and go home to take care of chores and play, meet Jay at the gym for spin class from 5:30-7:00, then grab dinner on the way home (the kids sometimes eat while we're in spin, sometimes they prefer to wait and eat with us) and hope we get the kids into bed by 8:30 (a half hour later than their usual bedtime), then I go to bed early because tomorrow will be a long, busy day
 

Tuesday (Easy Run)

wake up at 4:25, run from 5:00-6:00 with the crew (usually 6 miles), head into work and shower there (Jay takes the kids to school), work 6:45-2:45 (go home for lunch to take Buster out, since it's going to be a late night), pick up kids and go ride bikes for a half hour, get Cora dressed and take her to dance from 4:00-4:45, grab a snack, meet Jay at soccer practice from 5:45-6:30 (or let him take James while I go home with Cora - we usually let her decide), rush home for dinner (or wait for Jay and James to get home) or grab something on the way home, get the kids bathed and read to and in bed on time, then we do chores if we have to, or just relax, before I fall asleep from the past two days of crazy
 

Wednesday (Speedwork)

wake up at 5:45, take the kids to school, work 8:00-5:30, yoga or run on my lunch break (usually 4 miles), run after work (if I didn't run at lunch), head home for dinner (which Jay has prepared or at least started), take care of chores and play with the kids, then get the kids ready for bed and go to bed early since tomorrow is another early day
 

Thursday (Easy Run)

wake up at 4:25, run from 5:00-6:00 with the crew (usually 6 miles), head home to get ready for the day, take the kids to school, work 8:00-5:30, head home for dinner (which Jay has prepared or at least started), take care of chores and play with the kids, then get the kids ready for bed and relax
 

Friday (REST DAY)

wake up at 5:45, work 7:00-2:45 (Jay takes the kids to school), pick up kids and go play (at the military park, a playground, Playland, or home, sometimes with a trip to Orange Leaf too), then it's pizza and movie night when Jay gets home from work, the kids go to bed when the movie ends, then I prep my running gear for tomorrow's long run and often head to bed early while Jay has a late computer game night
 

Saturday (Long Run)

wake between 5:00-6:00 (depends how long we're running), meet the group for a long run (anywhere from 8-24 miles), get home either in time for breakfast with the family or eat solo if I've been gone a long time, go to James' soccer game, then either head out for some other activity or party or adventure, or head home to work on the bigger household chores (vaccuming, cleaning bathrooms, organizing toys and closets, sometimes dusting, spot-mopping or very rarely actually mopping the entire house, cleaning the cat room, etc.), Facetime with Jean at some point and sometimes Jamie too, make a more involved dinner (or eat at a restaurant if we're running around town), and let the kids stay up a little late again
 

Sunday (Easy Run)

SLEEP IN, another rest day or run a few miles if I feel like it (sometimes around the neighborhood, sometimes at the park with the kids on their bikes), Skype with my parents, finish any of the bigger chores we didn't get to yesterday, and try to keep the day low-key (playing around the house or doing short playdates or small adventures), again making a bigger meal for dinner and doing some food prep for the week (pre-cooking chicken, boiling eggs, mass producing breakfast burritos, etc.), and making sure the kids get to bed on time to start another busy week tomorrow
 

P.S. When I say "chores", I mean the stuff that MUST get done each day (dishes, laundry, taking care of pets, repacking backpacks and gym bags, prepping meals and coffee, and that's it). We don't strive to keep an immaculate house during the week. That's an impossible goal at this stage of our lives anyway and one that we feel is not worth aiming for - we'd rather use the bits of free time we have playing with our kids or enjoying each other's company. Even the bigger chores we do on the weekends don't always get done, and that's OK. Someday we'll keep a spotless house again, but until then we're going to work hard, play hard, and run hard!