Starting Again..

kriskris92

I tried C25K earlier this year, before summer hit and I made it to about week 4 before getting overwhelmed with the rest of life and giving up. Now, I think I'm ready to try it again. I have a friend in the area who also wants to try it, so we're going to help motivate each other and keep each other accountable. I want to do it, but I'm worried I won't be able to keep up with it (again). I'm a full time university student, working part time and volunteering with 2 organizations. That means that most days, I'm out of the house by 8 and don't get home again until 6. Add homework/reading/study time in there, and I just don't know if I'll be able to find the time to do it 3 times a week.

I know everyone has busy lives and a ton of other commitments to work around, so how do you do it? Realistically, I guess, it's only about a half hour each time, right? I can do this? I can do this.

230137isntmyweight

I always look at it this way, if I have time to sit down to FB or the tv then I have time to go for a run. Which is cliché' but very true. You have to make time for you otherwise you'll get too stressed and not be as big a help to others as you could be. I usually run either at 0430 or 9 pm or later. Because that's when the kids are in bed, the kitchen is clean, and my schoolwork is done. Sometimes my husband will go with me and sometimes it's just me and the road.

joedfro

same as mtd....kids go to a school in another town so it's early mornings and late days for me...I run about 5:00 am, I don't think I would have time oherwise....you got this!

likitisplit

Three days a week. Thirty minutes a session. You can do it anywhere. There is not an exercise program out there that is more manageable.

230137isntmyweight

During your reading/study time you can run on a treadmill or listen to audiobooks. Most text books are found on audio as a help to the visually impaired. This really depends on what you're studying. Bio-labs might be tough but Shakespeare, History, and World Cultures should all be manageable on a treadmill.

Switch where you volunteer. I know some humane societies would love to have someone run some of their high energy breeds. It makes them calmer and more likely to be adopted. Depending on where you volunteer you can maybe work it in, especially if you volunteer with teens. Get them involved.

Instead of meeting friends for coffee or brunch organize a run-up at a nice park or community trail. My Mom and her friends run to a central Starbucks. They get in a morning run and then coffee with friends. They just make sure to sit out on the patio.

The key is making you a priority. My husband leaves for work at 5am and gets home around 5:30 pm. Then he's Daddy until 8pm. He works at a military hospital so he's on his feet most of the day and needs to get to bed at 10pm in order to be rested for the next day. He still fits in 5-7 miles daily.

kriskris92

Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions and encouragement! I'll be doing my best to fit runs into my evening schedules. I might try a couple morning runs, but I'm not sure how that will go (I like my sleep!). Unfortunately, I don't have access to a treadmill except at my school gym where it is always far too hectic, but I might look into downloading audiobooks or podcasts to put on my ipod for my runs.

My official start date will be Tuesday, October 8th!

PaytraB

You can do this. I leave the house at 6am and don't get home again until 4:30pm. Three times a week, the first thing I do when I get home is get changed and go out for a run. There have been times when I'd rather rest or relax but pushed through that. Now it's a habit and I enjoy my running times a lot.
Keep us posted on how you do.

kriskris92

Thank you! Looking forward to day 1