National Running Day: How to get a run in

I feel like a broken record when I say that things have changed since having a baby. Perhaps one of the more noticeable things to change is that I can no longer get in any workout I want any time I want. Exercise has to be planned out in advance, and most of the time, I have to find babysitting for him (if his daddy isn't home, of course). 

I used to drop everything and go for a run midday if I wanted to. I had lazy Saturday mornings where I'd sleep in and then head our around 10 for a few solid miles. That hasn't happened since... a long time ago now!

Tomorrow, June 3, is National Running Day, and I'm determined to get at least a mile in. Why? Because I want to. And because it's a day dedicated to running. And because I miss it. 

I run for so many reasons. It's a great stress reliever. It's a way to push myself past what I think is possible (thus serving as a metaphor for life too!). I can run with others and be social, or I can run by myself and enjoy the peace. I run to work out the kinks in my brain. And I'm pumped to run tomorrow! 

Wanting to get a run in too? Here are a few tips to get an extra mile in tomorrow (or any day you feel like it!)! 

Wake up 15 minutes earlier. 
Give yourself an early rise, and hit the road. You'll be done with your mile before your body even knows what you're doing! And, bonus, the days are almost as long as they're going to get, so there's plenty of daylight hours to get it done! 

Tack it on to your regularly scheduled workout. 
This is what I'll be doing tomorrow! I teach an early morning Jazzercise class tomorrow, and I'm bound and determined to knock out two miles before or after class! One sweat session, two workouts, one shower! Easy peasy! 

Make it a family affair!
A mile is a mile no matter how fast you run it. Head out with the kiddos or your partner and get a good sweat going! Take walk breaks and make it fun! The whole family will feel better for it. 

Take lunch. 
Do you get an hour for lunch (if so, I'm jealous of you, because as a teacher, the 25-30 minutes we got never seemed like enough time!)? If you do, pack up a lunch tonight, and take your running shoes tomorrow. Get a mile or two in, freshen up in the bathroom, and eat your packed lunch. You get a run in, and you probably save calories too! 

Hire a sitter, or trade babysitting with a friend. 
Have little ones that are too little to go with you? Hire a babysitter for an hour! OR, better yet, find a friend who can watch your little one while you take a half hour run, and then pay her back with a half hour run for her when you return! 

If all else fails, promise yourself something nice. 
Lacking running motivation right now? (Me too!) Promise yourself something nice when you meet a goal. Maybe if you run tomorrow, you get to sleep in ten extra minutes on Thursday. Or when you've run twenty miles, you get to buy a new piece of exercise clothes. Or when you hit 1,000 miles, you get to plan a vacation! Dream big, friends! 

Are you planning to run on National Running Day? How long will you run for?