So I’ve created a big problem for myself. My wife says she had nothing to do with it, and it is my responsibility to either fix it or work through it. She didn’t create this and is quietly laughing as I figure out how to resolve it.
I have two teen daughters (14 & 13). Both daughters are avid runners. I have encouraged their running for many years and they both really enjoy it. They are in every race they can find, school cross-country, school track team, and run club cross country series.
But the big problem comes in that both daughters want to train with me, and only me. Not with each other, and not alone. We don’t have a treadmill, so every run is outside, and every run must be done with me.
Both daughters race or train up to three times per week, especially in the Spring, depending on how close a target race is at. And now it is Run Streak month (#RWRunStreak) and one daughter is determined to run every day until the end of the year.
I love running and spending time with them. We talk about life, homework (eg. the importance of the Renaissance Period, and reciting pi to nth decimal places), running, and lots of other stuff (eg. how to dance the jive).
I don’t mind all the running and their pace has definitely quickened in the last couple years so I am not really going that much slower than I would normally.
But coordinating our evenings is getting rather complicated. Our evenings lately have been spurts of heading out the door with #1, going back out again with #2, and if I have energy left, going for a stroll with my wife.
The upcoming half-marathon in the Spring is also going to be difficult to figure out. I ran the half with daughter #1 (her first) in 2015 with the younger being jealous that she didn’t get to run a half. This year, daughter #2 wants to run her first half as well. So I’m figuring out how to pace both daughters (and one of their friends) when they all run at different speeds. Wish me luck as I figure that one out.
Running with teenagers can be complicated. But I feel pretty lucky to still have something in common with them.
In the Shadow of the Rockies 
That’s awesome! I have two daughters too – and I’d love for them to join me some day.
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Running with your kids is a great way to get to know them
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I enjoyed hearing about your unique running dynamic last week, sounds like you’re doing lots of doubles.
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Most of my doubles are separated by 10 minutes or so, but once in a while it ends up being an hour between which makes it awkward
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Ah, the joys of having teenage daughters! You might as well toss logic out the window, otherwise you’ll be banging holes in the wall with your head.
In one sense, it’s a nice problem to have. Both my daughters run, but neither wanted to train with me – they were too intimidated. They both live in other states now, so that point is moot. I’m just happy they run.
Enjoy the daddy-daughter time! You won’t regret it one bit.
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There won’t be many more years of this so I am soaking in what I can get.
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Thanks for liking my post about running in Sydney. Looking at these images, though, I can’t see how you’re jealous. It’s more like the other way around! 😉
I agree with RunBikeThrow: Enjoy your daddy-daughter times! They go by all to quickly.
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Good Luck! I think it is great that you have “created a big problem for [yourself]”. You’ll appreciate it by the end of the race, but again, Good Luck!
P.S. Let me know what you do so I can file it away in case any of my 3 put me into a similar bind in the future.
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Way to go! Spending time with your daughters is the most important thing. Can you talk a friend into running the half with one of your daughters?
I have two grown boys each with children who don’t like to run. I didn’t start until I was 58. I’m envious.
God bless your family.
Brent
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Way to go and good luck with that “problem” (kind of a nice one to have). One of the best parts was that you still make time for that walk with your wife! Good going!
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Gotta keep my priorities straight
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I LOVE this! My running is my Daddy Daughter time as well (but I am 27). It is what gets me back over to my parents and out for long runs! (And my mom rides her bike.) Good luck with the coordination though – sounds busy! … And the pacing, well, watch out because before you know it the roles will be reversed. I hang back with my dad as long as I can on our runs and then I take off the last two miles in.
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As a postscript to Kevin’s blog, my daughter has caught the running bug from his girls. She now wants to join #2 in the half. I’ll need to borrow your training plan Kevin and then we can stick them together on the pathways. 🙂
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We definitely need to coordinate this. This is getting complicated. 🙂
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