Dreamstime
Most of us aren’t full-time professional runners. We have day jobs that pay for our expensive running habits. While you may love your day job, it can make running a hard routine to follow.
If you’re in the office eight hours a day, plus a commute, family time and of course down time, there is a limited amount of time for running.
So how do you do it? How does the working athlete achieve PRs? First and foremost: time management.
Every Sunday evening, plan a rough outline for the week:
- Do you have late meetings? Early meetings?
- When are the best places to fit in a run?
By taking ten minutes to plan the week ahead, it saves the hassle and stress of deciding when and where to fit a run in. We are great at managing our work time, but managing our running time? Not so much.
1) Treat your workout as a meeting and don’t overbook yourself
That time is “you” time. Don’t book anything in that time and make it a priority to “make it to your meeting.”
2) Small moments can lead to big fitness gains
Running 20 minutes is (a lot) more than running zero. There have been days the only way I can fit in a “half-hour” run is 15 minutes in the early morning and 15 minutes at night.
You don’t have to run long runs every single day (and you shouldn’t) but finding time to fit any run in is great. Don’t be afraid to run two shorter runs versus one longer one.
3) Be flexible with your long run and workouts
Just because most people do their long runs on Saturday or Sunday doesn’t mean you have too. If a Tuesday works out better in your schedule because you have a dentist or appointment or off work, run long on that Tuesday. There is no “right day” to do your run!
4) Do early morning runs
Sometimes running first thing in the morning ensures the run is done and you don’t have to worry about squeezing it in at lunch or after a long day.
5) Try the famous “runch”
Maybe you’ve heard friends or even coworkers use the term “runch.” Go for a run on your lunch hour. If you have access to a shower and the means to do it, running on your lunch break can provide the extra time you’ve been looking for.
Plus it can allow you to de-stress and refocus, therefore avoiding that midday slump!
6) Enlist the help of friends, coworkers or anyone
There is probably someone in your exact shoes struggling to fit in their runs too. Finding a training buddy that will meet you at 5 am can keep you motivated.
7) Set a goal
Goals keep us honest. If we don’t have anything to look forward too, it becomes harder and harder to run. Find a goal and set your mind to it. Your goal could be a race, fitness or weight loss goal, or even just to “consistently run each morning.”
Hollie Sick is a New Jersey-based runner and blogger who has completed more than 30 half marathons. Learn more about Hollie at her blog, or follow her on Twitter.
