Running while doing shift work.

I work shifts in my job, though not as structured as yours are. The roster varies on a weekly basis - the earliest shift each day is 7am-5pm and the last 1pm-11pm (sometimes 3pm-1am depending on when the conclusion of sporting events on some days). The shifts are 10hrs which means 3 days off a week, so I always try to take full advantage of them (ie making them doubles or getting key sessions in on those days). The rosters are always done 3-4 weeks ahead so I can plan reasonably well about what I'm likely to do when etc.

The main downside I've found is that it's nigh impossible to have any sort of routine. There's no such thing as a "normal" training week as every week is based around which shifts I have at work. Most weeks during the winter (southern hemisphere) I could get in 140-150km a week so there's no reason not to get good quantity and quality training in; it can be awkward at times trying to construct a training week properly. Running from work is sometimes (but not always) an option but something I prefer not to do if possible.

IMO your 11pm-7am shifts will be the most detrimental to your running as they will cause the most disruption to what your body clock is used to.

Geoff Smith was an operational Liverpool fireman, or firefighter as they’re called these days and obviously having to work shifts which included night work - when he ran 27.43 for the 10K.representing Britain in a meeting against East Germany.

I've been working shift for almost 32 years. I was a 32-33 10k guy. I worked those lousy 8 hr shift for probably 17 years and they do suck especially if you have to work short notice overtime. You can survive but unless you can adapt to the night shift you will hurt the entire time you're on nights.

I've been on a 12 hour shift since then and they are way better. The only downside is in the winter you are running in the dark after the 6a-6p shift.

so let me get this straight...you have a chance to make DOUBLE what you make now and "It would mean a lot for my family for me to take the job,"? But you're worried how it will effect your running? are you f***ing kidding me? you are one selfish prick. i'm not even kidding. man, you're a 35 MINUTE 10k guy. 35 MINUTES. what a f***ing clueless joke of a father and husband you must be. get your priorities right. my goodness.

I was wondering when that would come....

I am taking the job. No doubt. That said, how do I deal with how it will effect my running? If you have nothing to add to that then I give you the following grade:

3/10.

I am going running now.

to missed her birthday,

It never ceases to amaze me that there are so many people on this board who FAIL to read a post carefully and come out with a misguided rant. The dude said he was all for taking the job. You talk about getting priorities right, well perhaps reading comprehension should be your priority.

To the OP,

I had a similar schedule once and the night time schedule really hurt. The full fatigue sometimes wouldn't show until AFTER wards--like during the first week of the normal schedule. I found that if I just took it easy during the last week of night schedules I felt better overall.

I have had kids and this schedule is actually more brutal because it messes with your whole biological clock on a regular basis.

you will have to work around your work and family schedule, in that order to see when you have time to run

It would seem that for 4 of the 6 weeks, you could do AM workouts and then do afternoon workouts while on shift 1....

This way there would only be a 2 week window when your training was different and then it would be in the mid to late afternoon in all likelihood...

depending on your program one of those can be an easy week

I was thinking of the last option of which you spoke. Keeping the workouts more or less consistant when I worked 7 to 3 and then 3 to 11.

I also like the idea of making it an easy work for the second week of the overnight shift. I tend to neglect easy weeks anyhow and this might actually help my running in a sense.

Thanks for the help and keep the suggestions comming.

oh, it's definetly not misguided. i read the original post and fully comprehended it. i addressed what NEEDS to be addressed. all of you fools who think that it's ok to miss your kids birthday, dance recital, wife's birthday, Christmas morning has to wait on your long run bullshit need to stand up and take notice. what you are doing is ENTIRELY selfish. i can pick you tools out of the audience. you are the ones wearing the running shoes with jeans and likely an old race t-shirt. for special occasions, you might even break out a longsleeve t-shirt or (gasp!) even a polo shirt (likely with some type of race emblem or swoosh on it somewhere). grow up. stop being selfish. your running has become an addiction, and it should make you reconnoiter your priorities. unbelievable.

Your post has nothing to do with the OP's post. You are a troll or you have issues from your own personal life. I know hundreds of runners but none that will miss their kid's or wife's birthday to go for a run. Maybe you are screwed up enough to have become involved with such a poor soul. In that case I suggest you both seek therapy.

You are a loser.

missed her birthday wrote:

oh, it's definetly not misguided. i read the original post and fully comprehended it. i addressed what NEEDS to be addressed. all of you fools who think that it's ok to miss your kids birthday, dance recital, wife's birthday, Christmas morning has to wait on your long run bullshit need to stand up and take notice. what you are doing is ENTIRELY selfish. i can pick you tools out of the audience. you are the ones wearing the running shoes with jeans and likely an old race t-shirt. for special occasions, you might even break out a longsleeve t-shirt or (gasp!) even a polo shirt (likely with some type of race emblem or swoosh on it somewhere). grow up. stop being selfish. your running has become an addiction, and it should make you reconnoiter your priorities. unbelievable.

Use caps to start a sentence, it will improve your self esteem.

Also - don't be a douche. Guy asks a serious question, you spout unrelated bile. If you think this needs addressed so badly, start your own thread.

Seriously. No douchebaggery. Consider it as a life goal.

To the OP:

I worked a 10 hour shift on four days for a summer and ...I didn't do so well. The shifts were from 4:00pm to 2:30am in a warehouse job where you were on your feet the entire time. Hopefully that's not the case for yours - or you may find that you are remarkably tired just from walking / standing around all day.

As your job is (at least for now) in the winter, it may not be such an issue, but as one previous poster mentioned since two shifts seem to give you some time either before or after 3 I would try to keep the runs / workouts either at 1-2 on the shift that begins at 3, or at 3ish-4 when they end at 3. It'll help to have a consistent schedule. In the summer, trying to run (depending on your location) at 1-2 might be pretty brutal.

The sleep-cycle adjustment might be the hardest thing - it takes me a very long time to readjust how I'm sleeping. Doing it every two weeks might suck a lot. Good luck with it, though. It's hard enough, running in college. Don't know how I would handle it with a wife and children and a job.

missed her birthday wrote:

oh, it's definetly not misguided. i read the original post and fully comprehended it. i addressed what NEEDS to be addressed. all of you fools who think that it's ok to miss your kids birthday, dance recital, wife's birthday, Christmas morning has to wait on your long run bullshit need to stand up and take notice. what you are doing is ENTIRELY selfish. i can pick you tools out of the audience. you are the ones wearing the running shoes with jeans and likely an old race t-shirt. for special occasions, you might even break out a longsleeve t-shirt or (gasp!) even a polo shirt (likely with some type of race emblem or swoosh on it somewhere). grow up. stop being selfish. your running has become an addiction, and it should make you reconnoiter your priorities. unbelievable.

Yeah. Quit running and get fat like the rest of America. Then die from a heart attack and let mom take care of the kids.