Being a runner and a mother, I have obviously struggled to be a good at either. But I am learning and taking notes, so bear with me.
1) Think in terms of integrating both creatively. Instead of thinking that the activities and people that I love are incompatible, I need to think of how running and enjoying my children can be done together.
2) Realize cross-training is a beautiful thing. I can dance around like crazy (I am not a dancer) with my kids for 45 minutes, wear them out, and develop muscles I didn't know I had. I can read Green Eggs and Ham while riding my indoor stationary bike. The bike, with me on it, also doubles as a great train when parked in front of the couch. The children ride the couch while I chug chug up the mountains on my bike. The sky is the limit with a little imagination.
3)Racing the children in the backyard counts as wind sprints. The neighbors get extra entertainment from this as my 13 month old tries to keep up. It's amazing how many "races" my children are willing to do before they tire out. I get a great work out on those days.
Soon, Andrea will be able to ride her bike fast enough to follow me on my shorter runs. Nathan is already begging to go with me on my runs. I want my children to enjoy running as much as I do. They will one day find their favorite activity that is all their own, but for now they are enjoying running and an active lifestyle as we discover how to do all this together. It's definitely an adventure....What are some ways you have found to integrate different parts of your life with your children?
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