Finding Time to Run - Beginners

Raingirl

12/10/2002 at 20:34

Hi, I'm fairly new to running - back to it after a break. My main problem is finding time to run. I'm not a morning person, lunchtime is difficult so it would have to be evenings. Do others run before they eat, eat and run later, or do I just have to get up earlier?

Keep smiling

12/10/2002 at 20:50

Raingirl

I'm no morning person but I get an enormous satisfaction from going out first thing. The roads are much quieter, it always seems to be less windy and I feel so good when I get to work knowing I've already exercised.

Just try it once and see if it works for you!

Raingirl

12/10/2002 at 20:59

Thanks Helen,

A few times I've been swimming first thing, and I do feel so much more awake when I get to work. I'll just have to try getting up an hour earlier, the cat wakes me at 6 am anyway to go out - I may as well make use of her as an alarm clock!

Helen T

Plodding Hippo

12/10/2002 at 22:11

Less abuse in the morning too
When I was training for the matathon, I got up early cos it was light, and the race was to start at 8 am
Physiologically, its harder in the morning, but you can get used to it
Gives you more time in the evening then as well

Beth 30

13/10/2002 at 05:53

I always run first thing in the morning. Before breakfast, before work and before the heavy traffic has hit the roads.
It is very liberating and refreshing to run in the morning before the day's properly begun. In fact now, I don't feel that the day has begun properly unless I run first!
It's become a way of life.

Purple

13/10/2002 at 11:20

Hi all,

I'm not a morning person myself and wondered if you lot had any good tips to help movitate us late owls to get out of our warm cosy bed - especially now with winter approaching.

Astaire

13/10/2002 at 13:19

I run in the evening partly cos if I get up early so do my children which isn't really the idea. It is supposed to be the best time for calorie burn up too......if u eat after you run that is. I'm lucky I also get the chance to run during the day twice a week. I have to admit if the only time I had to run was the mornings I'd probably have quit by now....I'm a true believer that if you are going to stick at it the time has to be right for you, so experiment and good luck with the comeback Raingirl !!

Del

Dangly Spice

13/10/2002 at 16:04

I usually get up with hubby and cat at 6.30 am, have breakfast, then by the time they have both been fed and gone out it's about 8am and i can go for my run.
I also run a couple of times a week with the Club at about 6.30 - 7pm. I have a late afternoon bowl of porrige around 4.30pm then have a light meal after the run about 8.30pm.

BeerBellyBlues

13/10/2002 at 17:02

Sorry but running in the morning is a big NO No for me! Tried it several times and I allways feel like I'm running in treacle. Funny but I don't mind going to the gym before work. My legs wake up last I think.
It is difficult trying to juggle running around a family meal on the evening. I either come home a little early and run or try to make sure we eat as soon as I get in and then run later...unfortunately it is often a good exscuse not to run if you are home late and need to eat.
If I could run in the morning I would, but being a night person its pointless.

Pioneer

14/10/2002 at 00:56

I could never find time to run, so I've started to run home from work three nights a week, Monday/Wednesday/Friday. I live about six miles from work so it takes me less than an hour, which is only 25 minutes longer than catching the bus.

If I have nothing planned in the evening I run different routes to add variety.

Raingirl

14/10/2002 at 09:01

Thanks for all the advice. I'm not quite up to running the 7 miles home yet, especially as it's traffic all the way - but it's one to bear in mind.

I'm pretty much not an early morning person so I might decide on a couple of nights to run during the week and go home early those nights.

Purple - I'm not sure there is any way to motivate yourself out of bed in the morning unless you are naturally a morning person. I even live with a morning person (and a morning cat!) and I still can't get up. I'll give it a try, but I can see it putting me off when the weather gets really bad.

Thanks again. Helsx

The Evil Pixie pirate

pirate

14/10/2002 at 20:52

raingirl the question you poss is a good one! I have an equally difficult time finding the time to run. Hubby works nights and gets home as I get up to sort son for childminder then I'm at work. Home for tea put son to be and see hubby off! I HAVE to run at lunch but this restricts my length of run a lot.
So the moral is just get out when you can ... even if it is just 10 mins then that is 10 mins more than most!

Robert Popper

14/10/2002 at 21:11

A big word up to The Evil Pixie. Run whenever you can. Whatever you do, it's GOTTA be better than sitting on you butt and pushing the accelerator every few seconds.

Run to work (keep a change of clothes and an eye for places to change), to meet up with a friend (a good friend who will forgive you for being sweaty when you arrive), at lunch, going home, on your way to the gym. Heck, combine it with cycling every other day, or walking part of the way.

I live and work in East London, so I naturally find that running is the fastest (except for bicycling), cheapest, most interesting way to get where I need to be. Now, I'm no fanatic and I have to take my kids to school on the bus, on a train or in the car, as well, but I really, really look forward to running and/or walking whenever I can.

As for running before or after eating, I have read so many pieces of "you HAVE to do it this way" advice that contradict each other. All I know for sure is that it's good to have plenty of water before and after your run (but not so much before the run that you're going to be desperate for a pee in a few minutes), and sometimes I like to run an hour after a solid meal, and sometimes I like to eat after a big run.

Oh, and, chocolate, ice cream and red wine ALWAYS taste better after I have done a long run on the weekend.

Podgy Poddler

13/10/2003 at 14:47

Just as others have said - find the time when you can and don't worry if it isn't a regular time. I can't do mornings (dog walking, days (work), lunchtimes (home to let dogs out for you know what)and evenings are difficult as I'm studying part time and am on local running club committee. Running home works for me and seems to eat into the day much less.
Oh yes and before anyone suggests running with the dogs, have you ever tried running with a labrador with short legs and barrel tummy which mounts everything in sight and a greyhound which collapses in hysterical laughter at our attempts to run?
Good luck

Raingirl

14/10/2003 at 12:20

Hi thanks for this, unfortunately my running has suffered a bit of a set back recently. Back in May I completed the Race for Life in Sheffield in 27 minutes & I was really pleased with myself. But for the past 2 months I have had a succession of really bad colds & have only been able to run a couple of times in between. Hoping that now I'm feeling better I can get things back on track.

Helen W

14/10/2003 at 15:19

Raingirl -

27 mins for 5km is fab!

Puff

14/10/2003 at 17:09

i was chuffed with my 37 mins for race for life. 27 mins is wickedly good!

I alos have difficulty finding time to run. I can only do lumnchtimes becasue of morning jobs and OAP mother evening jobs, and lunchtimes are easily disrupted by work or hunger. Definitely gets me down if I don't find a routine so I am still trying to find a happy balance 6 months into my running lifestyle. Hope you find one soon

Johnny J

14/10/2003 at 19:26

Duuring my lifetime I've had to change my training times on many occasions and I think it's true to say that so long as you keep at one time or another you simply condition yourself to run at that time. It's a matter of being persistent and consistent.
JJ

happy hippo

31/10/2003 at 13:15

find getting out of bed early to run reeeealy hard in dark and wet. Have two mini hippos (youngest is 7 months) so have to get babk B4 Mr hippo leaves for work. Otherwise i feel pants for rest of day wishing i'd got my act together and gone. Roll on the summer... am on brink of joining a running club. first training run tomorrow. nervous. any advice?

Slow but...just slow

31/10/2003 at 19:34

I don't do morning runs as I'm usually off to work by about 6:15 and there is no way I'm getting up at about 5am to go running. But I'm really getting into the habit of running about 9pm. It is great to just get out and run and clear your head of all the cr@p you've had to put up with during the day. Very theraputic. It's dark, it's usually quiet and the dog has less people to bite. I do wish he would run in a straight line though...