Running & The Daily Routine

It is only in the last few years that athletes have been able to attract the levels of sponsorship needed to devote themselves full-time to working on their chosen discipline. Previously, they had to make a living and shoehorn their training into the daily routine to meet the demands of their fitness schedule.

The enthusiastic amateur may not be aiming for the same high standards that are required to compete at national and international level, but the demands on their time made by both their professional and family life can frustrate their attempts to slip on the running shoes.Sometimes it can feel as if there are just not enough hours in the day to fit in a session either before or after work, or even during lunch-hour. The weekend may bring similar demands in terms of child-care.

A Run in the Morning or Evening

One solution for nine-to-fivers is to build training into the commute. So forget about that bus or train pass for at least one day, throw the car keys into the drawer and think seriously about travelling to work on your own two feet. For those who live in the suburbs, the journey may provide a five- or six-mile run that can be undertaken in the morning or the evening and will count as one of the weekly training runs. You’ll still be at work on time – in fact, you may get there quicker - and be able to concentrate on the job at hand without worrying about when you’ll have time to fit in some training. For those who live a longer distance away from the office, pick a bus or train stop the required distance from your destination and use that as the starting point for your run into work. All this may sound rather complicated but remember that runners don’t suffer from the logistical problems of traffic gridlock and the wrong sort of leaves on the railway line, so in reality your journey is likely to prove a lot less problematic.

Remember, too, that you will be spared the mental torture of sitting in a car or train going nowhere, frantically calling the office to explain the situation or postpone a morning meeting. In fact, the positive benefits of your morning run will mean you’ll arrive relaxed and alert, and ready to do business. While everyone else is pumping themselves full of caffeine to get themselves moving, adrenalin will be doing the same job for you.

Produce a Joint Schedule

A weekend solution for running enthusiasts with small children is to invest in a pushchair that can take the rough with the smooth in terms of terrain, is well balanced and has good suspension. It seems so obvious but many parents appear to forget that the time spent taking baby for a stroll can easily be adapted to provide a much needed 20- or 30-minute run with the added benefit of the resistance provided by the weight of baby and chair. Of course, safety must be paramount so only run with the chair in an area away from road traffic. Good all-round visibility is also essential so that you can see other people and they can see you.

Two-parent families in which both individuals run should get their heads together and produce a joint schedule that gives each the training time they require while the other attends to baby.Time management has become more and more important these days, but this is no reason to let the training schedule slip. Indeed, given the daily pressures that everyone faces, it has never been more important to stay fit and healthy, both for ourselves and other family members. The majority may not be aiming to make the next Olympics but that doesn’t mean personal goals cannot be achieved.