20 Tips To Fit Running Into Your Life As A Busy Mum
There’s nothing like motherhood to reinforce that your time is precious. When juggling the beautiful mess that is family life, the term self-care tends to slip out of your vocabulary as you prioritise the little humans in your household.
The idea of ‘me time’ may feel like a vague recollection from a history long ago, with the feeling that you always need to stay switched on and be available for your children – putting your own needs forever on hold. It can be challenging to find the precious moments in-between ‘mum life’ whether it’s breastfeeding your baby, taking the role of taxi driver for older kids or juggling the work-family balance.
Time itself isn’t the only problem. Your own mental headspace can be an obstacle, with the guilt of taking time for your self-care holding you back from finding happiness within your mind and your body. This burden of guilt can prevent you from lacing up, even if running was and is your passion.
Whether you’re looking to re-connect with your inner runner from your pre-child life, or to kick-start a running routine for the first time with a family in tow – these 20 tips can help you stay empowered, find balance and bring the best of yourself into not only raising your kids, but helping them thrive.
Motivation
1. Treat yourself to the 'smoothie' of mood-boosting hormones
It’s no secret that running has positive benefits on your mental health. Like motherhood, it builds resilience – proving to you that your body and mind are more capable and adaptable than you ever imagined. Tuning into your body also uplifts your emotional wellbeing - boosting your self-esteem and nurturing positivity that can be applied back into your family life.
It’s natural and it’s science; running releases ‘happy’ hormones including endorphins (relieving pain, calming stress, supporting general wellbeing and a state of euphoria), dopamine (vital to the brain’s ‘reward’ system) and serotonin (regulates mood and wards off depression). A runner’s high is attributed to endocannabinoids, particularly anandamide or the 'bliss molecule' which is released in response to moderate exercise.
Being rewarded by this mood-boosting smoothie of hormones serves as natural encouragement – reinforcing to your body and mind the positive benefits of exercise, so you’re more likely to feel motivated to lace up consistently.
2. A happier, healthier parent = a happier childhood for your kids
Many parents wrongly feel that taking time for themselves – including exercise – is selfish. It's time let go of that harmful perspective. Not only does running make you feel good… elated even… but it benefits your kids. Yes, caring for yourself means you can care for them better.
Rather than thinking of running as time away from your kids, think of running as time to create a happy, healthy parent for them and a positive mindset for yourself. By uplifting your mood, de-cluttering your mind on-the-run and energising your body, you can bring your best self to your family life and be more present and ‘switched on’ when you’re caring for your children.
Shift your perspective and ditch the guilt at the door. You’re not only running for you, but for them.
3. Embrace being a positive role model
Your children naturally look up to you and quickly become aware of your lifestyle choices, even subconsciously. They are often tiny mirrors of what you say, eat and do.
Children of parents that value healthy nutrition and physical fitness - turning these values into action - are more likely to be enthusiastic about sport and make nutritious food choices, following in your footsteps.
You’re the most important role model in your child’s life. As a mum and a runner, you’re setting a positive example, nurturing the power of goal setting and movement in your child’s mind and proving there’s no boundaries to what they can achieve.
4. Connect with the emotion behind your motivation – free of judgement
For some runners, the joy of running can be enough to spring out the door, but it may be worth looking at your deeper motivation. For new mums, losing baby weight may be the goal, but also think about what it can do for you and your family. Being a healthy weight is vital to supporting your heart health and to lower your risk of specific diseases. It can help build your confidence, energy and increase your mobility to help keep up with your kids.
Exercising regularly and choosing healthy, sustainable nutrition (that means no fad diets!) for yourself, helps create an environment that supports and teaches positive lifestyle choices for your children.
5. “I never regret a workout!”
These motivation-boosting words are well worth remembering when the temptation to press ‘snooze’ is running strong, or when watching TV for chill-out time feels more inviting than a session on the road.
No matter how you feel in the moment, think about how you will feel once you’re running in the fresh air, flowing into a smooth pace and are reminded about the power of your muscles. Your body is amazing – enduring the transformative experience of pregnancy and childbirth – and running is a way of respecting that and cherishing yourself.
On days when motivation is out of your reach, remember “I never regret a workout!” as your mantra, and tune into positive self-talk like “I am strong” and “I can do this!”. You’ll be proud of your sweat-soaked self after completing a run and your children will gain an appreciation of not only what Mum’s body can do, but their own.
6. Take the kids along for the run
To help kick-start your child’s love of running and movement, take them along for the run. Let their enthusiasm fuel your personal motivation.
Getting your kids into running from a young age can help break the perception of exercise as being a chore. You can present running as an exciting opportunity to enjoy the feel-good vibes of the outdoors.
Encourage your child to touch, smell and listen to the world around them, with sensory stimulation promoting learning and creative play. Every child is different and has different motivators, so consider these tips to run as a family to make the experience positive and rewarding for everyone.
For older kids, allowing them to be involved in the process of choosing a destination to run to (e.g., the local playground or a kid-friendly trail) can build their confidence, control and sense of independence and responsibility. Similarly, you can make healthy eating fun by offering a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables, taking the pressure off and giving your child flexibility in their choices.
Movement tools like bikes and scooters inject an extra element of fun for the kids while helping them keep up. Be sure to bring snacks and hydration for the whole family with bright and fun water bottles for the kids. Plan for multiple rest breaks - keeping in mind that younger members of the family do have shorter legs and may tire more quickly than their parents.
Time Management
7. Become an early riser (if it’s sustainable for you)
Rising early can be challenging, particularly when sleep is so important to your quality of life (more on this soon). However, with parenthood many of us naturally become early rises, not to mention opportunistic nappers!
Many parents have had success giving their morning routine a make-over by setting the alarm early (and we mean pre-dawn early) to catch 10, 15 or 30 minutes of run time before the kids and your partner roll out of bed. An early morning run – when the roads are clear and the air is crisp – can set a positive tone for the rest of the day, where you feel accomplished, energised and uplifted.
However, don’t let guilt eat away your confidence or motivation. Your goal to include more running in your life should be celebrated and totally free of judgement. If you give this morning run routine a go but don’t find it sustainable, that’s totally OK. Read on to discover what works for you and your family.
8. Get organised with a family calendar
Throughout parenthood, organisation is key to find those precious gaps of time in your schedule. Parenthood can be hectic, with kids’ appointments, sports practice and music lessons all needing to be allocated a time slot.
Having all events recorded in your smartphone's calendar app can help keep you on track in terms of time management. It also allows you to in-put reminders – including to run – to turn it into a healthy habit.
Preparing for the day’s run in advance by putting your running shoes, favourite running socks and running clothing aside ready to go can help you spring into action when your reminder chimes.
9. Enjoy ‘exercise snacks’
You can let go of the ‘all or nothing’ mentality by enjoying ‘exercise snacks’ throughout the day or even during your lunch break at the office if you're a working parent. ‘Exercise snacks’ refers to taking advantage of the short periods of time in-between caring for your children, working and performing household chores.
If your child is still napping during the day, this is the perfect time to fit in a mini workout. Your time is precious and swapping scrolling social media for a jog on the treadmill can be life-changing in terms of your mood, mental and physical health day-to-day.
Breaking your daily exercise into smaller sessions opens up more opportunities for you to get your body moving. It can be as simple as squeezing in a squat session while you’re waiting for the toaster to pop or practicing Pilates while your blender goes to work preparing a nutritious smoothie.
When you're short on time (e.g., going for a run in-between breastfeeding) consider hill running or packing HIIT (high-intensity interval training) into your routine. This gives you the most calorie-burning bang for the designated 'run time' you have.
10. Be creative about exercise
Sometimes it’s less about carving out exercise time and more about working with the time you have in all its forms. You can squeeze in a rejuvenating yoga session with these bed-friendly yoga poses, all before your children rise and shine.
Alternatively, you can make your child’s sports practice double up as ‘run-time’ for you. Before drop off, lace up in your running shoes so you’re ready to do a few laps around the oval or courts your child is training at.
For older kids, you can also get involved in their interests. If they’re a soccer fan, treat them to a soccer ball and join them for a family match in the backyard. Any kind of movement is still exercise – plus training together is an excellent opportunity to build positive bonds with your little ones.
Self-care & Support
11. Prioritise sleep & recovery
Especially during the early months of parenthood, sleep is golden (and rare!). It’s an essential part of your emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. It’s OK to put aside laundry, vacuuming – even running – for when you’re feeling more well rested. Sleep not only makes you a better (and happier) runner, but a more functional and focused parent – allowing you to shake off the sleep-deprived haze in favour for vitality and enthusiasm to spend time with your little athlete.
Ask for help – from your partner, friends and family – to give you more time to prioritise your sleep while they care for your baby or toddler. These sustainable tips to improve your sleep can help take off the pressure off and harness your ability to form healthy sleep habits.
It’s important to find a routine that works for you and that is compatible with the stage of life your child is at – keeping in mind that as they grow, their sleep patterns also change. For your baby or toddler, remember that sleep regression is normal and temporary (usually lasting 2 – 6 weeks at a time).
Know it’s OK to skip a running session occasionally if it means prioritising your recovery with gentle, slow-moving and lower intensity exercises or a good night’s sleep. And of course, it's important to listen to your doctor's advice on recovery after childbirth and how to gradually transition back into running in the months following.
12. Communicate & rotate responsibilities
If you have a partner, discussing the benefits of running on your mental health and physical wellbeing can help build an understanding of why your ‘run time’ is so valuable. If you’re the primary care giver, this may mean rotating roles with your partner when they arrive home from work 3 or 4 times a week to allow you to fit in a run the moment they’re back in the door. This also gives your partner valuable one-on-one time with the kids, where they can build a relationship of warmth and trust.
Sharing responsibility, including the care of your children and household duties is important to support one another to be a healthy and strong family unit. This may mean that Dad cooks dinner or cleans the dishes while Mum goes for a run or hits the gym. Of course, both parents should take time to practice self-care, including through regular exercise.
13. Join a run club… or create your own
Joining a run club – like Torrens Park Run Club or RunAsOne can help you build a strong support network - encouraging you stick your running goals for the week, spark your motivation and help turn running into your healthy habit.
You may prefer organising a running group with your close friends, family and other mums. It can be as simple as heading to the park once a week for a group jog – giving you the opportunity to get out of the house and soak up bone-strengthening vitamin D (while staying sun safe).
Some yoga and Pilates classes cater specifically to mums with bubs in tow, keeping in mind your postnatal needs to ease your body back into movement.
14. Seek out support & return the favour
If you have close friends that you deeply trust or a family member with children, considering rotating child care duties with them for a few hours each week - also know as a 'babysitting swap'. You may volunteer to look after your friend’s children and your own to give them some well-deserved 'me time', and they can return the favour to give you time to run solo.
It may be a hectic hour or two juggling your own children and another family’s, but if you cement it in as a regular event, it can allow you to commit to running regularly while giving your kids the opportunity to build healthy relationships outside your household.
Solo runs (without your kids) are where you can focus on your performance – or simply, prioritise your own needs and run at your own pace.
Whether you love to run purely recreationally or you’re training for a half marathon – this is time for you to celebrate yourself. Be sure to enjoy a rejuvenating bath or other relaxing activity after your sweat session is done and dusted to support your self-care.
Your kids are your best cheerleaders – and although it may be hard to have this time away from them, the joy they feel and the positive lessons they learn (e.g., perseverance, goal setting) by witnessing their mum crossing the finish line is priceless.
Gear Up
15. Don’t let the weather hold you back
Investing in excuse-busting running clothing can help turn ‘miserable’ weather into your running sanctuary. As a parent, you don’t always have the luxury of waiting until conditions are just-right before lacing up. You have to grasp opportunity – and if this means running in the rain and wind – embrace it!
Knowing hacks on how to layer for the cold and rain can be an absolute game-changer, keeping you motivated and primed for less-than-ideal conditions. If you live on a safe street, also consider running at night with these reflective gear and visibility accessories while your partner, family member or friend keeps an eye on the kids.
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Nike Dri-Fit Repel Womens Trail Running Jacket -
Nike Sportswear Essential Windrunner Woven Womens Running Jacket
16. Create a home gym
There’s a misconception that exercise is something that has to occur away from home – whether it’s signing up to a gym or lacing up in your running shoes. Joining a gym that offers child care options may work for you – but sometimes simply getting out the door can be a hurdle when you’re juggling a troop of little athletes.
If you’re a runner, a treadmill may be your golden egg of home gym equipment, which is fantastic if it fits into your budget and home – making running convenient and practical even while you’re looking after your children. However, a home gym doesn’t have to take up lots of space or be expensive.
You can create a home gym nook with as little as a resistance band, skipping rope, yoga mat, dumbbell and foam roller. And don’t forget, your body can function as its own resistance for cross-training, with exercises like planks, lunges, jumping jacks and burpees helping you to work up a sweat in a short period of time.
If signing up to a gym gives you exercise motivation – embrace it by shopping around and selecting a gym that’s close to home or work, and offers child care to make it as convenient and practical as possible.
17. Invest in a running pram
Enjoying exercise as a family activity is empowering for your children and for you. You can put these running pram tips into action once your baby can hold their head up independently (6 – 8 months old). Be sure to check-in with your running pram posture to make it a comfortable yet challenging experience.
Keep in mind your pace won’t be as fast running with a pram as it is running solo – but you are getting the extra calorie-burning benefits and incorporating an element of strength training into your run. After all, mums are the ultimate multi-taskers!
Jogging with a running pram allows you to stay on track of your fitness goals and rediscover your freedom – whether you have a sweet sleeper in tow or a curious baby that’s delighted by their surroundings. A baby carrier is also an option to fit in a rejuvenating walk while keeping your baby close and supported.
18. Refresh your sports bra rotation
If you’re getting back into a running after a hiatus – especially after body-transforming events like pregnancy and childbirth – your sports bra rotation probably needs a refresh. During pregnancy and while breastfeeding, your bra cup size and/or band size may increase by 1, 2 or more sizes.
Support is more important than ever to not only prevent injury, but to feel vibrant, focused and confident during exercise – especially during high-impact activity like running. Depending on what stage of life you’re at and personal preference, you may benefit from maternity sports bras or nursing sports bras for convenience and comfort, or choose a sports bra similar to what you wore pre-baby.
Wire-free bras are preferable while your body is naturally changing and growing – especially considering your breast size can fluctuate during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Wire-free designs can also reduce pressure on the milk ducts and reduce your risk of painful conditions such as blocked ducts and mastitis.
Your pre-baby and post-baby body aren’t better or worse than the other – they’re just different. Choosing a sports bra that supports your new needs is a part of loving your body – the body that has grown and nurtured your child.
Seek sports bras with wide, adjustable straps for additional support and breathable, flexible fabrics to accommodate fluctuations in your breast size. Check out Which Brooks Running Bra Is The Best Sports Bra For You? and the Essential Guide To Brooks Running Bras for some sports bra guidance and inspiration.
19. Check your running shoe size
Your feet may have swollen during pregnancy, growing wider and longer thanks to the reproductive hormone relaxin which is produced by your ovary and placenta. It's responsible for – you guessed it – helping your muscles, joints and ligaments relax, making them softer and looser to allow your body to stretch to accommodate your growing baby during pregnancy and helping prepare your body for childbirth.
You may also have developed flatter arches, partly due to the natural weight gain during pregnancy putting pressure on your feet. This increase in shoe size and shift in foot type may be permanent. Even if your running shoes aren’t ready to retire, it's important to choose a running shoe that fits your ‘new’ feet and accommodates their needs in cushioning and stability.
Taking care of your feet firstly ensures they stay comfortable (if you're not comfortable, you won't be motivated to run!) and secondly, reduces your risk of injury to avoid you being on the sidelines of your training.
If you’re an Adelaide resident, you can discover your RunDNA at Sportitude Hindmarsh. Our Sportitude shoe experts use this exclusive shoe fitting technology to assess your foot type and natural running biomechanics to pair the right running shoes to the right runner.
For personalised guidance in your own home anywhere in Australia, check out Sportitude’s free Live Fit video chat shoe fitting service or learn more about your feet by reading What Type Of Running Shoe Is Best For Me?.
Be Inspired!
20. Read about inspirational mums - and be your own inspiration!
When the kids are asleep and you have precious moments of downtime, curl up with inspiration from other mums.
Commonwealth games gold medallist, marathoner and mum Jessica Stenson shares her goal setting and marathon training advice. Her journey demonstrates the value of respecting your body, particularly post-partum by taking small steps to gradually adapt to an increased training load, while prioritising your safety and the healing of your body.
Jessica Stenson talks about the power of organisation, harnessing your resilience as an athlete and a mum, and learning to compartmentalise as a mindfulness strategy to make the most of every moment of training.
Remember, you don't run because it's easy. You run for the challenge and the reward of improved mental and physical health - for yourself and your children.
Every session you lace up - even if it didn't go as planned - is a success because you've put in the effort and have become stronger and more resilient as a result. So, alongside seeking inspiration from other amazing mums, be proud of every achievement and nurture inspiration from within yourself.
If you liked this you'll love:
Jessica Stenson On Goal Setting & Marathon Training As A Mum
Everything You Need To Know Before Jogging With A Running Pram
6 Essential Running Pram Tips To Improve Your Posture