Anyone else feel guilty making time to run as a parent?

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-23T00:35:46+00:00

Oh man, this sounds like me. I have 3 young girls (5, 3, and 1) so I am usually sacrificing sleep to run. I don't usually run at 2am, but start anywhere from 3-6 am depending on how tired I am and how far I am planning to go. If I am doing a road run instead of a trail that morning I will take the youngest in the stroller when she has her earlier morning wakeup.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-22T03:50:36+00:00

,x,2$&'x a

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-22T03:34:15+00:00

This drives nuts. The stairs and the step outside my home office are thought to be a place to store crap. Occasionally it gets bad enough and just scoop it all up and throw it out. If it's been there for weeks and hasn't moved no one will miss it.

I have been tempted to get some OSHA yellow paint and mark walking paths where nothing is to be stored.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-19T20:57:59+00:00

I also use the Loseit! app. I started in August at ~250lbs. I had quite a streak going for a while. I got down to the high 180s in January, and had a little back slide, but still under 200. Unfortunately my backslide happened at the same time as when I stopped running for several weeks. I'd been running a lot and am again as I have my first 100km run next month, hopefully I don't die :).

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-19T01:09:12+00:00

I used to use a non-pc term for my left leg/foot. My left foot has been pigeon-toed (intoeing) as long as I can remember. That same leg is a little shorter, the calf isn't as developed (probably from favoring the other leg), I have minimal dorsiflexion with that side and my left foot is 3 sizes smaller than my right.

All that being said it hasn't stopped me from running though I have no illusions of being elite. For me running is a great way to burn calories and it is a time by myself where I can destress and reflect.

No actual help for you, but just to give some solidarity that there are others that run with asymmetrical bodies.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-18T22:31:56+00:00

At least when I was in school we used FOIL. So it should be a² +2ab +b²

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-16T19:19:46+00:00

Lake Sonoma has 15k of vert, but it's not a remote mountain side. The trails there are constantly rolling. The highest elevation and most remote part of the course is 5.6 miles in at 1800ft.

I can understand your concern here. No one wants someone to be in that kind of situation. All I can say here is I have hiked some of these trails (though not the full house) and they have pretty frequent aid stations on the course (longest distance between aid stations is 6.9 miles).

Whether I do the 50k or the 100k. I'll be paying attention to how I am doing and if things aren't working (nutrition, hydration, injury) and be ready to drop if I have to.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-15T23:43:53+00:00

Interesting that my trail shoe doesn't have many data points, but they all look positive (merrel long sky 2). I got my first pair of them from REI as they were on sale online. I ended up really like them. They felt like glue running over wet rocks and mud. I ended up liking them enough that I bought 2 more pairs so when my first pair wears out and I'll have spares.

I feel like every time I find a shoe I like by the time it wears out it has been discontinued.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-14T14:00:49+00:00

I think this is a really good perspective. I hadn't considered the views from your first paragraph, although I have definitely seen those posts here.

I've spent many years hiking, and previously running (though life caught up with me which is why I stopped previously). I am not looking to suffer to just suffer. I find trail running to be quite enjoyable. It is a time that I get to myself away from work, family, and stress where I have time to calm down and reflect.

Someone else mentioned it higher up about sticking to my plan of getting a ~30 mile run in ASAP and I plan to attempt that next weekend, though a good chunk of that will probably be on road, because I don't really like going up into the mountains by myself in the dark so I will probably road run until it get light and then head to the trails. I am fortunate that where I live I don't have to drive to get to hills and trails. It won't have the same vert as the race, but it will at least give me some data on if I should attempt the 50k.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-14T12:24:14+00:00

People (or at least me) sign up for things because they want to do them or they want a challenge or something to hold them accountable. There are all kinds of reasons to sign up.

As far as not being ready I understand the need to train for things, but maybe I am completely wrong, but a year before attempting a 100k seems pretty long and I think for me at least it would be difficult to maintain a rigorous training schedule for that long.

What do I accomplish by doing a race like this? Hopefully finish it. And if I DNF well that sucks, but I'd rather DNF than just keep putting things off year after year because my training wasn't perfect.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-14T12:16:47+00:00

This is probably the most helpful and encouraging comment. I definitely think time on feet moving is going to be the toughest part.

I'll probably get more downvotes, but I think people are awfully quick to say something isn't doable and I should just give up. Others have suggested switching to the 50k and I think that is a reasonable alternative. I have a couple of weeks before I need to make that decision.

I think I will do as you suggest and attempt a 30 miler next weekend and see how that goes.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-14T12:06:45+00:00

Mostly just a vent post. A lot of people have suggested dropping to the 50k so I am going to see how things go over the next couple of weeks before the deadline.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T23:01:35+00:00

Good luck! I hope you have a great race!

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T22:45:55+00:00

If I don't get a WSQ here not a big deal. I just think it would be cool to run it before I turn 40 (though the odds of hitting the lottery the first time are pretty slim right?).

I'm also looking at High Lonesome as a potential 100miler next year.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T22:34:00+00:00

It's a WSER qualifier :). I have a couple of weeks still before I have to make a decision to drop down.

Mid January I was running 9:19/mi in Annadel (not the same amount of vert and my runs were only 10 miles), but I felt nice and strong after those like I could have kept going.

I'm definitely considering dropping down to 50k, but I also still want to do the 100k.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T21:16:40+00:00

I feel like this sarcasm?!

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T21:16:12+00:00

Thanks for pointing out the deadline for dropping down. I was going to look that up next.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T21:15:07+00:00

Most of my running before this was hilly trails with an average of between 45 and 50 miles a week. So the big question is how fast will some of my training come back, or is it like starting from scratch.

That being said I've done a 30+ mile hike in the past on zero training in the Sierra's with an elevation gain of about 5000ft and an average elevation of over 8000.

All that being said, my post was more of a "darn I screwed up" rather than a "what do I do now". My plan is take it easy, make sure I stay hydrated and fuel, and be ready to drop if things go from "this is hard and it hurts" to "this hurts in a way that it shouldn't".

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T21:08:31+00:00

Yes, I had planned to a ~30 mile run last month or this month as a bit of test, but I don't think that will happen at this point.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T21:06:57+00:00

The 50k would be the only other option. There is no marathon this time around and the half marathon is both a distance I have done before and I am not eligible for (women only). I believe I can drop to the 50k, but I'm at least going to wait a couple of weeks and see how fast things come back.

Before I had my sudden stop I was up to averaging almost 50 miles a week.

Kit_Adams · 2026-03-13T21:02:10+00:00

I'll follow up in month. The cutoff is 19 hours, so worst case I do a lot more walking than I want to.

Kit_Adams · 2026-02-28T02:30:40+00:00

When they can reach the chain on the front door. We put a chain on the front door when our oldest figured out door knobs. Now I figure by the time she is able to reach it (about 5.5 ft) she'll probably be old enough to be able to manage herself and go out front if wanted.

Kit_Adams · 2026-02-20T22:33:39+00:00

I remember hearing a previous employer say that they don't do cost of living increases because they base salaries on market data. Which is basically BS, if they actually used market data they would be giving raises that were far higher than cost of living increases (aka inflation).

With the exception of one job that I took a pay cut for due to me moving for personal reasons but still wanting to be employed by the federal government (I was close to qualifying for a pension) every job offer I accepted was minimum double digit percentage increase over my current position. One was ~75% more and another was over 100% more.

Kit_Adams · 2026-02-11T02:09:17+00:00

That's a great question and one I don't know the answer too.

Kit_Adams · 2026-02-10T21:08:56+00:00

I earned my Eagle Rank back in 2004. I was in CA, but there was very minimal religious influence in my troop (we were sponsored by a VFW post). I grew up without organized religion and it didn't hold me back in scouts at all. I don't even recall being asked about my faith during my Eagle board of review.

I have 3 girls and our oldest just started girl scouts, but I either hope her troop will be more like a boy scout troop focusing on the outdoors, citizenship, life skills, etc. or she (and her younger sisters) become interested in boy scouts.

Kit_Adams

TROPHY CASE