Time, time, time.

Today's Take it and Run Thursday topic is time and balance. Tom and Amy at Runners' Lounge have asked how runners find "the time to run and balance running with all the other priorities in our lives."

Good question. I can't wait to read others' posts so I can pick up some tips.

But you're here now and probably expecting a tip or two from me. Luckily, I've racked my brain and come up with a few!

1. Communicate. Make sure that those who need to (spouses, parents, friends, partners, kids, etc.), know that running is one of your priorities.

I'm fortunate to have a husband who understands that I like to run and knows that being able to run is a priority for me. He encourages my running and gladly stays with Conal when he gets home from work so I can get my runs in. And, we're both fortunate that he gets to run at work, so our running schedule doesn't conflict.

2.Be flexible.

There are days when I feel stretched by too many commitments to go for a real run. On those days, I can usually sneak in a short loop around my neighborhood, cut my stretching to the bare minimum, speed shower, and forgo the hair dryer. It works.

The opposite is true, too. When I have a wide open schedule and I'm feeling it, my runs tend to be longer or faster or maybe both. Well, rarely both but a girl can dream, right?

3. Keep your running clothes clean.

OK, this is probably something that you all figured out long ago and I'm the only one that has to work on it. But, jeez. Laundry sure can pile up quickly and it really rots when you want to go for a run and all of your sports bras are in the hamper. That, my friends, is a drag. So, make sure you are always prepared with some clean running clothes. I'm working on this one.

4. Remember that you are in control.

Tell that to a toddler, huh? Yeah, I know. They like to be charge, those little ones. So does work. And TV shows, magazines and facebook. They all want to be in charge of your time. They want you to spend your time on them.

Remember this: Ultimately, you are in charge. Sure, you have responsibilities that take up your time. But your free time is yours. If running is something that is important to you, then you'll find time for it. Maybe you watch a little less TV so you can fit in more running, or maybe you stop worrying about having the cleanest house on the block and settle for clean enough. Maybe you switch your runs to the morning if the evening is too hectic, or vice versa. Or maybe, just maybe, you say no to those things that you really, truly don't want to do -- even though you feel obligated to say yes. It's hard to do, I know. But it works.

It's up to you. You're the ruler when it comes to your time. For real.

I'm no pro: I struggle with time management like the rest of the world. I like to think that since I had a child, I've become better at managing my time. It's been out of necessity. The only way that I can care for my son full time, take on freelance jobs, be on the board of a non-profit, run, have a clean-ish house and not lose my mind is to prioritize, say no when I have to, and try to make the most of the time that I do have.

And that's it. That's all I've got. The laundry beckons. I must wash it because I believe I am out of running socks.

~ Felice