Balancing Marathon Training and a Busy Work Schedule
Balance, one of the biggest struggles of this sport. There are so many things that go into marathon training (and running in general) that it can become overwhelming trying to fit it all in, especially with a busy work schedule. There are some weeks that I only get my runs in during the week and overload my supplemental things (strides, plyos, lifts, etc) on the weekend.
The beauty of working from home means that I can lift at lunch if I don’t have time in the morning. Even though the pandemic feels like it’s never going to end, one day we will be back in the office, adding a commute back into our lives. I have a weird feeling that the office will open back up right when I start fall marathon training.I have to admit that I’m nervous about going back into the office. But I know with the proper plan, I’ll be able to do it all!
Make a schedule Schedule your runs, lifts, and supplemental things like you would a work meeting, and stick to the plan. I take time on Sunday to look at my work meetings and training plan and create a schedule for the upcoming week. Then, each morning I write down my daily plan. Creating a plan down to the hour helps me stay on task at work and reminds me when I need to fuel for my lunch workout (if there is one that day).
Get creative Don’t stress over the little things, I promise there is enough time to get it all in, sometimes you just have to be a bit creative. Lift at lunch, do your stability and core before bed, stretch while watching Netflix, or throw your long workout in the middle of your long run on Sunday. When I started my new job in November, a more demanding job with less flexibility, I made a list of everything I absolutely need to get in throughout the week. I realized that I don’t have to do it all at once and can overload most of it on the weekends.
Don’t overdo it I’m getting kind of sick of the “no excuses'“ culture, especially in the past year with the pandemic and everything changing. Rest days are important to not only give your body a rest, but also your mind. If you are doing heavy training and have a stressful work culture, you may find yourself wanting to skip runs more frequently. There is nothing wrong with dialing it back and giving yourself an extra rest day. The “no excuses” mindset only works if you know when to give your body and mind a break.
Get enough sleep Recovery happens while you are sleeping. You’ve heard that 8 hours is the magic sleep number, but try to find your own magic number. My body really likes 9-10 hours of sleep, but my schedule doesn’t allow that during the week. So to give my body a leg up, I go to bed early (my 89 year-old grandpa and I have the same bedtime). My college coach used to tell us that it was the hours before midnight that mattered the most. And honestly I found that to be true. I don’t fall asleep as easy at 11pm as I do at 9pm. Find what works for you, but make sure you are getting good sleep.
Don’t double up unless it’s in your plan. If you miss a Monday 5 miler, don’t add those miles into your long run or make Tuesday a double. Continue on with your plan and don’t dwell on it. You won’t lose any fitness by missing one run (or two or three).
Get up earlier I started running before work and it has made my workday feel so much better. I feel more refreshed and awake for the workday. On my rest days, I’ll still wake up at my normal time and stretch or get some yoga in. Waking up earlier also alleviates early morning stress and helps ease you into your day. Getting up early alleviates the need to rush around to get everything in before work. You’ll start your day more refreshed and less stressed. And as we talked about above, extra stress is not good on a body in training.
Be patient with yourself There are going to be days that you accidentally sleep in and have to move your day around. There may also be days that you have to push a workout or you don’t have time to do strides after your morning run. The beauty of running is that there is so much room for flexibility. Be patient with yourself during this time. You’ll fail and you’ll miss stuff, but just remember your end goal. Don’t stress about the miles you don’t get in, focus on the ones that you do get in.