Juggling Early Parenthood & Ultrarunning

As a wellness and run coach, with a full time 9-5, and two energetic young kids I find myself walking the tightrope often between athletics, profession, and engaged parenting. The chaos of family life can make training seem nearly impossible without structures and strategies to pursue my fairly ambitious running goals. Below I will detail out how I have "juggled" it, without compromising sanity or family time.

Prioritize your Goals.

The first step to any goal, is defining it clear. As a coach I like to remind people to set realistic, achievable, but also "scary" goals. Are you training for a specific race or generally more for personal improvement? What types of goals will motivate you, when habits fail, the weather turns icy, or you're in a personal "slump". Understanding your personality type, what drives you, and your specific motivation factors will help you allocate your time and energy more efficiently.

Make a plan that outlines your training schedule, that also has flexibility. With my clients they receive a weekly plan, with generally 1-3 flex days ( rest, makeup a missed workout, or add something extra if they're feeling strong and well rested). Each week runners and cyclists will have a total target volume number with a minimum to strive for as well as a top end to avoid burnout/ overtraining. Life with kids is unpredictable at best, and sometimes (quite often in my experience) planning needs to be able to shift to accommodate life's hiccups. Prioritizing your goals, with built in backup plans allows you to adapt, guilt-free.

Incorporate Family Time into Training.

One of the most rewarding experience of motherhood for me is sharing passion and experiences with my children. Why not combine family time with your training? I track all miles (however silly it makes my Strava feed appear), because outdoor movement and exploration is actually quite beneficial for ultrarunning training. We do a lot of family hikes, kids biking while I run / walk ( hello intervals), pushing the stroller ( similar to hill training ), and outdoor play. Together as a family we move, train, and create memories.

Author's Children at 2 & 4 on an easy 2 mile hike

Involving the kids in your fitness aspirations not only sets a health example, but helps them foster a love and relationship with nature and physical activity. Having them around can be an excellent motivation boost, especially when it's something as adrenaline packing as sprinting after a rouge 4 year-old on a bike with a mission to beat you to the next landmark.

Aforementioned 4 year-old with a 7 year-old friend, he generally bikes 3 - 20 miles daily

Be Efficient with Your Training.

Time is your most valuable resource as a parent, and efficiency is key. I focus on Quality workouts when I have kid free windows. Training on trails, hills, and, yes, even adding in my least favorite element (speed workouts). These workouts pack a lot of power in their punch, so during the weekdays I can get away with 2 or 3 short 30 -60 minute power hours versus needing to spend hours away from my family nightly. Another often overlooked super power that I've been preaching for the last 20+ years as a coach is cross-training activities. While swimming and cycling are often the most prescribed, for parents I often look at what's easiest to fit in their lifestyle. Generally, free weights at home and cycling on a trainer are two of the most accessible cross-training activities that can slot into short 10 - 20 minute windows ( or even be done with your kids ). At 2 years-old most children can learn to squat, burpee, pushups ( modified ), and hold planks. My kids often ask to workout with me as they view it as a 10 - 30 minute play session, in which I get a varied strength workout in and we all break a sweat and end up in a pile of giggles on the floor.

Burn the Midnight Oil.

As a busy mom, early hour have become my sanctuary. Waking up before 5 am allows me an hour + of quiet time daily. Yes, I still mentally swear at my alarm clock, but the still dawn hours allow me to increase run / hike volume, and is often one of the most peaceful times of my day.

On days or for those who's kids rise early, I often have clients consider a late night workout. If it's safe a run under the stars is lovely, but if not indoor cross training can be equally effective. Prioritizing your goals consistently will help you find the importance of carving out these chunks of time. Be sure to stay safe and visible!

Communication is Clutch.

Open communication is essential for walking any tightrope or balance act. Share your run ambitions, training plan, with your parenting partner, children, and other caregivers. Explain why this goal is important to you and educate them on how their involvement and support can be your biggest asset.

Involving everyone in the discussions about your schedule can help them all feel invested in your journey. It's a great opportunity to teach your kids, by example about dedication, discipline, and self care.

Listen to your Intuition.

It's important to go with your "gut feeling", pay attention to what's showing up for you and your physical and mental well being. Training for an ultra is demanding, and it's easy to overdo it when juggling career and parenting. Pay attention to fatigue signals, both emotional and physical. ( If you don't want to run - don't ) ( If something hurts - take care of it ). Rest and recovery are as crucial as training runs, step back when you need to. It is always better to grace the starting line healthy and slightly undertraining, than over-trained and a run down mess.

Finding a way to walk this tightrope of training balance is an ongoing process, and there will be peaks and valleys. Celebrate when you have a success, but also be kind when things go astray. Remember, life is an ultra too, its not about perfection, but progress.

In summary, training for ultra's while managing the demands of parenthood is challenging, sometimes messy and imperfect. With dedication, creativity, and support it's possible to thrive in both arena's. Embrace the journey and enjoy looking for parallels between the lessons learned on the trails and in your role as a parent. With work, you and your family can create a lifestyle that encourages fitness, fun, and unforgettable memories.

Author's Partner winning a local Half Marathon ( kid's managed to swim at the pool and hike during), while the Author ran 5 miles after back to the starting line.