How I Train For My Races As A Single Mom

     Over the past almost two years of my running journey, I've been asked many times when I find time to run as a single mom.  It's not easy.  I have found ways to make it work though.  When I got asked by a friend to join her in a local Dallas race, my first response was "I don't have time to train."  She told me that she didn't really train either.  I agreed to do the race thinking that I would just run and walk it.  As I started back to school that semester, two weeks before the race, I realized that I have until 6:30 pm to get my girls from the after school care. 

     It was with that realization that my training began.  I was able to run two to three times a week after school.  When I first began running, I wasn't able to train on the weekends because I had the girls.  As summer rolled around and with that the hot Texas heat, I started taking my runs to the treadmill.  I am lucky to have a fitness center in my neighborhood.  So, the girls and I would walk to the fitness center and they would watch a movie on my laptop and I would run all the miles on the treadmill.  As it got closer to my first half marathon and I had longer miles to run every other week on the Jeff Galloway plan, I had to figure out how I was going to make it work.  I don't have family that lives close to us, but I am blessed with such an amazing support system.  I was able to arrange for my girls to have sleepovers with sweet friends that are like family to us every other week for two months. We alternated between two friends.   Since it is still so hot in Texas in August and September, I needed to get my runs done as the sun was rising.  Sleepovers worked perfectly!
     I could not have trained for my first half marathon or continued this running journey if I didn't have the friends that I have.  They love me and they love my girls.  To this day, I have a support system that continues to support my running journey.  I am so grateful for them.  When I run races, if it is a 5K, I always try to have my girls at the races with a babysitter (hopefully cheering for me at the finish).  I want them to see what mommy works so hard for.  They see me do my Beachbody workouts at home.  I want them to see that hard work is worth it.  It's now becoming a family thing.

My first race - Hotcake Hustle, January 2016.

The girls were there at the finish line cheering for me at my second race, The Hot Chocolate Run, February 2016.

The girls were there to cheer for me at the finish of the 2016 Color Run.

I had my favorite cheerleaders cheering across the finish at the 2016 Run Like A Mother.

In May of 2016, Lyla ran her first 1 mile run and earned her first medal.

Rock the Block 2016

Both girls ran the 1K at the 2016 Plano Balloon Festival Races.

These sweet girls waited (with their awesome babysitter) in the pouring rain to cheer for me at my first half marathon.

Running with our local running club.

Lyla ran another 1 mile run at the 2016 Plano Haunt Jaunt.

Their first runDisney race.

Princess Half Marathon 2017

     

Run Like A Mother 2017

Rock the Block 2017

     Is it hard to fit my training in my schedule?  OH YEAH!!!  I had a friend in high school tell me something that he learned from his father..."You make time for the things that are important to you."  I've learned that he and his dad were right.  If you want it bad enough, you will make it work.  You won't let excuses get in the way.  I will say that when I first started running, I was very consistent in my strength training.  The past year, I have not been as consistent.  I'm just tired and I've decided that I'm not going to kill myself.  Every month I sit down and look at my calendar and I figure out my running schedule.  I then try my best to work in my strength training.  I have to remind myself that this is a journey.  Every journey has its ups and downs.  

     I hope that you have a support system that can help you.  Sit down and make a plan.  It's not easy.  Sometimes it's downright exhausting.  I know that my girls are learning so much from my running and fitness journey.  I love that it is something that we can do together (even if one likes cheering better than running).  It makes us stronger.  Don't give up on your dream!  You are worth it!