Balancing Act - Got Tips?

Chris Week 14 = 16.25

So at least I was able to run three days last week. I'm still not as consistent during the week as I would like to be, and I still struggle with how I'm going to find the time with all the work/family pressures. I tend to run two days on the weekend and then maybe once during the week.

I have been considering alternating between early morning treadmill runs (very difficult for me as I am a night owl and I dread the treadmill) and hiring a night babysitter 2-3 nights a week so I can run outdoors after work. I can't possibly train on a treadmill for the entire spring and summer but I'm not able to get out before work because my husband leaves the house so early and it would be wrong to leave the children in the house alone so I've heard. :-) My husband also comes home late so I can't run outdoors after work without a sitter.

In any event, I'm working on some solutions in my head before I start the first phase of two in my training plan on April 28. I'm going to follow the first 10 weeks of a 26 week plan which is about building up endurance, and then at 16 weeks to go I am going to switch over to Hal Higdon's more intense plan.

If you have any unique approaches to balancing the time it takes to train for a marathon with the time it takes to live your life as a wife and mom, please do share.