In addition to running, the vast majority of us have a number of other commitments (i.e. work, school, family, etc.) which compete for our precious time.  Let's face it, it can be difficult squeezing in five, six, seven or more workouts in a week while being a spouse, a parent, an employee, a volunteer, etc.

Here a number of tips for those who are stuggling with a time crunch:

1. Run in the morning before work.  Most truly serious runners do at least some of their running before work.  If you get out the door the first thing in the a.m., then the workout gets done.  Very few of life's crisis happen before 6:30 a.m. when most sane people (i.e. non-runners?) are still asleep.

2. Run at lunch.  Rather than chowing down, why not squeeze in a quick 30 or 40 minute run on your lunch break?  You can always eat at your desk or wolf down a sandwich on the way back to your work place after you've changed and showered.

3. Run to or from work.  The daily commute got you down?  Why not run to or from work?  While this may take a little pre-planning (e.g. storing a fresh set of work clothes at the office), you can add your normal travel time into your workout time.  If your home is too far away from your work, then have your car pool drop you off 8 miles from home, or get off the bus 5 miles before your normal stop.

4. Double up on days when you have more time.  There's nothing wrong with running twice-a-day; in fact, the truly committed plan two-a-day workouts a few times per week.  If you anticipate that you are going to be too busy to run on Wednesday, why not do a longer run Tuesday morning and a shorter quicker run on Tuesday evening.  If your normal 6 or 7 runs per week are completed over 5 days, you are still covering the same amount of distance.

5. Run on the treadmill, stretch, or do a few weights when you're watching TV.  Let's face it, if you're watching Fear Factor or re-runs of The Gong Show, you're wasting time.  Why not use this time somewhat productively.

6. Run indoors or on the treadmill.   For those who workout from a health club, you can save a few minutes by not venturing outside. Generally speaking, your starting point is closer to the change room, you don't have to bundle up against the elements, and you won't get stopped at traffic lights. 

7. Run from the front door. There's nothing like a scenic trail run, but if you have to drive 30 minutes to get to the trailhead, you're giving up some training time.  On days when you're time pressed, you may have to workout in the 'hood rather than in the woods.

8 . Run alone. While company can be nice, the time you spend waiting for your running partner could be actually spent running. 

9. Did I say, "Run in the morning before work?"  Sorry, but this one needs repeating.  Moreover, morning running has an added bonus - it's good practice for racing.  Most road races start before 9 a.m.; it's important to learn how to run fast after only a few hours

For help with maintaining a consistency in your training, check out a Run Quick program.