Successfully Training with Kids

OK, parents…let’s talk time management.  You have a family, you work full-time AND you’ve committed to training for a substantial event like a triathlon, marathon or century ride.  How do you do it all?  Well, successful parent-athletes know that it comes down to superb time management and the art of multitasking.  Here are a few tips to help you stay engaged with your family and train for that half-marathon.

• Get Creative.  Things like jog strollers or bike trailers make a huge difference when you have young kiddos.  But…don’t expect them to sit quietly in their stroller while you hammer out your 10-mile run!  With kids in tow, it’s time to get creative.  Maybe you jog a 5-mile loop to Dairy Queen…stop & have a milkshake.  Then you run 2 miles to the nearest park…hang out & play on the swings for a bit.  Then run home!  Not only did you get your run in, but you spent some good time with your kids too!
• Kids As Coaches.  With older kids you can involve them in your workouts as a “coach”.  If they can run a stopwatch they can help time your swim laps or your mile repeats on the track.  Who knows…they might become your biggest cheerleader when you need a little extra push!  Speaking of the track, this is a great place for littler kids too.  If you have snacks & toys, you can put them in the middle & watch them entertain themselves from all angles as you circle the track.
• Commuting As Training.  Having kids often means that your schedule gets much more hectic.  If you find yourself time-crunched with commitments like getting kids to school, choir performances & parent-teacher meetings, look for ways that you can combine commuting & training.  Bike or jog your kids to school.  Bike to your parent-teacher meetings.  Head to soccer practice in your running clothes & do a quick run while your kids are training.  I knew a mom of a toddler who, during naptime, would run repeats up & down the street in front of her house…all within the range of her baby monitor!