Endurance Training from a Single Mother's Perspective

Training for anyone and and Parent is an exercise in planning and multi-tasking, but add to that life as a single Mom and Wow...there are days when I wonder what the heck I'm doing. It can be tricky to fit in my workouts and at times I feel bad that one of my support people in many ways is my eldest daughter. She is the one to watch the other two(mind you everyone is sleeping and don't wake up until after I get home!) when I get up at 5 to do my morning workouts and it is her that hears of the training breakthroughs or setbacks. What I like the best is being able to have one of the kids accompany me on a workout. I'm trying to get some better bikes for the oldest two so that they can come on bike rides with me. That would be So awesome. Even my youngest who is only 3, talks of coming riding with me when she gets "big". I hope so.

Some of the things that have been great about training for a Triathlon that have impacted me as a Parent are:

1. I'm much stronger than I used to be so I can goof around and rough house with my kids.
2. I can carry in loads of groceries all on my own without breaking a sweat
3. If I'm walking somewhere with my 3 yr old and we're in a hurry, I can piggy back her and jog. No Problem.
4. Even when the kids bring home various colds and flu's, I've hardly ever been sick. Maybe once in the last year.
5. I am focusing on good healthy eating and thus the kids rarely eat MacDonald's and we keep junk food down to a bare minimum.
6. My healthy lifestyle and focus on exercise is setting a good example for my children.
7. I've set goals and priorities and it helps to keep things balanced. (Another thing to role model too.)
8. When my 3 yr old runs off (and she's pretty fast) I can catch up to her without getting winded
9. If I needed to I could pick up any one of my kids. (I'm fairly petite at about 5'2")

A few of the drawbacks about Training for a Triathlon and the impacts on my Parenting:

1. Due to the training schedule (and the amount of athletic activities my children are involved in) we have limited family time. That's why I would like to get my kids out training with me.
2. After a long training day, I can be irritable and ill tempered...not a pretty picture when I as the only adult in a four person household is practically in melt down.

It would seem that the good things out way the drawbacks. I'm glad that I've chosen this kind of lifestyle. I think it's a positive one that is good for me and that has many benefits for the kids. I hope that maybe one day one of them might become as enthusiastic about Triathlons as I am. I could see it happening after all my Mom served as inspiration for me when she trained for a Marathon. (My Dad even ran a half marathon not that long ago.)