| Copyright (c) 2008 Gary Smith | | | | morning to run 15-20 miles before the family |
| Are you training for a marathon or half marathon | | | | even wakes up. It takes discipline and going to |
| but can't find the time to train in the week? | | | | bed early, but once these habits are ingrained it |
| Is your busy work schedule getting in the way of | | | | gets much much easier. Plus your energy levels in |
| your evening or morning training runs? | | | | the morning are far higher which means better |
| Do you find it difficult to fit all your obligations of | | | | workouts. |
| family, work, personal chores , and training in a 24 | | | | 3. Consider running after dinner. This is not the |
| hour day? | | | | best time to train but for busy moms and dads , |
| Well if you feel this way, you're not alone. Studies | | | | it might be your only time available. Eat a light |
| show that most people only have 1-2 | | | | dinner, mainly salad, then put on some high |
| discretionary hours a day. And many people I | | | | reflective material, and go out for a run around |
| know with busy families don't even have that. | | | | your neighborhood. Some of my most memorable |
| So where do you find the time to fit in marathon | | | | runs ever have been past 9 p.m, flying by houses |
| training? | | | | with TV on after TV on. Running is much better |
| After coaching over thousand marathoners and | | | | way to spend your discretionary time than getting |
| half marathoners over the last four years, I've | | | | fat and lazy in front of the TV. |
| observed the things that busy moms, dads, | | | | 4. Rethink your priorities. We all have the same |
| executives, and students do to find time to train. | | | | 24 hours a day. No more, no less. If you are |
| Here's some Yinfitness approaches I've found that | | | | doing your training runs because you "don't have |
| helps runners do their training runs. | | | | the time", you're kidding yourself. In reality, you |
| 1. Schedule your training runs. Put them on a | | | | are just prioritizing other activities such as work, |
| weekly or daily calendar. Visualize yourself | | | | family, or responsibilities. And that's okay. Those |
| preparing yourself for the run by being more | | | | things are important. But maybe you can move |
| efficient and productive when you're at work or | | | | your training runs up the priority list. Sacrifice the |
| with your family. Tell your boss and family | | | | last hour at work or driving your kids around |
| members that this time is very important for you | | | | town for an evening. Move things around. |
| and you can not sacrifice this time. Just this simple | | | | With the right priorities and commitment...you'll find |
| little conversation can do wonders for creating | | | | a way to get your training runs in. Think creative, |
| more space in your week. | | | | try different things, lose a few hours of sleep. |
| 2. Consider running early morning. Most of the | | | | When you cross the finish line of your marathon |
| world's top runners train in the early morning. | | | | or half marathon, and get that medal, all those |
| Dean Karnazas, ultra marathoner extraordinaire, | | | | sacrifices will be well worth it. |
| and father of three gets up at 3:30 or 4:00 in the | | | | |