with Coach Sean McIntyre
Balancing running with parenthood—especially with babies or toddlers—can feel overwhelming. Between nap schedules, work demands, and sleepless nights, it’s easy to assume that consistent training or hitting new running goals just isn’t possible anymore. But if running is important to you or an important stress reliever, I wanted to share some ways I’ve tried to keep that possibility alive.
If you’re searching for tips on how to run with a baby, stay consistent as a busy parent, fit marathon training into parent life, this guide offers a realistic, encouraging, and experience-based approach. As a run coach and father of two toddlers, I’ve learned what actually works—and how running can still thrive during one of the busiest seasons of life.
1. Start by Shifting Your Expectations
The first and most important adjustment when running with young kids is mental: your running won’t look the same as it did before parenthood. You won’t have as much time. Your priorities will shift. And that’s perfectly okay.
You can still improve and have fun with running, but you might race less or go through long periods without hitting PRs. That doesn’t mean you can’t get faster—many parents do. I’ve been able to improve in certain areas as well—but the path is not as linear or straightforward as it used to be. I draw a lot of inspiration from professional runners crushing it post-partum, but this post is geared more toward my personal experience as a working parent with a non-running related profession.
When our second child was born in 2024, I only raced once the entire year. Training was lighter both before and after her birth. I ended up running the Chicago Marathon when she was about four months old and finished about 22 minutes off my PR. But it was still incredibly meaningful, and running continued to bring me joy and stress relief, even at lower volume.
Shifting your expectations isn’t lowering your standards. It’s adapting to reality so you can still get meaningful satisfaction out of the sport.
2. Seize Small Windows—Don’t Hesitate
One of the biggest skills you develop as a running parent is the ability to go the moment you get a window. If you have a 20-minute nap or your partner steps in for a bit, that is your chance. You can’t procrastinate, stretch leisurely, or ease into it. Lace up and get out the door.
This is where expectations matter: you will run fewer total minutes during certain phases of parenthood. Some days you’ll squeeze in just 10–15 minutes. But something is genuinely better than nothing—and it adds up.
Three days of 15–20 minute runs is an hour or more of training you wouldn’t have had otherwise. Over a week or a month, that consistency can be huge. I’ve had 7 minute runs completely reset my mood and clear my mind.
Short runs maintain momentum. They reinforce your identity as a runner. And they keep the habit alive during the busiest seasons of life.
3. Embrace Quality Over Quantity
When your overall volume drops, one of the best ways to stay sharp is to focus more on quality. Shorter runs can become mini-workouts. If all you have is 20 or 30 minutes, try running some of those miles fast.
After our first child was born, most of my training happened on the treadmill during naps or late at night. I was preparing for a marathon and managed maybe 30–40 miles a week. Not a lot of long runs. Not a lot of big mileage. But I did a ton of really fast two or three mile treadmill runs.
They were fun, time-efficient, and surprisingly effective.
Going into the race with a 5 month-old, I had no expectation of a major PR—but ended up with one of the best performances of my life. That high-quality speed work translated into a pace that felt surprisingly smooth on race day.
Sometimes less mileage + more quality = a faster, fresher (as fresh as sleepless can be) version of yourself.
4. My Most Unexpected PR (and Why It Happened)
Heading into that marathon, my PR was 2:46. Given new-parent life, I was just hoping to run near that time. But during the race, I ended up running with the leader through the early miles. We were both running ahead of our PR paces, but we felt good.
Around mile nine, he pushed ahead, but I held steady. I caught him at mile 26, won the race, and finished with a five-minute personal best—all on lower mileage, fragmented sleep, nighttime treadmill runs, and complete life chaos.
That day taught me a huge lesson: even when you’re stretched thin, you can still have breakthrough performances. They won’t happen every time. In fact, I haven’t touched that PR since. But it showed me that progress is still completely possible during parenthood—just not always predictable.
5. The Running Stroller Is Your Secret Weapon
If there’s one highly tactical recommendation I can make, it’s this: invest in a good running stroller.
Our kids are 14 months apart, and we bought a double stroller before our second was even born. To this day, stroller miles are a massive part of my training. Some weeks, they make up nearly 100% of my running.
Stroller running lets you get mileage in without needing childcare, take the kids along for naptime, keep consistency even when solo windows are rare, and maintain fitness.
With the right infant attachments and once your baby has adequate neck support, stroller running can start earlier than many people think (maybe as early as 2-3 months if you ensure their head and neck are not wobbling around). It’s a game changer, and without it, I simply wouldn’t be able to train consistently.
6. Teamwork With Your Partner Matters (When Possible)
Every family situation is different, but if you have a partner, working together can be one of the most impactful ways to keep running in your life.
For context: I lead a finance team full-time, and my wife is now a first-year medical resident, often working 70–80 hours per week. Before that, she completed medical school while we had our children. Life has not been slow.
Yet both of us have still been able to train and enjoy meaningful race experiences.
Earlier this year, while I trained for the Boston Marathon, my wife trained for the Providence Marathon. She ended up running a massive 35-minute PR at 11 months postpartum.
How did we make it work?
We traded long-run mornings. Saturday morning: I took both kids while she ran. Sunday morning: she took the kids while I ran. For about two and a half months, we maintained that rhythm and both had great spring marathons. Residency has changed the dynamic again, but that period taught us how powerful coordinated routine can be. If your partner doesn’t run, utilize the same teamwork for whatever hobby brings them joy!
Conclusion: Running With Young Kids Is Different, But It’s Absolutely Possible
Your running might not look like it did before kids—but that doesn’t mean it has to disappear, or that your best days are behind you. Some of my proudest running moments have come after becoming a parent, not before. Some highlights include the JFK 50 mile race and a Guinness World Record in 2025 at the Boston Marathon dressed as a leprechaun.
You’re juggling more now. You’re prioritizing your family. And if running still fits into that life—even imperfectly—that’s something to be incredibly proud of. Our kids will know that exercise is a priority not a luxury, you get one life and I want them to know that they should never put their health on the backburner because life gets busy.
Sean McIntyre is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about him or to work with him, check out his coach profile.