Divide and Conquer
You have a packed day of meetings, carpools and project deadlines. You also have a 10-miler on the training plan. Instead of being stressed, schedule two or three smaller runs throughout the day. Splitting up runs is a great way to get your mileage in without overloading your schedule. Three miles in the morning before your first meeting, three miles during lunch and four miles when you get home. This becomes much more manageable than the time commitment of 10 miles all at once. Your legs will also feel fresher for each of the runs and your pace will be faster. The biggest challenge with this strategy is bringing enough wardrobe changes.
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Work is Overrated
At times, work keeps you from running. Whether it's the long conference call, the unending email thread or the minute-by-minute project editing process, we all experience work obligations that are out of our control. Some of these obligations can turn into a two- to three-hour commitment. Instead of telling your boss you need to run, use technology. Grab some headphones, a portable device, put the call on mute, load up your email account and hop on the treadmill. You may have to run a bit slower, but you'll be able to answer emails, text, listen to conference calls and, if absolutely necessary, un-mute and speak. Just be sure to catch your breath first.
No matter what your challenges are, runners will find a way. From getting up in the dark early hours of the morning and running with a headlamp to skipping lunch and opting for an afternoon recovery snack instead, it's what runners do.
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About the Author
Jennifer ODonnell-Giles
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