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Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

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Original poster

want to start running- how when I am always with the children?

19 replies

milkysmum · 26/04/2014 12:23

hi. I have been a lone parent for past couple of months. I have a 2 year old and 5 year old. desperate to start getting fit and have planned to start running for a while. but now dh has gone am I being unrealistic? the plan is that he will have them overnight on a wednesday and alternate weekends. now I have found a beginners running club that runs on a wednesday evening so thats great (if dh sticks to plan) but surley I will need to do more than once a week? during the week I work 9-3. pick dd up from school on my way home and then can pick ds up from nursery anytime before 5.30. I cant leave dd on her own (obviously) so just cant see when else I could do it. anyone else found a solution to this kind of thing?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

SavoyCabbage · 26/04/2014 12:32

I would run and dd would ride her bike. It worked really well. You could do that before you do the nursery pick up. They need to be able to ride without stabilisers to get up a bit of speed.

Elysianfields · 26/04/2014 12:35

Can you come to an agreement with another school mum to look after each others kids for a short time straight after school? that way you could run before picking up the little one. Or after school club? Lunch hour at work? Lots of people in my office run at lunchtimes. Or run to work.

In summer it might be possible to park your 5 year old in the playground in the park and run round the outside of it. That would work in my local park in a boring way and you would never be out of eyesight

Elysianfields · 26/04/2014 12:36

hmm like savoys suggestion better. Scooting?

Original poster

milkysmum · 26/04/2014 12:42

hi. she's not too confident on a bike yet but definitely a good suggestion for when she is thanks. running round the playground- would I not look a bit odd?

OP posts:

Joules68 · 26/04/2014 12:51

Could she go to the nusery for the las hour with her sibling? You run, then collect?

Every other weekend? You could run then too

Treadmill off eBay/free cycle?

Joules68 · 26/04/2014 12:53

Breakfast club and run before work at 9?

Lancelottie · 26/04/2014 13:07

I started by running down the garden, into the house and up the stairs (but then, when I started, just getting down the garden was challenge enough...)

DB used to run using the WiiFit app, while waiting for clients (phone-based business so he couldn't just go out but had quite a lot of down time).

Original poster

milkysmum · 26/04/2014 13:14

my garden is tiny! wiifit app? will have a look at that. thanks

OP posts:

addictedtosugar · 26/04/2014 13:26

Can you run from work to school, and then walk/jog back from school while the 5 yr old scoots / bikes?

Or lunch time - how long do you get? I can change, run 4-5km, shower and be back at my desk in an hr. I can stuff sandwich in my mouth, and work tho.

Artandco · 26/04/2014 13:30

Eldest on scooter or bike, youngest in jogger pram. Eventually both kids on scooters or bikes

Lancelottie · 26/04/2014 13:38

Mine isn't very big, I was just seriously unfit

Original poster

milkysmum · 26/04/2014 13:48

I work about 15 miles away so cant run from work to school! plus I am a community nurse so need my car. I dont get a lunch break so to speak- just eat on the go. my choice to be able to finish at 3 for school.

OP posts:

Original poster

milkysmum · 26/04/2014 13:49

sorry must sound like I am coming up with excuses as to why things wont work

OP posts:

sixlive · 26/04/2014 13:59

Local teenager babysit for an hour in the evening whilst you run? Gym with a crèche.

Lioninthesun · 26/04/2014 15:04

I was thinking this a couple of days ago OP! Thank you for posting, watching with interest.
I decided to run to her nursery (about a 15/20min walk) when I collect her for lunch 3x a week. It isn't long enough to do much but it's the only chance I get barring the Wii Fit after her bed!

Meglet · 26/04/2014 15:13

Saturday morning parkrun? Either with the 5yo on a bike and the 2yo in a 3 wheeler? Or getting someone to have them from 8:30-10:30 so you can run alone, does their dad pick them up in time?

I've currently got 2hrs off so I've done 1hr errands and I'm off for a run before mum brings them back. I don't really do housework either, lots of people would do that in a spare hour, but I threw in the towel years ago . A tidy house won't get me to 100 or keep my blood pressure low.

DotToDott · 26/04/2014 15:19

are there any women locally who are in the same situation?

could you arrange to meet and look after each others children alternately, say at the park? one sits with the children whilst the other runs?

good motivation too as you wouldn't want to bail out and let the other person down.

Meglet · 26/04/2014 16:02

...Of course the drawback with having to fit in a run when you have a spare hour is that spare hour might coincide with heavy rain.... .

justtoomessy · 29/04/2014 20:23

I am in the same predicament. However, I am also bloody lazy as I have a treadmill that I could go on once DS is in bed but I am so tired by that time I can't face it.

Need to kick my arse into gear as I'm soo fat and unfit that its affecting what I do with DS.

Good luck

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