Real World question: telling your boss you are a runner

wife?

Absolutely. I'd just explain that you aren't asking for a pass on extra work, you just are asking for some flexibility. Tell him you are committed to working enough to get the job done, but this might not always be in the traditional 9-5 time frame. Tell him your willing to work a couple of hours from home during crunch time later at night if needed, but it's difficult to stay much past 5 on a daily basis because of other commitments.

Just do most of your running before work. I run about 100 miles per week and do 80-85% of it in the mornings. This includes all faster running, so the most I ever have to do in the afternoon is an easy four miler. Even if you are doing, say, 120 miles a week you could get away with 90 in the morning and 30 in the afternoon so the most you would ever have to do is 6 easy after work. Even if you get home late you can always bang out an easy 6.

Another solution is to pretend that you just had a kid. I've found that people that I work with pull the "kid card" all the time. "Oh I have to leave a little early and pick up my kid from _____". No one ever questions it, because if you do you look like a huge douche.

Keep going had some good advice.

I have seen it from both sides. Everyone has stuff in the personal life that keeps them from work. As a boss you have to decide what is too much.

Make good use of your time at work and try to be flexible with your running at some points. Don't draw any lines. Make yourself valuable enough the boss will want to keep you.

tycobb wrote:

Keep going had some good advice.

I have seen it from both sides. Everyone has stuff in the personal life that keeps them from work. As a boss you have to decide what is too much.

Make good use of your time at work and try to be flexible with your running at some points. Don't draw any lines. Make yourself valuable enough the boss will want to keep you.

Good advice. Get most of your running done in the mornings, so if you have to stay til 6 or 7, it's not a big deal. Also, as stated above, make the most of your time at work. Don't spend an hour a day screwing off on the internet. Work through lunch. Don't engage in the office water cooler talk. Use that time to get stuff done. However, realize that "face time" is part of the game. If your co-workers are staying late and you're hitting the door at 5:00 sharp every day, it WILL be noticed. Finally, I'd say don't talk to your boss about your running. It's likely to bounce off his forehead like a tennis ball and he'll just stare at you like you're nuts. Your boss doesn't care about your running, no matter how much you do. If you don't keep him happy, you're not going to be able to afford running shoes and entry fees.

Some bosses are more flexible if you have kids. Probably isn't fair.

Although, lying about having a kid is the WORST advice ever. If you stay long enough they will find out. It is such bad advice I can't believe I am even explaining this.

40-45 hours per week/leaving at 5-5:30 doesn't sound too bad.

I am in a really similar boat as you, also 25 and also aiming to be a sub-elite marathoner (some day...).

I have found that getting in 60-70 mpw is no problem for me (you, a guy, are probably doing quite a lot more); I work in finance and have pretty typical hours of 8:30-5:30.

Things that work:

~Having a really short commute (10 minutes)

~Having the gym next to the office so I easily and quickly can hop on the treadmill in the dark or in bad weather

~Doubling 1-3 days a week

~As another poster said, doing almost all my running in the mornings. I prefer PM running, but I can only get all the miles in if I'm disciplined about getting up EARLY (5:30 at the latest) and getting most of it done in the AM.

~Here's an important one: Realizing that your career and your running goals should really be equal to each other. Yes, running is really important. However, taking the time to commit to your career now and establishing yourself in that area of your life is also really important.

It's all about finding balance ... good luck!

For the idiot who suggested lying about having a kid--you are brilliant, I mean dim.

How about this approach: I work really well when I can take a break. How about during those crunch times I go for a run and then come back to work.

Someone I once ran with was an accountant (crunch time is Jan 1- April 15 and then some). He finally told his boss that he needed a 45 minute run to clear his head. The boss okayed it and so the fellow would leave at 5:30, go for a run, grab a sandwich and work until 9pm. At first others were pissed because he ducked out at 5:30, some of them did not realize he was coming back and working until 9pm.

I must be one of those rare folks that believes in honesty.

If the boss gives you grief, then quietly start to look around for another firm that might be more understanding.

To me, this is one of those things to check on before taking a job. Ask workers about flexibility. Never ask the boss or HR as they will always tell you "We are understanding" and then when you are in, it is bait and switch.

Unfortunately, my boss knows I'm a runner and is frequently telling me I run too much and that I'm going to ruin my knees (like he supposedly did). I would much rather if noone knew but can't undo what's been done...

this guy obviously just wants to get into the olympic village so he can get in on the olympic orgies...

d00d, just be sure to pick an event that is contested in the first day or two so you can then have it for the rest fo the games...

I'll second the short commute part. Even if it means living in an area that isn't ideal for running, that will hurt your training less than spending 2 hours sitting in a car every day.

To summarize:

1. Don't tell your boss you're a runner. He/she WILL NOT understand.

2. Don't lie. Worst adive given yet.

3. Be flexible with your training. Do most of it in the mornings.

4. Don't waste time at work. You don't HAVE to read letsrun.

5. Short commute.

Why do people outside running think runners are weird and freaks with no lives and a bit of a loner?. We should unite and be proud of our sport which shows committment, dedication,mental strength and discipline- all factors that most companies admire, respect and demand in their staff if possible.

Be honest and tell him the truth- you might even convert him to running himself!

Never give in and good luck man.Prove to him how good you really are champion!

You picked the wrong profession towork 40 weeks, especially just starting.

alangrice wrote:

Why do people outside running think runners are weird and freaks with no lives and a bit of a loner?

Because, in many cases, especially those striving to be "sub-elite", it's true.

It's not about being stereotyped. The bottom line for the boss is production, and to him or her it doesn't matter if he wants more training time or more time for happy hour and Monday night football.

No, the real answer is to lie about a fictitious child... bossman spots him running down the street 15 minutes later

So should we be honest with our young raw talent- and tell them the reality and peronal attributes needed to be a winner- at any cost?

I'm 25 and work 40-50 hrs/week and run 80-100 miles/week and am married.

I am starting to commute to work by running - read about it here:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=2630104&page=3

I seriously wouldn't talk to your boss about it because your running career has NOTHING to do w/ your real career. YOU are the one that has decided to run this much - you have no contract or salary. So, YOU are the one that needs to make it work, not your company. Obviously, either your work or your running needs to be flexible - in my opinion, have it be your running. Why do you think the company needs to be flexible for your running? You should be flexible for your company. This doesn't mean your running career will suffer, you just need to make it work around work and family, not the other way around.

Family first, then work (it feeds your family), then running.

my $.02

I'm lucky enough to have kids. I leave work everyday at 5 to pick them up. It doesn't mean I work less than everyone else. My usual schedule is: up at 7, get the kids ready and to school, work from 8:30 - 5:00, get the kids and do the family thing until 9:30, run for 60 to 90 minutes, work from home from 11:00 to 1:30, sleep for 5 and half hours and then do it again. Far from the optimal situation, but its the only way I can work 55 hours per week, run 80 to 90 miles / week and spend time with the wife and kids. I'm usually dragging by Friday, but I try to sleep late on Saturdays.

If you're single with no kids, there's no reason you can't work 60 hours per week and run 120 miles per week.

keep_going wrote:

Absolutely. I'd just explain that you aren't asking for a pass on extra work, you just are asking for some flexibility. Tell him you are committed to working enough to get the job done, but this might not always be in the traditional 9-5 time frame. Tell him your willing to work a couple of hours from home during crunch time later at night if needed, but it's difficult to stay much past 5 on a daily basis because of other commitments.

This is good adivce. I have tried to use similar. Most times the boss is flexible and lets me workout, then work a few hours at night from home. Try to be flexible too, like coming in to work early or having lunch at your desk. Or if it is an easy week (running wise), mention that you can stay late and help the team.

One tip, as I experienced this the bad way, is be sure to say "for personal commitments". Dont say any more. It can be a touchy HR issue if your boss persues. I once said I needed to use a vacation day to help a friend on his website and she said no, I could not have the day off as she did not like the reason I was spending my time. Yes, I could have made it a huge HR issue, but that was too much work. Now, it is always "personal reasons".