Needed: Lifestyle Change

Note to the seasoned runners reading this: your first reaction is probably “duh” or “reality check.” But bear with me as I slowly make the transition from team sports player to marathoner.

It turns out that fall/winter is a tough time for a new runner to start training. Here’s a sample weekday for me:

• 7:00am – alarm goes off. Barely open eyes enough to hit the snooze button on not one, but two, alarms. No coherent thoughts or physical ability to get out of the bed and go running before work.
• 7:30am – get up and shower so that I’m not late for work.
• 5:30/6:00pm – on most days, work is over. If I have no plans, I can put on something bright and reflective and go for a run.

However, as it turns out, my social (and work) lives are interfering with this post-work running schedule. For instance, on Monday I had a group dinner with some of my MBA friends. Last Thursday, it was “Dads and Kids” dinner night. Wednesday, I carbo-loaded and made Clams Casino to prep for Thanksgiving with my aunts and uncles. Every other Wednesday, I give platelets after work and probably shouldn't go running after that. Yesterday, I had to work late and didn’t get home ‘til 8pm, when running in the dark seemed a bit…scary.

Clearly, all of these dinners and dark nights are interfering with my training. But I don’t belong to a gym (yet) for those workouts that would take place after dark. I have time after dinner, but can’t run on a full stomach. I could cut back on the socializing (gasp!), but I draw a lot of energy and motivation from my friends and family. Running only on the weekends just isn’t sufficient.

I know that I will have to cut back on some of these dinners and post-work events, and I will, starting now. But I’d love any other suggestions on how to work running into a busy girl’s schedule.