Races are canceled. Kids are home from school. You donated that double jogging stroller long ago. Amidst the current health crisis, it can feel difficult for a Mom who enjoys running to maintain her own training.
Enter, the Mother Runner’s Guide to COVID-19. Here are some suggestions for staying disciplined in your practice during these challenging times.
Make peace with your new normal
Here’s the reality: it is different to be a mother runner right now. Like, different from a month ago.
Maybe you had a race that was cancelled. Maybe you ran kid-free as soon as the kids got on the bus and now you’re stuck on a treadmill or doing laps around your yard. Maybe you haven’t logged a single mile since the quarantine and stay home orders began.
Make peace with this. You are still a runner. Don’t hang up your running shoes!
Go virtual
You can practice your social distancing while still chasing personal bests. Virtual races are a great way to feel connected with the running community, stroke your competitive drive, and make the most of training you have invested in.
In a virtual race, you determine the location and capture your own finishing time. While you may be tackling a race distance solo, you can still earn your medal and track your results against competitors.
Looking for fresh new virtual challenges to reclaim this crazy year? Check out the Take Back 2020 Challenge, which encourages participants to grow their fitness and general well-being.
This is one of two challenges I am personally involved in. I’m also doing the Un-Canceled Project, which is more running focused.
The Take Back 2020 Challenge focuses on total wellbeing and bonus: there’s a really sweet medal!
Find a trusted guide
There are tons of online coaches trained to cater to your fitness goals and abilities. These folks can help you identify new running related goals and will hold you accountable to reaching them.
I have adjusted my personal coaching program to accommodate wellness goals for my clients who don’t have races on the horizon anymore.
I also have a brand new Facebook group I am doing Office Hours in each week. The idea is this: you can submit specific questions beforehand throughout the week and I will answer them in a live ZOOM format- anything goes!
Real talk: I’m not the only game in town. Nor do I have time to I coach every Mom out there (we’re homeschooling, too!).
Do your research and select the person who can provide the expertise to take your training to the next level!
I’d love to hear how you’re pursuing running goals during theCOVID-19 pandemic below!
