Finding Harmony: Managing Family and Running Goals Successfully
If you have a family, especially with young kids, you know how challenging it can be to chase your running goals between caring for your family, working, and other life obligations. The key is to focus less on perfection and more on consistently showing up for yourself. But how do you truly find harmony and fit your runs in the cracks of life so you can keep seeing progress? We’ll break down some of our biggest tips that have helped our athletes chase their running goals alongside other big life commitments.
Managing Family Expectations
The first thing you should do if you are struggling to find space to chase your running goals is to sit your family down and communicate just how important your running goals and training are to you. Hold a family meeting where everyone gets to share something that they value that they need support for so you can show how you all support each other’s endeavors.
Involve Your Family In Your Running Journey
Involving your family in your running goals will not only help them support you, but it will allow you to spend time together as a family. Ideas for how to do this:
Sign your kids up for the kid race
Ask your child, spouse, or partner to join you for a short run once a week (kiddos can go on their bikes or scooters)
Have a sign making party where everyone can get excited about cheering you on at your race
Create a Support System
Gaining support from your family by involving them is most beneficial, but also setting some boundaries for how they can support you is helpful. Let them know that you need quality sleep in order to get up early and train. Set bedtime expectations with your spouse for key nights like those before a long run or workout. Let your partner know when your peak training weeks will be and how they can support you by cooking dinner or handling a few extra chores so you can put your best self into training and recovering.
In addition to getting the support and backing of your family, find others in your community who support your goals. This can include friends, the running community via run clubs, and a coach. These are people who can keep you motivated when things get tough and you need a pep talk, or who can help you out when time gets thin.
Show appreciation for those who are supporting you. Communication is key to setting expectations, but letting those who are supporting you know how much it means to you is also key to continuing to garner their support.
Plan Vacations Around Training and Racing Schedules
Training while on vacation is tough enough. Training while on vacation with your family is even harder. Planning vacations that don’t conflict with your peak training or keeping trips short during your buildup is ideal. If you know you are planning a fall marathon but your family wants to take a two week trip to a National Park and road trip through several states during the summer, try to choose a later fall race that will ensure the 12-16 weeks prior to it are clear of big events or upheavals to your routine, like vacations.
If you do plan a vacation during your training, set yourself up for success! Choose a spot that doesn’t have big barriers (like altitude) and one that provides gym access for safe running. Plan your running routes in advance to save you time while you’re away. Schedule your runs around your vacation activities. Working with a coach can be helpful to determine what is feasible based on your vacation itinerary and where you’re going.
Bottom line - the easiest thing you can do for yourself and your family is schedule big trips and vacations for your off-season.
Time Management
Managing your time effectively is the biggest tool to finding harmony between family and running while also reducing stress. Sitting down on Sunday to look over your week and determine where you can fit your runs into your day is a great first step. Schedule your runs into your main calendar so you block time for them. This makes it easier to commit to the runs and lower stress around when you’ll get it done.
When you’re a parent, you often have to rely on early mornings or late evenings to get your runs done. If you struggle to go to sleep after evening runs, aim to switch to the morning. Check out our tips for becoming a morning runner if this isn’t you.
Self-Care and Stress Management
Self-care and managing stress is extremely important to avoid burnout. Having effective time management and adequate support helps, but also ensure that you are listening to your body and not pushing through fatigue to get training done. When you are go, go, go all the time with a busy schedule, you can miss the signs that you need more rest or need to back off training. Spending a few moments each day journaling, meditating, doing yoga or just reflecting, can help you to stay in tune with your body.
Looking for another member on your support crew?
You can still have big running goals while raising a family or chasing your career goals. It is about finding harmony, letting go of perfection, and just showing up to do your best - whatever that is on the day! If you’re looking for that additional support, our experienced coaches are here to help you chase your goals no matter what season of life you’re in!
