I haven’t trained at all in two weeks.
Various illnesses on my part have meant that running has had to take a back seat—and that’s before we even get to the fact that we’re currently planning my son’s birthday party and getting all the activities ready.
Life is full at the moment.
And if you’re also trying to fit fitness around children, work, illness, laundry, school lunches and everything else, you’ll know that some weeks simply don’t go to plan.
Last week, my own personal health was the priority. This week, it’s my son’s birthday party. Maybe next week, my running will take the front seat again.
That’s the thing about trying to train in real life: priorities change. The goal isn’t to be perfect. The goal is to keep coming back when you can.
What a normal week normally looks like for me
When life is behaving itself, a typical week looks a little something like this.
Tuesday morning is usually a tempo run. It’s my chance to get out early, move with a bit of purpose and remember that I do actually enjoy running.
Wednesday is an early stretch and mobility session—often while the chicken nuggets are in the air fryer and I’m getting lunch boxes sorted. It might not be glamorous, but it gets done.
Thursday means another early start for what is supposed to be a Zone 2 run. In reality, every run these days feels like a Zone 5 run, but we keep moving.
Friday is one of those super-long work days—go figure—so it becomes an “active rest day.” Technically. Which can make Saturday’s long run a tough one, when we get to it.
Because sometimes we don’t.
And that’s okay too.
A sample 7-day schedule for busy beginner runners
If you’re just getting started, returning after a break, or trying to work running around family life, keep the plan simple and flexible.
| Day | Session | What it could look like |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest or gentle walk | A family walk, an after-dinner stroll or a complete rest day. |
| Tuesday | Easy run or run/walk | 20–30 minutes before the house wakes up. Keep it comfortable. |
| Wednesday | Mobility or strength | 15–20 minutes of stretching, bodyweight strength or mobility while dinner is cooking. |
| Thursday | Easy run | Another 20–40 minutes at an easy, conversational effort. |
| Friday | Active rest | A long work day, lots of steps, or a quick stretch is enough. |
| Saturday | Long easy run | Start with whatever feels manageable—30 minutes is a brilliant place to begin. |
| Sunday | Rest and reset | Rest, meal prep, pack the running gear and prepare for the week ahead. |
The key is not to try to do everything. Aim for two or three runs a week, add a little mobility or strength where you can, and let the rest fit around your actual life.
Three rules that make consistency easier
1. Run early in the day
If you leave your training session until later in the day, you give moods, extra tasks and whoopsies with the kids time and room to get in the way.
Running early isn’t always easy, but it gives you the best chance of getting it done. Once the run is finished, it’s finished—and you don’t have to spend the entire day trying to find the energy or time for it.
2. Prepare everything the night before
Sleep in your running gear, have your favourite energy drink in the fridge and pack those lunch boxes the night before.
Make getting up for your run the easy decision.
The fewer choices you have to make at 5am, the better. If your shoes are ready, clothes are laid out and coffee or energy drink is waiting, you’re far less likely to talk yourself out of it.
3. Join a running group
Knowing there are two, three—or even ten—people waiting for you makes it just that little bit harder to bail.
Running groups are also a lovely reminder that you’re not alone in finding it hard sometimes. There will always be someone who has had a rough week, someone returning after illness, someone training for their first race and someone who is also wondering why their easy run feels like a Zone 5 effort.
And now for the actual running
There are loads of people who can simply lace up, roll out the door and run whatever pace for however long—and be totally okay with that.
But if you’re someone who wants a bit more structure in your runs, I have a wonderful Couch to 5km Running Guide. It’s perfect if you’re tackling your first 5km race, or your first one in a while.
It takes the guesswork out of what to run and when, so you can focus on showing up, fitting it around your life and building your confidence one run at a time.
Because there will always be busy weeks. There will always be birthdays to plan, work to do and times when rest has to come first.
But your running will still be there when you’re ready to come back.
