Warning…I went overboard with the photos this time ha!
I get asked a lot:
“How do you train for a marathon while homeschooling three kids?”
The short answer? I plan obsessively.
The longer answer? I plan obsessively… then life laughs, the baby wakes up at 2am, someone spills an entire smoothie down the hallway, and I count 30 minutes of weed-whacking our ridiculously steep hillside as my weight training for the day.
Spoiler alert: It’s not about perfection—it’s about showing up anyway.
Mornings: Where Good Intentions Rise Before the Sun
Most days, I start before the kids wake up. I tiptoe out of bed like a ninja, hoping to squeeze in a workout before someone needs a hug or a sock (always one, never the pair).
Sometimes it’s a 6am treadmill run, a Peloton ride, or a quick weights session. Other times, it’s a toddler in the jogging stroller asking deep philosophical questions like, “Cho Cho, Train?” while I try to keep pace.
And some days? Some days I hit snooze a hundred times because snuggling a sweaty 4 year old who’s taken over my pillow at 2am felt more important than beating my PR. That’s where the grace comes in.
Afternoons: The Great Workout Re-Do
If the morning workout doesn’t happen (or gets kiddo-interrupted), afternoons offer a second chance. While the toddler naps and the big kids get their audiobook or quiet time on their Yoto player, I sneak in a row, lift some weights, or do a workout in the garage.
Let me be clear: this is not peaceful, candlelit yoga. This is real-life fitness. I’m probably dodging stray LEGOs, tripping over a bike helmet, and pressing play on an online workout for the third time because someone definitely needs a snack
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Family Life Is the Workout
The real key? I don’t separate fitness from family life. I fold it right in—like veggies into muffins. Sneaky. Messy. Still counts.
My kids see me train. They ride bikes beside me during long runs, cheer me on during hill sprints, and know that “Mom’s workout” is just part of our normal rhythm—like story time or kitchen dance parties.
They’ve seen me sweaty, determined, tired, happy, and occasionally swearing at the foam roller. And in the process, they’re learning that movement matters. That persistence pays off. That moms can be strong. That they can be strong.
It’s Not Balance. It’s Integration.
I’m not chasing a marathon PR just for me (though let’s be honest, I wouldn’t mind shaving a few minutes off). I’m chasing it to model commitment, grit, and what it looks like to work toward something big even when the conditions aren’t perfect. Which, let’s face it, they almost never are.
It’s not about perfectly balancing motherhood and fitness and homeschooling and laundry and all the other plates we spin. It’s about weaving it all together into a life that feels full—not flawless.
What does your version of “fit mom chaos” look like? Do your kids join you, copy you, or climb on you mid-squat? Share your wins—and your wipeouts—in the comments. I want to hear it all.
Run Teach Bike 