Moms-How do you do it??

[Trekhawk]

3 kids, 1 fantastic husband who watches the kids a lot so I can ride.

[maillotpois]

RM - LOL about Coach Troy!! The PP saw the countdown clock on there and called it the countdown to "when you can be happy". And ditto on the riding in the morning, before light - though I do that more because I work 40+ hours a week than anything else. For me, though, there's no way I would ever be able to ride in the afternoons/evenings after work, because that's my time with Em to do homework, talk about her day, etc.

When she was little, I did run with a jogger stroller. I didn't get a bike til she was about 5. Cycling is tough to juggle because DH rides also. His parents live nearby (up until 2004 we lived in an in-law unit on their house) and have been EXTREMELY helpful. We couldn't do all the TNT rides and coaching we do if it weren't for them.

Now we're to the age with her (she's 11 going on 28 ) where we can go for a ride together for several hours and leave her alone. Wow!

And we only have one as well.....

Good luck. It can be done.

[cyclingmom01]

I have done all of my marathon trng in the wee hours of the morning as to not interfere with their soccer, swimming, band & whatever else we needed to get the kids to. 0430 in the morning for my last marathon trng. The biking seems to be a little harder for me becasue I won't ride in the dark and it's been dangerously hot when I'm done with my work day.
I have to realize that it's hard to stick to an actual trng schedule. I have to be okay with missing an occasional day. My kids are old enough now that they don't need a sitter and yours will be there before you know it. Don't wish them to grow up too fast.

[tjf9]

I get most of my workouts in after the kids go to bed. My husband's hobby is the XBox, so he doesn't mind staying home most nights. Last night I did my long run and didn't get home until 9:30.

On the weekends, I usually take the kids to the gym with me and I'll spin or run on the treadmill. It's not an optimal workout, but at least someone else is watching the kids!

[cwodiva]

I have one ds who is seven. I've figured out that it's in the planning really. Dh is a serious rider too, he's wonderful about sharing time.

Don't let your goals come second just because your dh seems more "serious". Maybe talk to him about how important it is to you.

My dh' is work schedule makes it hard for us both to get rides in the way we want to. Last school year he was off by 1:00 and home by 2:00 so then we would take turns and I didn't have to worry about childcare. This school year has been different. DH works until 6, then does his ride around work to wait for the commute traffic to settle. If I didn't organize childcare I wouldn't be able to ride.

On weekends: He does the Sat morning group ride. I'll catch a ride later in the day.(I loove sleeping in on Saturdays!) I do the Sun morning group ride, he'll catch a ride later in the day. Sometimes we'll get a babysitter (once a month) for Sunday mornings so we can both do that ride. Ds sleeps in and usually has been up only an hour anyway by the time we get home from the Sunday ride.

I am lucky with my work hours, I'm done at 2:00, ds gets off the bus at 2:30 and he goes to a sports afterschool program in our neighborhood, swimming, base ball etc. I ride from about 2:30-4:00 or 4:30 on Tues, Thursday, Friday.
Mondays and Wednesdays are my rest days and I pick DS up early, normally right at bus time. If work gets busy or something else happens. I can always switch rest days around.

I also have a trainer that I use. That's a lifesaver. Ds and I will watch one of his shows together while I do my workout.

There is also a neighbor girl who is 14, more of a mother's helper. I can also ride laps in my neighborhood while she hangs out with ds. It saves travel time to the park, as well as, knowing if I need to get back in an emergency, I can be right there.

The first is to figure out what kind of workout schedule you want (how many days a week), then when you have your goals in mind, you can work childcare around. Having childcare is key. My dh is wonderful but his work schedule is terrible plus he has a two hour commute each day.

I also have a cycling coach, which helps tremendously. He takes my time constraints into consideration and makes the best workout plan for me, without spending 25 hours a week on the bike. I spend 6-12 hours a week riding, depending on if it's a heavy or easy week. Since I've started working with him, I get more of my rides in, have met and exceede my cycling goals. Coaches aren't just for pro's but are for regular people too. I get really good quality workouts and am riding stronger than ever before.

Childcare money is money well spent. I'm a much happier mommy when I get on my bike.