Spending time with my family has never detracted from my
running. Or is it that even with the few thousand miles I log each year,
running has never stolen my family time? However you put it, my family is part
of my running and vice versa. I have been running ultras since 2011. At that
time, we had two kids and the oldest was almost four years old. However, this
was not when the ‘crazy’ long runs started. I had been logging long runs on the
weekends for over a year by this time. At the time, this was training for birthday
runs since I had no idea the ultra world even existed. With two young kids, I wanted
them to be a part of my runs and to raise them seeing how fun running could be.
Actually, I wanted my wife to have a few hours to herself while I was off ‘playing.’
We had previously purchased a double jogging stroller and if it knew how many
miles that I was going to expose it to, it would have convinced its former
owners not to sell it on Craigslist. I wore through one set of tires and ended
up putting about 2600 miles on the stroller overall.
Once I discovered ultras, my family was right there to
support me. At that time, my wife had a hard job of crewing for a rookie and
taking care of two crazy boys. But I think she understood how important running
was for me and was willing to help me in any way possible.
These almost daily stroller outings continued for about
two years. As time passed, the kids kept growing and it seemed like they were
growing so quickly. It got to the point that it was really difficult for me to
turn the stroller or even keep it going true (straight) as it would constantly
pull to one side. Maybe the stroller wasn’t meant for carrying a 6, 4, and 2
year-old at the same time. I did a lot more solo running for the next year.
Occasionally, my wife would take the boys in the bike trailer and I would push
the youngest in a jogging stroller.
Then the magic happened. Our (then) 7 year-old learned
how to ride a bike. Within the next year
the (then) 6 year-old learned. Then within the next year, the (then) 3 ½ year-old
learned. Now the youngest is four but can ride a normal-sized kid bike just
like her two older brothers. I often take all three kids throughout the
neighborhoods. They learn bike safety and get to show me all their ‘tricks’
like riding with no feet or with only one hand or something else really goofy.
When my wife needs to sleep in on the weekends, I like to take them a couple
miles away to a nearby park. There is a paved half-mile trail around a
playground and I will run three to six miles while they run around and play and
say hi to me every time I pass. Then we will go back home. Sometimes my wife
will come too and they will all ride bikes next to me for five miles. Then they
will let me continue on while they turn around and head back to a park. I will
get my miles in while they will get biking time and playground exercise. And
all is well.
This may not work as easily for everyone. My wife and
kids are readily supportive of my running and have no aversion to camping for a
couple days while I get all sweaty and smelly. I try to make it up to my wife
by taking her on dates to various musicals, writing a silly poem, or just out
to dinner. I want her to know that I truly love her participation in my
seemingly crazy runner’s life. The ultra runner’s life may require a lot of
compromising. But try it out. It might just make you a better person.