Monday, August 5, 2013

Mommy Marathoner

Marathon Training as a Busy Mom Seems Like Craziness
Guest Post by Becky Reese, Sexy Mom's Running Club

When most people think of being a mom, they don’t normally think of marathon running. After all, who has the time with taking care of kids?  Less than one percent of the population is running a marathon, so mixing in children and busy schedules on top of that seems downright impossible.  I’m here to show you some ways that you can be a great mom and achieve your goal of running a marathon.

First, I suggest looking for a four-day training calendar.  Quality (not quantity) running is what counts.  While I agree that it is important to get running in, too many people only concentrate on running and forget about weight training, biking, or even playing with your kids.  Don’t count out Xbox Dance Central Three!  When you incorporate your kids into the training, it just doesn’t seem like training anymore - more like fun playtime.



Here’s an example of what a four-day training schedule looks like:
MON:  kid workout day
TUES:  speed workout (i.e. 3-4x 1-mile repeats at tempo with 2:1 work rest ratio)
WED:  easy run (i.e. 5-10 miles aerobic)
THUR:  kid workout day
FRI:  intervals or hill workout (5-10x steep 1-2 minute hill repeats with walk or jog down)
SAT:  rest
SUN:  long run (10-20 miles that include race pace intervals and fast finishes)

Make sure to concentrate on your long run.  The most common mistake people make is not getting up to 20 miles.  The long run is crucial to increasing the storage of glycogen in your muscles and conditioning the body to the pounding of running, according to Robert Chapman, Director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Indiana.  The main problem people encounter with the long run is the time.  Pick one day a week where you have someone who can watch the kids.  Remember, you will be building up to 20 miles, which could take four hours or longer.  Here’s a great tip someone gave me: if possible, try and keep that long run starting time around the same time as the start of the race.  For example, the Rock ‘N Roll Las Vegas race starts in the evening, so make sure some of those training runs are at night so that your body is adjusted.  If you are only running at night, and your race is in the morning, you need those morning runs so that your body can function!

Additionally, you need to work your abs.  When you are struggling in the end, that core workout will help you get through.  To incorporate your kids, have them count the time on a stopwatch while doing planks or sit on your feet while you do sit-ups.  You can even get them to do sit ups with you!

Regardless of whether this is your first marathon or if it is your tenth, make sure you check the race route.  If your race route has lots of hills, highway running, or any condition that is different that what you are currently running in, it is important to incorporate those into your training.  Running on cement is a lot different than black top - the pounding is much harder on the body.  Likewise, if you only practice on a few hills and your race is very hilly (like the Nashville Rock ‘N Roll marathon), then you will struggle as the miles get higher.

Remember, marathon training should be fun.  Life is crazy busy and if training is not fun, you won’t complete it and you will not be ready.  Enjoy it - and celebrate crossing that finish line! 


About Becky Reese: Armed with a mission to empower moms across the country to feel beautiful no matter what their size, mother-of-five Becky Reece founded Sexy Mom's Running Club to help busy women make themselves a priority again, while still balancing career and family.



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44 comments:

  1. Luckily during the school year I can run after the kids go to school. During the summer, my oldest is in charge while I am out. I stick to the neighborhood roads.

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  2. If I'm running alone, I run in the morning. There's less chance I'll have a conflict early; after work, things tend to come up. I also like to make plans with others to run, as I'd only cancel running plans if I REALLY had to do so.

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  3. I get up super early to get my workouts in. Sometimes, I have my daughter tag along with me to the gym for evening workouts. It's much easier for me in the summer, b/c I teach during the school year. Summer is an exercise free for all!

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  4. I use the Y's childcare, run when kiddo is in preschool, and I can usually get some miles in on Sunday's when my husband is home.

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  5. I wake up early to get my runs in! Although some mornings I would love to just sleep in! And in the evenings when my husband is home, he watches our girls so that I can get some cross training/weight lifting in! He's so supportive of my workout schedule! And I always play outside with my girls during the day!

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  6. As a mom, I run early or late or take her with on runs :)

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  7. I wake up at 4:30am on Saturdays to get my long run in with friends and during the week I take the kids with me to the gym or run/bike early mornings.

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  8. I wake up at 4:30am on Saturdays to get my long run in with friends and during the week I take the kids with me to the gym or run/bike early mornings.

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  9. I am a mom/navy wife and currently training for MCM. Challenging yes! Especially when your husband is on a boat and gone a lot. I am fortunate to have good friends that really help me and support me. For my long run I have friends willing to stay over so that I can still beat the heat and leave early and that way they only end up watching my son for a few hours.

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    1. That's awesome! Keep up the great work. Good luck @ MCM. It's on a my bucket list! -Fellow Navy spouse :)

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  10. Great tips! Training when you have kids is tough, but if there is a will, there is a way! I run early in the morning or late at night. I prefer running in the am though.

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  11. I try to plan it in the beginning of the week, when I will work out, if not 2-3 days ahead of time and I write it in my calendar just as I would any appointment.

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  12. I do my long runs when my husband is off work. Sometimes that means starting at 5 am to ensure he can get to work by noon.

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  13. I'm lucky and have teens to watch my younger child, so I have built in babysitters. I also try to go early so we still have most of the day for family stuff.

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  14. Having a schedule is a *must* so that I know exactly where I can fit what workout/run in...hubby works long hours and OT crops up unexpectedly more than I care for :-P, so I try to have a "game plan" as well as a "back-up plan" for the week as much as possible. I also have 4 kids and have been known to save "electronics time" for the exact time in the day when I can get on the treadmill to keep them pleasantly occupied. ;)

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  15. Luckily my kids are older but the thing that keeps me motivated is challenging myself to races. Then I have to train! My first half is the Zooma this Saturday in Chicago!!

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  16. Work around my family's schedule. When my son is at band practice or my husband is at karate, I plan my runs. I also try to get up early to run sometimes, if I can't fit it in with work and extras.

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  17. I am just getting back to running, after an almost 2- year hiatus due to severe shin splints. I'm still working out my schedule, though my son and I do Kung Fu together twice a week already. Just need to squeeze in running times now. :-)

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  18. I started running later in life, so my kids are older. I'm training for my 3rd half, and my kids are 17 & 15, so I am very fortunate to be able to leave them home and hit the streets or the gym. They have NO interest in accompanying me!

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  19. I am just getting back to running, after an almost 2- year hiatus due to severe shin splints. I'm still working out my schedule, though my son and I do Kung Fu together twice a week already. Just need to squeeze in running times now. :-)

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  20. I am just getting back to running, after an almost 2- year hiatus due to severe shin splints. I'm still working out my schedule, though my son and I do Kung Fu together twice a week already. Just need to squeeze in running times now. :-)

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  21. I have plenty of videos to use at home as cross training and although I always prefer to run outside, I love the gym daycare when a treadmill run is my only option!!!!

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  22. My children are grown and have blessed me with grandchildren. I started running when I went for a regular check up and my Doctor told me to quit smoking (smoke free 18 months now), and start exercising or die. When given to you point blank-you change if you want to live. I want to live & to see my grand babies grow up! And I want to influence them to be healthy and live full fit lives as well. I just celebrated my 48th birthday-and have my 2nd 1/2 marathon to run in 2 months!

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  23. Summer training can be a bit tricky, but the school year allows greater freedom for long runs and the gym. One more week woot woot

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  24. Lately I've been focusing on strength training and not running as much, but my first half is QUICKLY approaching so it's time to get back out there and train! I'll run in the mornings before the kids start stirring. Works best for me and my crazy schedule! :)

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  25. I'm not a mom, but a busy woman nonetheless. If I don't get it done by 8 am, it's not going to get done for the day, so I make it a point to get up early and get it done before the day starts.

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  26. I get up EARLY to workout, and run during my lunch time at least once a week.

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  27. As a mom of three, I get my workouts in very early in the day. This is my quiet time! :)

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  28. try to get those workouts in when everyone is sleeping:)

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  29. This post makes me think that I CAN run a marathon next year - even with kids and a new job! Thanks!

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  30. I just do! Make time and make it a priority...then its a habit, and you do it!

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  31. I combine evening runs with walking (running) the dog. Or run right after work when I have errands in town. And I recently joined a local running group to help keep me motivated and increase miles. :)

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  32. The kids know that I am going to work out - sometimes they are involved or sometimes they just go to another room. If I'm going for a run, it's so easy to incorporate them - Tucker on the bike and Izzy in the jogger. When I do yoga - Izzy always pulls her yoga mat up beside mine and does some poses with me. :)

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  33. My kids are older (19,17,11), so I can usually just go, but I usually try to do my weekly runs in the morning, and long run on Sunday. I try to get my workouts done before their sports etc. are scheduled.

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  34. I've tried just about everything - group runs, solo runs, runs with partners; weekend, weekday; morning, lunch hour, after work - and nothing has been my one thing that works all the time. I just try to get them in when I can. So far, it's working...

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  35. Love this post, as any training and balancing time with the family is hard. I cross train three days a week at a local dojo that offers two nights of womens kickboxing and a night of circuit training. My son comes with me and participates or hangs out with Sifu.

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  36. Love this post, as any training and balancing time with the family is hard. I cross train three days a week at a local dojo that offers two nights of womens kickboxing and a night of circuit training. My son comes with me and participates or hangs out with Sifu.

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  37. I wake up at 4:30 every morning to run before we get busy with work/kiddos.. It's my me time and even though it's hard to get up somedays it really helps me keep refreshed and motivated through the week. I also take the kiddos with me sometimes, they are beginning to ride their bikes now at a constant pace so that I can jog behind them! :) We stay fairy active as a family, all my kiddos even my 3 year old will do yoga with me and squats and has been doing for over a year now LOL it's so cute! It makes me feel good as I have been obese my entire life and am down 160 lbs now, I am hoping to teach my kiddos a different path and it seems to be working! :)

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  38. I wake up early for my runs...seems like the best time for Mom's since our schedules get hectic at sunrise :) Ah, love all these running and active MOMMAS! great post

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  39. It's on the schedule, just like any other appointment, event, or obligation.

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  40. I workout in the mornings as I am a teacher and a coach so after school just doesn't work. Some mornings, I take my 17 year old son to the weight room and lift weights with him before school. That's the best time!

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  41. I workout when my kids are in school. If I can't get it done then I settle for biking with the kids--anything is better than nothing!

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  42. Early mornings and when my kids are at preschool

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I appreciate your feedback and comments!