How often do you run?

maria74

Life just seems to have a habit of getting in the way sometimes doesn't it?

This seems to be a common occurance for me during the week, with work, dinners, kids pick-ups/training/dancing/clubs and general chauffering to stuff. I can always get a weekend run in but week day runs are getting harder as kids get older.

Over the last week I have started to wonder if I would be better trying to get a mile/2 in almost every day rather than just aiming for 3 times a week. I know it sounds strange but part of me thinks that if I was to aim for short run every day maybe I would be more succesful in making the time?

I know there was a log/thread of people who ran every day here but they ran obviously much more than I am thinking of!:rolleyes:

Just wondering if anyone has contemplated/done this before?

ronnie085

How about an early morning run, before everybody is up and your on your own time, great way to start the day, the hard bit is getting out of the bed. I find going for the shorter runs nearly take as much time anyway, with getting changed, showered etc. after plus you wouldn't be getting the same training effect with only running a mile or so.

Clearlier

In general shorter and more often is better than infrequent and longer but I'm not sure that you can really get anything out of really short runs of a mile or so. Everybody's different but I know that I don't feel comfortable on a run until I've run for about 15 minutes. I suppose that it depends upon your level of fitness and whether or not you want to progress.

ger664

Set aside your training runs in stone, get your kids and partner to work around it its your life too.

G-Money

Clearlier wrote: »

In general shorter and more often is better than infrequent and longer but I'm not sure that you can really get anything out of really short runs of a mile or so. Everybody's different but I know that I don't feel comfortable on a run until I've run for about 15 minutes. I suppose that it depends upon your level of fitness and whether or not you want to progress.

I kind of agree with this. When I go for a run it really takes me a good 10 to 15 minutes to get into any sort of a rhythm and feel comfortable. For me personally it would be a shame to get to that point and then to stop straight away.

But like others have said, everyone is different.

RayCun

Yeah, I'd say half an hour is about the minimum for it to be worth your while - especially considering the time to get ready and shower afterwards. I used to run in the mornings, just short, easy runs, and in the summer months at least its an easy way to fit the miles in.

These days I run 5 days a week - Tues and Thurs evenings with the club, Wed and Fri mornings recovery run into work, long run on Sunday. I'll be adding a Saturday run some weeks in the summer.

Gringo78

RayCun wrote: »

Yeah, I'd say half an hour is about the minimum for it to be worth your while - especially considering the time to get ready and shower afterwards.

If its a case of run for max 10-15min or not run at all, then I think its worth your while. i wonder at some of the replies on 2 points:

1. How long it takes to get ready - seriously, how can it take more than 60sec to get ready?
2. The Shower - if you are going to shower anyway i.e you normally have a shower at some point during the day, then the time taken to shower is not a factor in whether its worthwhile doing the run or not if you do the 10-15min run before the shower?

Its plain to me that a 1-2 mile run has benefits so if thats all you can fit in, then do it. It may establish a routine where you run every day, you can over time extend the time on certain days and it will become an accepted routine. If you miss a run then, yuu are only missing 15% of your weekly running and it can be easily made up over other days. If you miss a run when your on 3-a-week plan, then thats 33% down on your weekly mileage and not neccessarily as easily recovered

DustyBin

I always used to run in the mornings and when I went out it was for a minimum of 10k and often 15-20k
A couple of months back I realised that I hadn't gotten out for any run at all in almost 3 weeks and had been only very sporadic for several months before that, life had changed and circumstances were different
My running form & pace had gone to the dogs
Now I get out most every lunch time for 30 mins and really notice the difference and improvement in performance
Even if its only a short distance and done regular it will make you better, sometimes you're just not able to squeeze in anything else so just do what you can

TFBubendorfer

clement52 wrote: »

Actually, twice a month. Because I have to work, I just can exercise on weekend.

Do you think the rest of us get sponsored or what?
Exercise and work are not mutually exclusive.

jb-ski

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2011/0510/1224296589563.html


I know this doesn't answer your question re shorter runs more frequently,
but i thought i'd share it anyway!
imo getting out 4/5 fives times a week is a good habit to get into, and over time the family
won't even notice; she's out running AGAIN

tunguska

Just coming back from injury but I'd normally run 7 days/week. Alternating hard/easy days. If you run more your running economy increases, so its a no brainer.
2 mile runs everyday wouldn't really make a dent in your running economy, unless it takes you in excess of 30minutes to complete 2 miles. 30+ minutes(according to JD)is the minimum amount of time you should run for to make the exercise of any use. Have to agree with the Irish times article though, why should kids activities come before your own?

huskerdu

tunguska wrote: »

why should kids activities come before your own?

True, true but very easy to let it happen,

I sympathise with the OP. Any household with 2 jobs and young kids is just about juggling to get by without the parents having the cheek to have a life of their own.

The key is to not take it for granted. You are not going to get out for a run midweek without careful forward planning and making a bit of effort.

If you signed up and paid for nightclasses that you were very keen to do you would be out the door on time to go every week. You need to make the same commitment to your run.

You need to decide that you are going for a run on Tuesday at 6.30pm when the OH arrives in from work, and stick to it. Do what ever needs to be done in advance and be standing there in your gear warmed up and ready to go when he walks in the door.

I am occasionally do a very early morning run. I dont mind getting up but I dont enjoy running first thing in the morning as much as other times of the day. I have done this, if it is the only chance I will get. Maybe you could try it.

If you only have time for a short run, make sure it is worth it, by doing intervals.

You can make it happen, good luck,

Clearlier

huskerdu wrote: »

True, true but very easy to let it happen,

I sympathise with the OP. Any household with 2 jobs and young kids is just about juggling to get by without the parents having the cheek to have a life of their own.

The key is to not take it for granted. You are not going to get out for a run midweek without careful forward planning and making a bit of effort.

If you signed up and paid for nightclasses that you were very keen to do you would be out the door on time to go every week. You need to make the same commitment to your run.

You need to decide that you are going for a run on Tuesday at 6.30pm when the OH arrives in from work, and stick to it. Do what ever needs to be done in advance and be standing there in your gear warmed up and ready to go when he walks in the door.

I am occasionally do a very early morning run. I dont mind getting up but I dont enjoy running first thing in the morning as much as other times of the day. I have done this, if it is the only chance I will get. Maybe you could try it.

If you only have time for a short run, make sure it is worth it, by doing intervals.

You can make it happen, good luck,

To expand a tiny bit on what Huskerdu says here (I need to take this advice myself) it's all about the routine. If you always have to think about when you're going for a run then it's going to be much much harder to get out there consistently.

Mr Slow

I'm training for a marathon with 2 young kids and a wife studying 24/7, I start my midweek runs at 8:30pm religiously (give or take), you just have to make it happen.

gerard65

mrslow wrote: »

I'm training for a marathon with 2 young kids and wife studying 24/7, I start my midweek runs at 8:30pm religiously (give or take), you just have to make it happen.

Even after 2 kids:eek:

ecoli

I would say getting out every day is good. At first if you only get out for a mile or two that is grand may not have physiological effects (personally dont think that a run under 20 min has much effect) but it will benefit you in the long run for making time. After a while running will become second nature and you wont have a second though about getting out and running and from there you can stretch out the runs (you will be suprised how much time you can find)

Not quite the same but this year I have gone from 6 days a week to 7. Last year some times I had to struggle to get out and could take 1/2 days off in a row. The last few months I have been in such a routine that now when i struggle it is not about getting out the door but rather how far i go. I almost feel guilty when cutting a run shorter than the usual but if i would look at it in the grand scheme of things feeling guilty this year is still doing significantly more than last year when i was feeling guilty

thirstywork2

I think for a club runner 6-7 days its of benefit if you want to achieve goals but for alot of people 2-4 days is more realistic,other activites might come into play like 5 aside football or pilates/gym ect and running 6-7 days would be over doing it for the less experienced runner.

As mrslow said she does it early morning and in most other countries this is the case.I find running early sets you up for the day

maria74

Thanks for all the replies guys and definatly something a lot of us are trying to get hold on at the moment it seems.

I agree sometimes it feels the kids activities come before anyone else's:p But in saying that with 3 kids and OH to all get some time for at least one activity/training etc time is definatly tight in Maria's household!

I agree tho the routine is the key thing. I ALWAYS get out at the weekend and make the time in the morning at weekend. Is easier to get out in the morning too than at night (until some bright spark realises what I am doing and runs some kids activity in the morning!! )

huskerdu

maria74 wrote: »

Is easier to get out in the morning too than at night (until some bright spark realises what I am doing and runs some kids activity in the morning!! )

Dont let them take up GAA. You'll be driving around looking for clubs you have never heard of on Sunday mornings for the rest of your life.

Some of my Sunday morning runs take place around a wind swept pitch when pretending to watch under 10s camogie.

G-Money

Don't know if this makes any sense but what about splitting your workout in two? So let's say you want to run 6km each time, what about splitting that and doing maybe 2 or 3 km in the morning and then the rest in the evening?

As I say, perhaps that doesn't make any sense and would be of no benefit, but I just thought I'd suggest it.

littlebug

Maria can you run while they're at some of these activities or you still minding the others? It's similar for me and gets harder when they're off school. It's not so much that their activities are more important.... even if they're not at music/ soccer or whatever I'd still be with them so can't go out anyway! I've also been known to leave them play in the middle of the local pitch while I do loops.

I have to say my treadmill is my saviour and keeps me ticking over on days or weeks when other options are limited or non existant.

Seres

you have to plan ahead , so say you know your goin to be away sat and sunday plan the week that you get all your main workouts in from Monday to Friday and a sneeky one early on sat morning . I have a really busy sechedule too with 2 kids and working full time but if i think bout what lies ahead in the week on the sunday before i can work it all out how to fit 6 sessions in . It may seem a bit harsh but if you really want to get training in you will make the time available , as long as its not an ironman or sumthin your training for you can fit the time in without been selfish and disrupting the schedules of the house too much . You also deserve that bit of time for yourself , it can be a great stress relief

woody1

in a similar situation maria so im watching this thread with interest.. laughing at the comments re: the kids not being more important than us..unfortunately they are !
i have 2 small ones , 2 years and 4 months.. and unfortunately have to be extremely flexible with my running schedule , or lack of one at the moment, make all the plans you want the little ones will find a way to stop you getting out ,
also my other half is now doing a bit of training , with a sprint tri in mind, so rather than have a domestic over who gets to go out today, i tend to back down a bit, 1 cos i want her to get into it and enjoy it, and 2 cos ive had a year and a half of her covering for me when im training or racing
which is why this year is down as a ticking over year..
i had very optimistic goals at the start of the year but its not working out so im just doing a bit here and there..mostly weekends..next year will be the one ! or maybe the year after
the early mornings is one that keeps coming up, ive lost count of the amount of times ive told myself that im going to get up at 7 and go for a run / cycle and it hasnt happened.. but it is the best idea of the lot if you genuinely want to get out.. ( doesnt help that i live in a very exposed part of rural mayo and it always seems to be blowing a gale )
on the sort run idea.. theres a lovely 4k loop in front of the house.. 20 mins and done.. occasionally i get to do it during the week. i dont think its gonna impact my running times or anything but it helps from a mental point of view..

huskerdu

woody1 wrote: »

in a similar situation maria so im watching this thread with interest.. laughing at the comments re: the kids not being more important than us..unfortunately they are !
i have 2 small ones , 2 years and 4 months.. and unfortunately have to be extremely flexible with my running schedule , or lack of one at the moment, make all the plans you want the little ones will find a way to stop you getting out ,
also my other half is now doing a bit of training , with a sprint tri in mind, so rather than have a domestic over who gets to go out today, i tend to back down a bit, 1 cos i want her to get into it and enjoy it, and 2 cos ive had a year and a half of her covering for me when im training or racing
which is why this year is down as a ticking over year..
i had very optimistic goals at the start of the year but its not working out so im just doing a bit here and there..mostly weekends..next year will be the one ! or maybe the year after
the early mornings is one that keeps coming up, ive lost count of the amount of times ive told myself that im going to get up at 7 and go for a run / cycle and it hasnt happened.. but it is the best idea of the lot if you genuinely want to get out.. ( doesnt help that i live in a very exposed part of rural mayo and it always seems to be blowing a gale )
on the sort run idea.. theres a lovely 4k loop in front of the house.. 20 mins and done.. occasionally i get to do it during the week. i dont think its gonna impact my running times or anything but it helps from a mental point of view..

Hi Woody,
you have hit the nail on the head here. It has nothing to do with kids activities being more important than parents. It's just the reality of being parents of young kids, that one of you has to be in the house at all times.

If one, or both of you have a job with long hours, then the time available for either of you to be able to leave the house to do ANYTHING, is limited.

One only thing that works is planning and dedication

Top tops

- Learn to live without sleep
- Have low standards for general household cleanliness
- Convince your spouse to mind the kids whenever you want to go for a run
- Have kids that sleep a lot and dont ever get sick

madon

huskerdu wrote: »

Hi Woody,

Top tops

- Learn to live without sleep
- Have low standards for general household cleanliness
- Convince your spouse to mind the kids whenever you want to go for a run
- Have kids that sleep a lot and dont ever get sick

Shouldn't have read that while drinking coffee, I hate the feeling of it coming out through my nose!

Magnet

I run every day when I`m training for a particular race, so if anything comes up missing 1 or 2 sessions doesn`t matter..
That said one of the girls I run with gets a babysitter in when she wants to head out for a long run or cycle, I thought it was a bit extravagant at first but it beats getting a babysitter so she can go out and get drunk... :cool:

maria74

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woody1 wrote: »

in a similar situation maria so im watching this thread with interest.. laughing at the comments re: the kids not being more important than us..unfortunately they are !
ithe early mornings is one that keeps coming up, ive lost count of the amount of times ive told myself that im going to get up at 7 and go for a run / cycle and it hasnt happened.. but it is the best idea of the lot if you genuinely want to get out.. ( doesnt help that i live in a very exposed part of rural mayo and it always seems to be blowing a gale )
on the sort run idea.. theres a lovely 4k loop in front of the house.. 20 mins and done.. occasionally i get to do it during the week. i dont think its gonna impact my running times or anything but it helps from a mental point of view..

Is like I had written this post and huskerdun post too. It is all about balance and I agree it is not that kids activities more important but with 3 kids doing 1 activity and myself and hubbie all wantin to do something that is 5 evenings gone!
And thats all before you count the dinner, kids to be washed, clothes, homework, prep for next day (all after a day in work)!!:)

SOmetimes I find it hard to head out just after getting home from work too and the kids looking at me saying "where are you going now mum?".So later running is the only option but then you get tired, or you know you will be up half the night if you go out too late etc etc etc....:rolleyes:

WOuld love to go out in the mornings before work/kids go to school as this is my best time to run. But rarely happens...variety of reasons but it boils down to my need for sleep especially with young kids. Its all priorities guys!!:D

Bally8

tunguska wrote: »

Have to agree with the Irish times article though, why should kids activities come before your own?

Im just curious- do you have children?

Maybe Im the one doing it wrong here but of course my child's actvites come before mine. Is it better to make my child miss her sport because I want to run? I honestly dont think so.

tunguska

Bally8 wrote: »

Im just curious- do you have children?

Yes I have 5 of them.

Bally8 wrote: »

Maybe Im the one doing it wrong here but of course my child's actvites come before mine. Is it better to make my child miss her sport because I want to run? I honestly dont think so.

Why? Please explain why your children are more important than you.

Bally8

Wow 5 fair play:)

As for my child being more important than me- I think her sporting activities should come before mine as she is at an age where most girls give up sport so I'm trying to give her all the support I can. If I miss a run because I have to drive her somewhere or cant get anyone to mind her then its my tough luck. I decided to have a child and I do believe that she comes first most of the time. I can run at another time.

tunguska

Bally8 wrote: »

As for my child being more important than me- I think her sporting activities should come before mine as she is at an age where most girls give up sport so I'm trying to give her all the support I can. If I miss a run because I have to drive her somewhere or cant get anyone to mind her then its my tough luck. I decided to have a child and I do believe that she comes first most of the time. I can run at another time.

Think We'll just have to agree to differ so.

jb-ski

hi Maria, on your original question, i think it's definitely better to get out for 15 minutes rather than not at all.

i've have no idea of the training value of this, but (as Seres said) it's good for your 'head' and (as Ecoli said) it creates a training habit & maybe occasionally you can stretch the 15min to 20/25.

i'd added the Irish Times link because I found it good, not to antagonise anyone with small kids trying to find a happy work/life balance.

a lot of my running friends are couples with small youngish kids, and runs are very often taken in turns. This is possibly easier in an urban area where one can run from the house without driving somewhere.

the babysitter pooling/sharing is also something that works here particularly for club training where both parents want to go, (without paying for it).


(i do not have young kids:cool:)

pconn062

I generally train 5 days a week all year round. The level of difficulty and the length of the run depends on what I'm training for, eg more speedwork if I'm training for a 5 or 10k and longer runs if a marathon is coming up.

BrendanCro

I definitely think its better to get out if only for a few mins.

I run in and outta work most days - only 1.5 miles each way. On non-training days I just do the distance at recovery pace, on longer run days I loop around so that I finish at home and run the 1.5 miles as a warmdown.

If I don't run at all it takes me ages to get going and feel crap by comparison even to days when all I do is the short run in.

I refuse to believe there is no training benefit at all from lots of short bursts of excercise! And ye burn calories so can eat a bit more (if only a little bit!)

maria74

Not sure which I am more astounded by...having 5 Kids(and still having a life/energy!)
or
someone living 1.5 miles away from work!!!:p:p:D

One is a dream and the other is..............???:p

TFBubendorfer

One thing to keep in mind regarding short runs that the aerobic system only kicks in after about 10 minutes of running. So if you're running for 15 minutes, the training effect will be minimal.