IT MAY SEEM DAUNTING TRAINING FOR A MARATHON OR ULTRA WHILE YOU JUGGLE WORK AND FAMILY LIFE, BUT OUR FITNESS EDITOR ANNE-MARIE LATEGAN BELIEVES YOU CAN DO IT!

FAMILY PLANNING

Work, school run, after-school activities, holidays… family life can be hectic and trying to train for a marathon or ultramarathon can add to the family stress. As women, we often feel guilty if we leave our family in order to train, but we can also feel guilty if we don’t train. Rest assured; there is no right or wrong way to train for a marathon or ultra – and what works for one woman will not necessarily work for you. But there’s little doubt that you can surprise yourself with just how much you can achieve if you put your mind to it.

Put your training runs in your diary and on the fridge

”Did I just put a pie in the oven or a child?” Family life can be hectic, time- and energy-consuming for the runner parent

PLANNING AND PREPARATION

Once you’ve decided to enter a marathon or ultra it’s important to actually enter the race and fix it in your diary. When you are fully committed to it you will find it easier to get the motivation to train and get your family, work and friends onboard.

Once you have entered, you will need a training plan. The saying ‘failing to plan, is planning to fail’ is so true. If you have a plan you have something which will keep you on track as well as something to measure your performance against.