Run for fun #4: Struggling with school holidays
Wednesday, 18 July 2012 
6 Comments
Exercise since British 10k race has been sparse:
- 16.10 km cycle on stationary on Wednesday (35 min)
- 15.10 km cycle on stationary on Thursday (36 min)
- 11.10 km run on Saturday (58:23)
- 15.07 km run on Sunday (1:20:04)
I’m at home with the boys so we walk a lot every day, but I definitely miss my long Wednesday runs. And I miss having a bit of energy in the evenings to do some strength work – I’m amazingly tired every evening from just mothering and once the boys are in bed after 8 I don’t. do. a single. thing. any. more.
Holidays from work and just being able to hang out with them children of mine is of course great in many ways, but not having a clear structure to every day makes me struggle with exercise and eating a lot. When I work, I know exactly what and when I have breakfast, lunch and dinner; and after a day of sitting in the office I do have energy to exercise once the boys are in bed.
Every evening during these holidays so far that I crash on the couch at 8:30 I think about how freaking lucky I am that my mother lives with us and that I can work 4 days a week and go for a run whenever I want to. That set-up, the mix of a little bit of this and a little bit of that, keeps me ticking along and sane in the head. I also think about how I should never ever think that stay at home moms are lazy for not exercising when the kids sleep – if they do, they are bloody marvellous, but if they don’t then it’s only because full-time mothering is so freaking exhausting!
I have to say that yesterday was a particularly slack and unmotivating kind of day for me, so I’m feeling just a little blue. Thankfully it’s a new day today and I will endeavour to just squeeze in a few planks and push ups during the day so that when the evening comes I can happily crash on the couch. The key is definitely to do as much physical as possible in the mornings because as the day progresses, the little lights of my life (i.e. my boy children) suck more and more energy out of my body :)
I’m not saying that because I think that they shouldn’t do it – I’m saying that just because children do that to you – they take your energy just because they’re children… we as parents just have to go with the flow (and maybe start drinking up slimy chia seeds to give us more energy ;).
On Sunday we’ll be on the plane to Estonia and I’ll have more extended family around me again so I can recharge the batteries and start running more again. I have a few half-marathons coming up in the fall and I want to kick butt and get some PBs.
How’s your running been this week? This summer? With kids off from school? Tell me I’m not the only one who finds school holidays tiring?
As usual, linky below – to link up all your running/fitness related posts – just because sharing the motivation / struggles / tips is a good thing!
Code for the button:
<a href=”http://www.crankymonkeys.com/blog/category/runforfun/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.crankymonkeys.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/runforfunlogo.jpg”></a>
What a great link-up, have submitted & thanks for organising it. I know what you mean regarding unstructured days, even though I’m tired after work it’s a routine to go straight to the gym in the evening. On days when I’m not working I find it much harder to get motivated. I tend to try and workout as soon in the morning as possible and get it out of the way…which sounds awful because I do enjoy it LOL! Have fun on your holiday and try to get some relaxation too :-) x
Thanks again for linking up, your measuring tape photos have totally inspired me to take this fitness thing of mine to the next level!
I have been reading every single post but rearly get to comments part (shame on me !!!)
So, let’s talk about running first and then kids, ok?!
Now, I LOVE running, but for years have been holding myself back because of really bad knee aches that I get every time after 20 minutes of jogging…at the beginning of this summer I went to see my hubby’s uncle who also happens to be one of the leading orthopaedic surgeons in French speaking Switzerland. (Why had I been waiting for so long????) Anyway, he bent and turned and scrutinized my knee and then gave me a very simple exercise to do for two weeks. His words were that if I start slowly, I’ll be running with no problems in three months. Hm…we’ll see. Right now I have restarted jogging. I have a bandage to support my knee (it’s very much psychological!) – I can do some 30 minutes before the knee says “hello, I’m still there!”
I hope (and very much so) that it will get better and that I can run again!
Kids – well, I have noticed that being away from home for a while can only do good. The longer the being away, the longer it takes them to start nagging at each other. For example, last week we spent four days in the chalet – they were so happy to be back, to find their toys and rooms again. It took them two days before one of them remembered to start whining.
But as for working and the routine. I know for sure that I couldn’t be a stay at home mom. I need my job to feel alive, happy and full of energy. Curious, right…my job GIVES me energy more often than it drains me.
Hugs and ENJOY Estonia!!!
What is up with your knee – a specific injury or just a random niggle? Mine was weird for a few months after I fell on it but I had a bit of physio and then it just slowly went away and is now as good as ever.
As for jobs giving energy – totally! I just feel so much more like a proper human being when I get to work :)
You are soooo lucky! Mum’s are the best! Ran for 10 min yeasterday :)
10 minutes is a great start – many who start only run for a minute or two at a time and then walk the same amount and then run again… so next time try running for 10 mintues, then walk for 5 and then run for 10 again :D