It's nonsense to say parents can't find time for sports, says ex-champion Lappalainen

Former Finnish track and field champion Sara Lappalainen dismisses the notion that parents of young children cannot find time for sports, calling it "nonsense." Lappalainen, who retired from competitive running after the 2022 season, has embraced a new phase of life with her son, Rasmus, born a year ago, while continuing her athletic pursuits.

Lappalainen, 34, has found cycling and running to be compatible with her role as a mother. "It's just a matter of organization. It's pure nonsense to say that you don't have time to exercise as a parent of a young child," she stated. She advocates for prioritizing and adapting daily life rather than letting everything revolve around children's schedules. "You just have to put things in order of priority and arrange your daily life so that you can take care of yourself too. It's not right if everything goes only according to the children's terms. They can adapt to our lives too."

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It's just a matter of organization. It's pure nonsense to say that you don't have time to exercise as a parent of a young child.

Recently, Lappalainen competed in the Finnish national road cycling championships, finishing eighth. She expressed strong dissatisfaction with the pace of the women's race, describing it as a "boringly slow group ride" compared to the "red-hot" and visibly exhausted men's field. She questioned the development of Finnish women's cycling if such a pace persists.

Looking ahead, Lappalainen is focusing on gravel cycling, with the European championships scheduled to be held in Finland next year. She also returned to running, though her training intensity has increased significantly, leading to a recent foot injury. "My foot's tendon snapped during training when I was on the track doing intervals," she explained, attributing the injury to a sudden increase in training load after a less intense winter. Despite the setback, she aims to compete and perform well in both running and cycling.

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You just have to put things in order of priority and arrange your daily life so that you can take care of yourself too. It's not right if everything goes only according to the children's terms. They can adapt to our lives too.