The Running Thread - 2019

[rteetz]

No guilt because I’m still a kid

I don’t have to worry about my training impacting anyone else but myself.

 

[YawningDodo]

ATTQOTD: I don't have kids or anything, but I do have a housemate and we like to spend time together on the weekends...plus I can't just leave her in the lurch re: house projects, cleaning, etc. So I do feel guilty when my training goes longer than planned since it affects her. If it's planned out in advance and expectations are clear though--no, no guilt.

Closest I have to a child is my dog, and since she's going on my long walks with me now while I build endurance...yah, no, no guilt there, either.

 

[Neon Cactus]

No guilt. I usually do my running either in the morning when they are asleep or on weekends when my daughter has dance. Any other times I’ve just run at times that fit their schedule.

 

[KevM]

ATTQOTD: Single, no kids. So nope.

 

[OldSlowGoofyGuy]

ATTQOTD: Yes and no. No kids, retired. I don't feel guilty for the daily time I spend running. I'm assuming DW enjoys having me gone for a couple of hours (probably wishes I would increase the miles).

I do feel guilty how the running limits spontaneity and vacationing. I have to get better at this: DW is going to **** me if we don't go on a fall vacation because I'm training for a non-existent marathon.

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD- do you feel guilt for long times spent training away from your family?

Nope, never. We each have our own interests and give each other the freedom to pursue them.

 

[IamTrike]

Okay. Pulling this one from recent experience.

QOTD- do you feel guilt for long times spent training away from your family?

Attqotd:yes, heavy guilt. That’s one of the big reasons I backed off further long races for a while. I also think it had started to interfere with my weight loss, too.

Not really, my kids are older (17 and 13). During the week they have their own morning routine and DS drives them to school. On the weekends I'm the only person in my family that doesn't like to sleep in. I have to be running really long before I get back after they wake up. (I was still home in time to make breakfast (Mickey Waffles) after running my 15 miler this weekend.

 

[JulieODC]

Guilt sometimes - esp for weekend training runs or races. Otherwise, I try to run before everyone is awake, or during my workday when everyone is at school /daycare/work.

But when the guilt creeps up, I remind myself that 1) my husband travels for a work a decent amount and I shoulder all home/kid stuff solo, and 2) I am a much nicer and more patient person/Mom when I get runs in!

 

[DopeyBadger]

QOTD- do you feel guilt for long times spent training away from your family?

No, but I also try my hardest to fit my training schedule around my family's life. So if my wife says we're leaving for X at 8:00am on Saturday morning, and I've got a 3 hr training exercise, then I just wake up at 3:30am to get it done. I'm coaching my daughter's flag football team for the next few months on Mon/Wed, so I made my training plan to fit around that so I wouldn't miss anything. My wife wants to exercise, but we can't both exercise in the evening. So we wake up together most mornings at 3:45-4:25 to do workouts together. It's a lot to balance between work, my own training of 11-20 hrs per week, taking care of my daughter when my wife works long hours (football season is coming), coaching flag football, coaching 40-50 other runners on a weekly basis, writing an average of 12 training plans per month, and just in general being a good dad. So I don't really feel any guilt because I feel like I'm juggling all of the other aspects of life well thus far and making as many accommodations along the way such that my training affects their lives as little as possible.

 

[Dis5150]

ATYQOTD: Yep, that is another reason I haven't been running. We ended up with the puppy that DD29 rescued so that takes us to 4 dogs which is a lot of responsibility as they are all under 4. My mom lives with us and I hate going off and leaving her all the time with all the dogs to take care of since DH won't let me go run without him along. Then there is running after work - DH works where I work, on our maintenance crew, so we ride together. I know he just wants to go home when we get off, after working outside in the sun all day... Sigh, I will figure it out, lol!

 

[jmasgat]

Any gel users out there care to make a recommendation? I was a longtime PowerGel user, but alas they are no more. I am looking for a non-sludge replacement, which rules out some like GU-just too thick.

If you have one that is on the "runny" side that you like, please suggest. Thanks!

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: Nope, not one ounce of guilt about taking care of myself, which is what running is about for me. I'm the one holding it all together, so self-care is critical to my family's well-being, as well as my own.

Any gel users out there care to make a recommendation? I was a longtime PowerGel user, but alas they are no more. I am looking for a non-sludge replacement, which rules out some like GU-just too thick.

If you have one that is on the "runny" side that you like, please suggest. Thanks!

Have you tried Honey Stinger gels? VERY runny! Hammer is somewhere between GU and Honey Stingers, in terms of viscosity - might be worth a try, too. Clif is pretty close to GU, so probably skip that one. I got a sample of Gatorade;'s gel (never knew they made one!) and it was super runny.

 

[camaker]

Any gel users out there care to make a recommendation? I was a longtime PowerGel user, but alas they are no more. I am looking for a non-sludge replacement, which rules out some like GU-just too thick.

If you have one that is on the "runny" side that you like, please suggest. Thanks!

I've struggled to find gels that don't upset my stomach when taken in the quantities needed for a marathon. Huma Gels were the solution that I finally found. They are definitely runnier than normal gels (although not as runny as Honey Stingers) and have the consistency of applesauce. I can take as many of them as I need without any GI issues. On a different front, I've also been experimenting with the Maurten Gels. They're like a loose jell-o consistency and are nice because you don't need to take them with water. I'm liking them so far, as well.

 

[Slogger]

ATTQOTD about "guilty" running.

Yes, I typically feel bad when my running interferes with family time. I do my best to minimize that by running once a week on my lunch break, and early mornings on weekends but that still leaves 2-3 more days when I may be late to dinner because of a run. I would run more late at night when everyone is in bed but my wife doesn't like it.

I've also cut way back on races (and race travel) this year.

 

[AFwifelife]

ATTQOTD: do not feel guilty at all. Running is my me time and I desperately need it to be mentally ok. I didn’t run for a while because a lot of life came in the way of it and it was definitely a struggle for me. I’m a much better person/wife/mom with running. Since we only do the Disney races, I’m not really gone that much for them.

 

[Chaitali]

I agree I don't feel guilt about it. But it's just me and my husband, no kids. And I do my best to make sure that my running doesn't interfere with other things we want to do, etc.

 

[run.minnie.miles]

QOTD- do you feel guilt for long times spent training away from your family?

ATTQOTD: I definitely don't feel guilty for running.

Training for distance races (marathon) is different than "just running" though, and requires a lot of more time away from home, something I was aware of last winter. My husband has been nothing but supportive of my training, but we definitely planned things around running (especially around Christmas). He also has extra things that take him away from home (coaching HS and playing basketball) and we do the same for him.

With that said, I have absolutely no idea how this will change will the baby comes in December. I will definitely keep running (when cleared), but have no immediate race expectations/plans.
My plan was to run my "one and done" marathon prior to babies because I'd have the most time. Well *surprise,* I want to do another one

 

[TheHamm]

QOTD- do you feel guilt for long times spent training away from your family?

Yup, but the list of things I feel guilty about regarding family isn't exactly short. Everything changes. I will find new things that I will feel guilty about not accomplishing, and I will find a way to do some the things I want to do soon enough. DH has been stellar about encouraging me to do things that are not work or kids, without which I would not find any time to run. I encourage him to do things, too. We are both better people when we have an outlet for fun.

For a few years I got up in the dark to run and that took less time away, but as the kids go to bed later and there is still so much to do before I go to bed, this has been difficult recently. When the 6yo asked me to stop running in the morning so I could have extra time to play, am runs had to go. There was a lot of guilt here. I have tried to shift to running on my lunch hour (I can, I have a closed asphalt loop and a shower), but that limits me to about 4-5 miles. 4-5 is what I can do and my kids are thrilled to play with me, so this is it for now, but not forever. Work travel is also a source of familial guilt, so I try to use that time to get in better long runs if I can (not sure how to pull this off in Asia where I don't have a TM and couldn't find a map last time).

My way of coping: I have taken to writing down all of the things I DO for the family. I am not putting in the miles I wanted to this week, but I DO STUFF!

Spoiler: I really made a list yesterday

For example- DH is out of the country for the rest of the week, School starts next week and I leave for a work trip 2 hours after dropping the kids off. School shopping is done. Everyone has bathed, brushed teeth, and had non-take out breakfast, lunch and dinner (4 days down, 4 to go!). Laundry and dishes have been done despite the dishwasher being broken (I'm giving myself a pass on fixing this myself because I can but the kids kept interrupting me), I have rearranged work to go to soccer practices, terribly scheduled in the middle of the afternoon meet the teacher, I will take them to the doctor today, and we picked blueberries and made muffins. I may not be the best employee right now, plenty is not getting done. I will be on the road next week and should have time to do half of what I ignored and we can forget the other half.
Big accomplishment: I made it through Target where 10,000 returning university students were fighting over mini-fridges or carpets and didn't say a snarky thing to anyone, which was harder than a half marathon.

Seriously, I keep a list to remind myself that things get done, even if not everything does.

 

[steph0808]

I may have a twinge of guilt here or there, but you know what? I spend a crapload of time with my kids, take them to all their stuff, take them to do fun things every weekend, etc., and I'm actually still a person besides being a mom. So, if that means a Sunday long run that keeps me away from them for 3 hours while they play with dad and their grandparents, I'm fine with it. My other runs during the week are usually on my lunch hour when they're at school/daycare anyway.

And I don't feel guilty about all the times I have been to Disney without the kids either But this will probably be my last Marathon Weekend for a while, as I would like to take them next year when they're 4.5/6.5.

 

[avondale]

Okay. Pulling this one from recent experience.

QOTD- do you feel guilt for long times spent training away from your family?

ATTQOTD: Not so much, but I don't have kids. (My sister is a single mother with a toddler, so I see what she does and I don't know how you all do it with kids.) When I visit family or travel for a family event, I sometimes feel bad if my run scheduling interferes with things, but I usually try to run early enough on those days that it's not too much of an inconvenience.