As not only a professional athlete but personal trainer I get bombarded with the same old question time and time again:

How do you fit your running around abusy work and family life and not lose the quality and quantity of the training?

I’ve got to admit, it’s a tough one!

I too even find it increasingly difficult to in fit my training, as my sport ‘Ultra Running’ pulls in little financial sponsorship, so I have to supplement this with personal training clients and public speaking.

I’ve also recently set up an events company, leaving precious little time in the day to fit in 70-100 miles of running in the week as well as gym sessions.

But with dedication and commitment, anything is possible. It’s about finding that balance, looking at the quality of your training rather than the quantity and taking a big step back to take a look at your life.

Here’s my top tips for fitting a personalised workout into your busy schedule:

1. Count up the hours. Draw a table showing how much time you spend at work, with your family, shopping etc. during the week. You’ll soon see that there a number of gaps in your daily routine where you could fit in a workout.

2. Look at your training. Many of us feel it’s alright to just go for a run three times a week and not think about anything except putting one foot in front of the other, so look at each session – try to find a workout that maximises what little time you have, rather than just filling it.

3. Commit to it. Commitment will be key to your successful training scheme in the rat race, but it may mean that you have to get up at 6am to go for a run before work or 8pm after the kids have gone to bed. However, there are ways of getting your training in without too much loss of relaxation time.

4. Change the way you think. Take a look at your journey to work: if you go on the bus, get off a stop earlier and run the rest of the way, or if the distance to work is your normal training distance, why not run to work and home again?

5. Look at what you’re training for. Is it weight loss? Is it for your first marathon? Look to tailor each session around your goals and your lifestyle, to make the most of each workout.

6. Make use of your time. For an added bonus to your training why not work on your core muscles? When you’re sat watching TV and the adverts come on, get on the floor and do some core exercises such as sit-ups, press-ups and the plank etc.

By following these tips you will be able to put that training back into your life, leaving the rat chasing you!

About Mike Buss

Mike Buss, from Swindon, is one of the UK’s top ‘Ultra Marathon Endurance’ Athletes who has broken over 40 world records since 2002.

Currently Mike holds over 5 world records including the record for The Greatest Distance Covered on a Treadmill in 7 Days, at 517.25 miles.

Formerly an Army PT Trainer, Mike has now dedicated his life to fitness and endurance.