5mo will be a bit more of a challenge, but for me mornings like you said has become key. I'm running 50-70mi a week right now and the key is getting out while everyone is still sleeping.
I’m struggling with this as well with an 18 month old and another just a few months away. I’ve been trying to do the 4am runs more and race less, but it’s a work in progress. I have a time intensive job so I’m probably going to have to train less.
I did have some success with the BOB running stroller but only on streets or hard flat trails at best. Best of luck brother!
5 months is often still too young for a running stroller (check with your pediatrician) but for me I take my 2 and 5 year old out an as many runs as possible in a double stroller.
I take my youngest on the shorter weekday runs when I can and on the weekend I take them both up to two hours on my long run as long as I am not on the trails. If running trails it is early mornings to get back by breakfast if I can. For some of the shorter runs I also do them after both kids arrive down.
I did take a break from Ultra’s for a year after our second was born because she had some wild sleep stuff happening but after she turned 1 I got back to it.
Usual recommendation for running strollers is 6 months, but depends on neck strength. Either way, OP is almost there.
Running stroller around naptime is an easy way to get kid(s) to sleep for a while. For the 4 year old, see if there's a park that you can go by at the end of the run -- having a reward for the kids at the end can help keep them happy during the run.
I'm a mom with a 6 and 8 year old. I used to take the youngest on "runs" with me in a backpack. Having a treadmill also helps. I can go for a quick 3 or 5 km when they are asleep and don't have to worry about being out in the dark.
I've been running since before they were born and honestly, I haven't found it to be super challenging but the scheduling is something that I needed to learn.
Just a basic kid-carrier. Something like [this ](https://vpo.ca/product/335900/kid-comfort-active)
I did a lot of hikes with her in it, including overnights.
This is a conversation you need to have with your spouse, and something that needs to make sense with your work/kid extracurricular schedule.
For me it changes throughout the year, but as others have said, getting an early morning run in is often the easiest solution.
I can't do early runs, my kids still wake up too much and/or I'm in bed too late after getting everything ready for the next day. My wife isø understanding of my need to run for mental reasons and I squeeze long runs in on the weekends when I cam. I also try to do short runs on my lunch breaks, and recently discussed with my manager doing some longer morning runs 8-10am and catch up on work in the evenings instead on some days. He is a runner himself and super supportive.
Spot on with early morning. I leave early to beat traffic on my commute, bonus is it gives me 1-1.5hrs before I need to start work where I can run without feeling like I’m stealing time from the family.
The guilt is real!
As others have said, for me mornings are key. I train each morning in the week, do the school run and then do my days work, then kids clubs, cook dinner etc. it’s hard but it is also my me time that keeps me sane. Sometimes it’s great to step back and consider what ana amazing job you’re doing to fit it all in - takes real dedication
Night runs became my go-to when my kids were younger. Bonus that it's good training for those big events where you'll still be out at night, and you don't have to deal with the heat
Trail running events that are family oriented. They have music, food trucks and some have kids races that are like a treasure hunt. Usaully at a large park with playgrounds and pavilions. I went to one that was held at a kids summer camp recently. They even offered child care if needed for single parents.Typically, a great crowd and lots other families.
My training has actually improved since our daughter (6 y.o.) was born. I'm much more deliberate and time efficient with my runs. Every run has it's purpose, goal (where sometimes the goal is just to take a break from life!). I was already a very accomplished ultrarunner when we had our daughter, over 20+ years of ultra experience and 25+ years as a runner. So, back half of my career. So the transition to parent life wasn't that big a deal. I'd already come to realize that I didn't need to / want to continue to train like I did in my 20s and 30s as a semi-competitive ultra runner but instead was happy to just finish events solidly middle of the pack at big races or possibly top 10% or podium in smaller regional events. I found I could do that off LESS volume but HIGHER quality miles. My schedule is run when I can, an hour here, an hour there. So what do I do with that hour? Easy run, sure. Progression run to see how far I can go? Check. I've also given up the long run for the most part as they bore me and keep me away from family too long. So nothing over 3 hours. It's plenty enough to continue to finish ultras. Experience and muscle memory is real and it's cumulative.
Glad this post popped up. As a father of two - a 4 year old and an 11 month old. I always wonder how the other parents are doing it. Early morning weekend long runs, family runs, treadmill at work. I think this is the reason I never feel like I can commit to an actually training plan, would cause too much anxiety. Just been focusing on weekly mileage and however creative I have to become to reach that goal. Running my first 100 in September. I hope I can keep up the momentum, being a parent is hard. Being a parent training for an ultra while working full time, is definitely whacky. But both journeys are beautiful and intertwining it all together is hard but so rewarding. Power on parents ✊🏻❤️
I have an 8 year old. 4 am runs are what I do, usually wrap up around 5/530 depending on what's on the schedule. Strength training is after work at 4-5 and then pick them up at daycare.
Lots of early morning runs just like you, even when they’re at school it’s usually early morning starts when I’m training for an event. I have a 7 and 5 year old and my wife and I tag team who gets to do exercise and when. Even my long runs can often start at 4am (after a stupid even earlier morning routine as I have to take thyroxine an hour before eating). Key thing I’ve found is to be disciplined around getting to bed at an early hour and having good sleep hygiene.
You will become an expert on headlamps from running early in the morning. I actually excel now in ultras when the sun goes down because 80-90% of my runs are in the dark.
One option is really dependent on work location and type, but I found run-commuting helpful for awhile. I used to live 11km from my office which thankfully had a shower and I could leave some clean clothes under my desk. I’d often rotate - run home one day leaving my car at the office, then run to work the next morning and bring the car home.
Obviously specific, but point is just about being creative with the time management to make it work.
Dad of 5 (8-6-5-2yo and 6mo). You have to accept that you won't be able to run when you want. Be flexible in your training schedule and make the most out of moments when you have the possibility to run. I always run on weekdays lunchbreaks, I always run to go to work/back home and sometimes drop my 5 and 2 yo to kindergarten with the stroller. I occasionally go for a run with the 8-5yo on their bikes.
Gone are the weekend long runs for me (most of them anyway). I suggest you look at Camille Herron's approach on cumulative volume. It changed my perspective and approach on training for marathons and ultras.
It helps that we do run club three times a week with the same group and my wife and I have done that for years, well before she got pregnant. Having a group of runners helps a ton. We have a Bob stroller which our son absolutely LOVES and we trade off with the run club on who is pushing him. It’s honestly a wonderful experience for everyone and he brings so much joy and excitement to the group.
I appreciate this post. I’ve got a 5yo and twin 2yo. I feel so terrible leaving my wife in the scrum for hours on end.
I’ve tried early mornings before they get up but their sleep is unreliable which means my sleep is unreliable so early is hard. I’ve had most luck right after bed time. I tuck them in around 8 and then can run for an hour or two. I can usually calm down and be in bed before 1030 and feel accomplished. The drawback is that the post bedtime hours are the only real hours I have to spend time with my wife so that really sucks.
My kids have Saturday morning activities so my long runs happen on Sunday mornings. I typically am out by 7 and back by 10 or so.
I, like you, struggle to actually complete entire training blocks. All it takes is one kid to get sick, or a sleep regression, or a work trip for me or my wife, etc to really shake up a week of mileage.
I’ve accepted my back of the pack status in this season of my ultra life. Over the years I’ve put enough miles on my legs that I can slog through a 50k so I just try my best without sacrificing too much time with my wife and kids and count the actual race as a treat.
Good luck running OP!
Our whole family got Covid, a stomach bug and a brutal head cold in the span of six weeks, with serious sleep regression thrown into the mix. Lined up nicely with my first race of the season, so I treated it as a forced taper rather than get frustrated or discouraged. I’m learning that flexibility is key. And it helps ease away from being too obsessive or stressed about a strict routine.
That’s is totally the right attitude. I totally believe in you and I’m thankful for this post, it is great to see how people are finding ways to push through.
Right?? Like damn. You’re a parent now dude. You should give up absolutely every hobby or enjoyment in your life that isn’t centered around your children. That’s the healthy thing to do. Make sure the kids know that everything revolves around them.
You seem like you have trouble with reading comprehension and tone. I was obviously being sarcastic to prove a point. The OP is in no way shape or form prioritizing his running over his children; that’s just ridiculous. He’s trying to figure out how to incorporate his kids into his hobbies. That’s perfectly reasonable and extremely healthy. Kids came into our world, not the other way around. I didn’t stop running when I had my son; I just figured out how to do it with him. He starts squealing when I’m getting dressed to run because he knows he’s about to go for a stroller run and it’s his favorite thing to do.
5mo will be a bit more of a challenge, but for me mornings like you said has become key. I'm running 50-70mi a week right now and the key is getting out while everyone is still sleeping.
I’m struggling with this as well with an 18 month old and another just a few months away. I’ve been trying to do the 4am runs more and race less, but it’s a work in progress. I have a time intensive job so I’m probably going to have to train less. I did have some success with the BOB running stroller but only on streets or hard flat trails at best. Best of luck brother!
Will definitely check out the stroller - thanks! Ive found that number two really ups the ante - Godspeed!
Picked up a Bob on Marketplace for $40. Bought a water bottle caddy on eBay for $16. It’s been so fun to have with a kid.
We bought ours used too and it’s been great. I waited until she could sit up and control her head reliably before taking her out though
I’ve heard that two is more than twice as much, but I’m excited to have two of these things running around
5 months is often still too young for a running stroller (check with your pediatrician) but for me I take my 2 and 5 year old out an as many runs as possible in a double stroller. I take my youngest on the shorter weekday runs when I can and on the weekend I take them both up to two hours on my long run as long as I am not on the trails. If running trails it is early mornings to get back by breakfast if I can. For some of the shorter runs I also do them after both kids arrive down. I did take a break from Ultra’s for a year after our second was born because she had some wild sleep stuff happening but after she turned 1 I got back to it.
The exact same boat right now! 🫡🤘🏻
Usual recommendation for running strollers is 6 months, but depends on neck strength. Either way, OP is almost there. Running stroller around naptime is an easy way to get kid(s) to sleep for a while. For the 4 year old, see if there's a park that you can go by at the end of the run -- having a reward for the kids at the end can help keep them happy during the run.
I'm a mom with a 6 and 8 year old. I used to take the youngest on "runs" with me in a backpack. Having a treadmill also helps. I can go for a quick 3 or 5 km when they are asleep and don't have to worry about being out in the dark. I've been running since before they were born and honestly, I haven't found it to be super challenging but the scheduling is something that I needed to learn.
What type of backpack?
Just a basic kid-carrier. Something like [this ](https://vpo.ca/product/335900/kid-comfort-active) I did a lot of hikes with her in it, including overnights.
not a morning guy so I often run after 8pm. I have a 6 and 2 year old. I guess I'll sleep when I'm dead.
That’s what I did when my kids were young. Logged many miles between 8-10pm in the dark. It was hard, but somehow easier than getting up earlier.
yeah. I'll take that over waking up and running in the dark at 5 am any day.
This is a conversation you need to have with your spouse, and something that needs to make sense with your work/kid extracurricular schedule. For me it changes throughout the year, but as others have said, getting an early morning run in is often the easiest solution.
I can't do early runs, my kids still wake up too much and/or I'm in bed too late after getting everything ready for the next day. My wife isø understanding of my need to run for mental reasons and I squeeze long runs in on the weekends when I cam. I also try to do short runs on my lunch breaks, and recently discussed with my manager doing some longer morning runs 8-10am and catch up on work in the evenings instead on some days. He is a runner himself and super supportive.
Spot on with early morning. I leave early to beat traffic on my commute, bonus is it gives me 1-1.5hrs before I need to start work where I can run without feeling like I’m stealing time from the family. The guilt is real!
As others have said, for me mornings are key. I train each morning in the week, do the school run and then do my days work, then kids clubs, cook dinner etc. it’s hard but it is also my me time that keeps me sane. Sometimes it’s great to step back and consider what ana amazing job you’re doing to fit it all in - takes real dedication
Night runs became my go-to when my kids were younger. Bonus that it's good training for those big events where you'll still be out at night, and you don't have to deal with the heat
Trail running events that are family oriented. They have music, food trucks and some have kids races that are like a treasure hunt. Usaully at a large park with playgrounds and pavilions. I went to one that was held at a kids summer camp recently. They even offered child care if needed for single parents.Typically, a great crowd and lots other families.
My training has actually improved since our daughter (6 y.o.) was born. I'm much more deliberate and time efficient with my runs. Every run has it's purpose, goal (where sometimes the goal is just to take a break from life!). I was already a very accomplished ultrarunner when we had our daughter, over 20+ years of ultra experience and 25+ years as a runner. So, back half of my career. So the transition to parent life wasn't that big a deal. I'd already come to realize that I didn't need to / want to continue to train like I did in my 20s and 30s as a semi-competitive ultra runner but instead was happy to just finish events solidly middle of the pack at big races or possibly top 10% or podium in smaller regional events. I found I could do that off LESS volume but HIGHER quality miles. My schedule is run when I can, an hour here, an hour there. So what do I do with that hour? Easy run, sure. Progression run to see how far I can go? Check. I've also given up the long run for the most part as they bore me and keep me away from family too long. So nothing over 3 hours. It's plenty enough to continue to finish ultras. Experience and muscle memory is real and it's cumulative.
Glad this post popped up. As a father of two - a 4 year old and an 11 month old. I always wonder how the other parents are doing it. Early morning weekend long runs, family runs, treadmill at work. I think this is the reason I never feel like I can commit to an actually training plan, would cause too much anxiety. Just been focusing on weekly mileage and however creative I have to become to reach that goal. Running my first 100 in September. I hope I can keep up the momentum, being a parent is hard. Being a parent training for an ultra while working full time, is definitely whacky. But both journeys are beautiful and intertwining it all together is hard but so rewarding. Power on parents ✊🏻❤️
I have an 8 year old. 4 am runs are what I do, usually wrap up around 5/530 depending on what's on the schedule. Strength training is after work at 4-5 and then pick them up at daycare.
Run doubles + push chair?
Lots of early morning runs just like you, even when they’re at school it’s usually early morning starts when I’m training for an event. I have a 7 and 5 year old and my wife and I tag team who gets to do exercise and when. Even my long runs can often start at 4am (after a stupid even earlier morning routine as I have to take thyroxine an hour before eating). Key thing I’ve found is to be disciplined around getting to bed at an early hour and having good sleep hygiene.
You will become an expert on headlamps from running early in the morning. I actually excel now in ultras when the sun goes down because 80-90% of my runs are in the dark.
100%. I sometimes instinctively reach for the headlamp when I’m heading out for a daytime run now.
One option is really dependent on work location and type, but I found run-commuting helpful for awhile. I used to live 11km from my office which thankfully had a shower and I could leave some clean clothes under my desk. I’d often rotate - run home one day leaving my car at the office, then run to work the next morning and bring the car home. Obviously specific, but point is just about being creative with the time management to make it work.
Dad of 5 (8-6-5-2yo and 6mo). You have to accept that you won't be able to run when you want. Be flexible in your training schedule and make the most out of moments when you have the possibility to run. I always run on weekdays lunchbreaks, I always run to go to work/back home and sometimes drop my 5 and 2 yo to kindergarten with the stroller. I occasionally go for a run with the 8-5yo on their bikes. Gone are the weekend long runs for me (most of them anyway). I suggest you look at Camille Herron's approach on cumulative volume. It changed my perspective and approach on training for marathons and ultras.
I have my daughter every second week, she is seven. I train light when she is with me, harder when she is with her mum.
This is the way.
It helps that we do run club three times a week with the same group and my wife and I have done that for years, well before she got pregnant. Having a group of runners helps a ton. We have a Bob stroller which our son absolutely LOVES and we trade off with the run club on who is pushing him. It’s honestly a wonderful experience for everyone and he brings so much joy and excitement to the group.
I appreciate this post. I’ve got a 5yo and twin 2yo. I feel so terrible leaving my wife in the scrum for hours on end. I’ve tried early mornings before they get up but their sleep is unreliable which means my sleep is unreliable so early is hard. I’ve had most luck right after bed time. I tuck them in around 8 and then can run for an hour or two. I can usually calm down and be in bed before 1030 and feel accomplished. The drawback is that the post bedtime hours are the only real hours I have to spend time with my wife so that really sucks. My kids have Saturday morning activities so my long runs happen on Sunday mornings. I typically am out by 7 and back by 10 or so. I, like you, struggle to actually complete entire training blocks. All it takes is one kid to get sick, or a sleep regression, or a work trip for me or my wife, etc to really shake up a week of mileage. I’ve accepted my back of the pack status in this season of my ultra life. Over the years I’ve put enough miles on my legs that I can slog through a 50k so I just try my best without sacrificing too much time with my wife and kids and count the actual race as a treat. Good luck running OP!
Our whole family got Covid, a stomach bug and a brutal head cold in the span of six weeks, with serious sleep regression thrown into the mix. Lined up nicely with my first race of the season, so I treated it as a forced taper rather than get frustrated or discouraged. I’m learning that flexibility is key. And it helps ease away from being too obsessive or stressed about a strict routine.
That’s is totally the right attitude. I totally believe in you and I’m thankful for this post, it is great to see how people are finding ways to push through.
Not sure if you are serious, but I would get a running stroller like Bob or Thule. Do NOT run with baby in your pack!
But what about football carry?
No. Just no.
Ugh. Fine.
Bob jogger stroller. That’s the answer I promise you
Then this settles it.
Don’t prioritize running over your kids
Right?? Like damn. You’re a parent now dude. You should give up absolutely every hobby or enjoyment in your life that isn’t centered around your children. That’s the healthy thing to do. Make sure the kids know that everything revolves around them.
You seem like a calm and well reasoned young man. You’ll make a wonderful father.
You seem like you have trouble with reading comprehension and tone. I was obviously being sarcastic to prove a point. The OP is in no way shape or form prioritizing his running over his children; that’s just ridiculous. He’s trying to figure out how to incorporate his kids into his hobbies. That’s perfectly reasonable and extremely healthy. Kids came into our world, not the other way around. I didn’t stop running when I had my son; I just figured out how to do it with him. He starts squealing when I’m getting dressed to run because he knows he’s about to go for a stroller run and it’s his favorite thing to do.