Today I’m joining Erika from MCM Mama Runs, Patty from My No-Guilt Life, April from Run the Great Wide Somewhere and this week’s special guest host, Janelle from Run With No Regrets for the Tuesdays on the Run Linkup. This week’s topic is all about our Time Management While Race Training!
I often find myself telling people that training for a race and working consume my life when I am asked what I am up to. Training these last several months has taken a huge precedence in my life, but I wouldn’t change any of it. I am proud of how far I’ve come and the results that followed.
Working 40 hours a week plus trying to train for a half marathon is exhausting enough. Trying to manage when you will get your runs in around your work schedule plus have a social life and take care of standard life priorities is something else.
Time management varies for everyone. For me, the key is just to not give myself any excuses. I prefer to knock my training runs out first thing in the morning, I am more of a morning person so this works in my favor. I wake up at 5am on my training days during the week, log my miles and strength train/stretch. I am generally done by 6:30am, 7am at the latest, and still have time to do other things like blog, pay bills, wash the dishes, etc.
Another benefit to getting my runs in first thing in the morning is that it ensures that I get my workout in and I know it’s done for the day. In life, stuff comes up. I’ve had my share of late days at work or I get invited out to join friends for dinner, etc. Getting my training runs in first thing in the morning frees up my evening to do whatever I want or need to do.
However, when life does get in the way, I just have to adjust my training schedule and be done with it. Below are some tips I picked up from a previous training plan by RunFit365:
- Split it – If you know about your conflict, breaking up a run within the same day can still be effective. I have yet to split a run but I have thought about it once or twice.
- Skip it – I know I have done it. Plus, lets be honest, missing one run is not going to make or break you. Sometimes it is just the easiest solution.
- Pick it – Sometimes you’ll have to make a choice between which workout you’re going to do – short distance, tempo, speed work, etc. In general, your decision should be based on what your weakness areas are. For example, if you have good endurance and poor strength, you may choose to perform hill repeats versus a middle distance run. If you have good strength and poor speed, you may choose to do a speed workout over a strength workout.
In general, here is the priority:
1. Keep your Long Runs
2. Do workouts that focus on your weakness areas
3. Complete the workout(s) that occur now, and don’t occur later (e.g. Hill Repeats)
4. Do longer sustaining speed workouts before shorter burst-like workouts
Are you more of a morning runner or an evening runner? Have you ever had to sacrifice a run when life gets in the way?
Link up with MCM Mama Runs, My No-Guilt Life, Run the Great Wide Somewhere and this week’s special guest host, Run With No Regrets, and several other bloggers for Tuesdays on the Run! Link up your post about the week’s theme so your post will be found in the archives.
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Great advice! It’s true, sometimes you have to skip a run to make things work, but you just don’t want to make it a habit! I work at 6 am so morning workouts don’t work during the week, so I do most of my runs between 4-5 pm.
Thanks Janelle! Yes, I agree with you on not making it a habit. I generally feel guilty when I miss a run or a workout so I try not to skip them.
I’ve been trying to become a morning runner! All winter, I would go to the gym for classes before work. Now that it’s lighter early and also getting warmer, I think I’m going to start running before work as well. It frees up so much time and makes me feel so great for the day! Great tips 🙂
Thanks Gretchen! Being a morning runner isn’t easy for some. It definitely helps with the time change.
I love running in the morning, it makes me feel so productive with my day before 8 or 9am 🙂
I can’t say I’m a morning nor an evening runner. With my crazy work schedule I try to fit it in whenever I can.
I hear ya Lacey! All that matters is you are able to make time for it and you get it done 🙂
I’ve been trying so hard to turn myself into a morning person. ;_; So far, I’m having no luck, but…will keep on working at it!
Time management is definitely a great skill to have/work on–it makes such a huge difference! I’ve learned over the years to not beat myself over missing a workout. I just mentally tell myself that yes, I am choosing to go study instead of working out (much as it pains me to do so ._.), and move on with my life.
Good for you Farrah! It’s ok, baby steps 🙂 Start by laying your gear out the night before and/or maybe just working out once or twice in the morning for a few weeks to get your body accustom and slowly add in additional days 🙂 Studying is pretty important, especially for your field so I don’t blame you for missing a workout though you do attend some pretty fun classes 🙂
Thank you! Is it sad that I never even thought to try just doing it once or twice a week first? (I guess I haven’t completely kicked the all-or-nothing habit yet, haha.) I’ll give that a shot! :] Much appreciated!
It’s not sad! That’s why you have your #fitfam there to help you 🙂 You’ve got to ease your body into a new routine, just with anything else. Just think of it as “Ok, you are waking up early today to get your workout in, BUT tomorrow you can sleep in!” LOL. Best of luck to you 🙂
I like the way you think! :]! Sleeping in is unfortunately just til 6 a.m. (sighhh, haha), but I’m gonna give this a try! ❤
I am DEFINITELY more of a morning runner! If I don’t make my morning run (which may have happened today), then life/work gets in the way and I often miss out on it entirely! Thanks for linking up with us today!
Thanks for hosting! 🙂