New to Tri's and Wandering How to Balance Work and Training

If you figure out this balance thing, please let me know. All of a sudden, I'm either training, fixin' to train, finishing training or washing clothes to train in. Where did all the time go?

Welcome to BT ... and good luck reaching your goals!!!!

I'm fortunate in the fact that I work a standard 8-5 type job (Programmer Analyst), AND my workplace has a locker room with showers. I can run/ride to work (7 mi), and I can run at lunch. Right now I'm gearing up for a marathon, so I do shorter runs at lunch, for longish runs run to work, and do the real long ones on the weekend.

Maybe you should try to coach the XC and Track teams. You could get your runs in then easy.

I hope you can figure it out. Luckilly I have flexibility in my work schedule and I work 6:30-3:30 so I have plenty of time in the afternoons to get my training in. Where in TX do you coach?

I doubt you have gotten your answer yet from looking at the previous posts. I can somewhat relate in that I do not have the typical convenient schedule. I work five days on and four days off, so the Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etc. crap has no meaning in my life. I simply don't live on a seven day week. Plus I work swing shift (2:00 PM to 1:00 AM). Of course, that doesn't always go as planned either. Last week I worked a 17 hour shift. Tomorrow I already have a 15 shift planned. What does all of this have to do with you? Keep reading.

Make your workouts part of your workday. I remember my football coaches working out with me when I was in high school. They didn't stick to the routine, but they were there sometimes. Make a commitment to yourself that your "workday" is not done until you get your workout in. I go straight to the gym after work and my "workday" is not over until I get my planned workout in. We are lucky enough to have our workouts related to our chosen careers, so use that to your advantage. Be creative, but don't try to justify like I hear so many others do - I walked my dog so that counts as my LSD run or I played basketball with friends so that counts as my bike intervals. Be creative in the way you fit triathlon workouts into your day. Ride your bike to work (don't do a leisurely commute - make it a workout) and then run home. Lift with your players a few times a week, but have a plan - do your workout not theirs. Some of my best swim workouts happen at 2 in the morning.

Bottom line - you have to make it happen on your own. It sounds like you are not able to meet with the group rides or group runs or group swims. Those are nice, but only if you have banker's hours. Make triathlon training part of your workday or, as someone else suggested, get a new job and work from 8 to 5 staring at a computer screen all day.

Let us know how it goes.

Welcome to BT. The article below is geared towards longer tris, but the general concepts can be adapted to your situation. Basically, it makes you think in terms of getting in key workouts each week, rather than getting in a certain number of hours each week, based on your personal schedule. Good luck.


http://www.cruciblefitness.com/etips/event-based-volume.htm

I understand your problem...I run a fast growing tech startup and the demands are 24/7 from customers, investors, employees...it will eat me whole if I let it, and when I was a younger man, I would have......I learned to just take time and not feel quilty about short changing anything or anybody....I will disappear at all hours of the day for a workout and come back to work.... maybe easy for me to say but I have encouraged others in my business to do the same.....the training is not just for me, I am better in my roles at work and at home because of it, it provides an incredible counterbalance to the rest of life...people often ask how I have the time, my response is always that I don't have the time, I make the time because it is that important, I prioritize it over other competing demands...it's another form of investment we make....they usually get that with a little explaining....you will set an example for them, too...

Edited by us50090 2006-08-26 10:20 AM

BRAVO to you for making trianing happen. You set a great example for not letting excuses get in the way. All tri-noobs should read your post !(Btw, where in Michigan are you ? My family is in Franklin and Birmingham area)

Edited by Z-dog 2006-08-26 12:14 PM

I found that training, for me, was easier before I retired.  When I was working, I would commute by bike to work, do my swim training at the gym and then, after showering and changing, I would get to work.  I ran at lunchtime 3 times per week and did yoga 2 times a week.  After work, I usually took a longer route home.  In the winter, I would take a bus to the gym, do stationary cycling and have a swim, then return to the gym at lunch for dreadmill running.   

I would like to thank each of you for taking the time to reply to my question. I have been getting up early in the morning fun my running and my weights. I have been doing my bike riding on a stationary bike in our training room during my conference period and luckly it is set up like a road/tri bike. The only real problem that I am having is getting into a pool with my odd hours. Thanks for the comments.

Edited by redraider1 2006-08-26 10:15 PM

I teach High school also, I don't coach anything anymore so that helps. I of course have all the summer time to train but during the school year it is early morning before wife and child are up. For instance it is now 4:55 in the am and I will soon depart to do a easy day of 1000 meter swim in the school's pool, 45 min ride, then a 15 min run. I raced yesterday so I will just take it easy for all of it. I usually do my weekend training early also, just not quite so early maybe start at 7-8 am.

Hey, I'm jealous, you got your own pool! Getting swim time is often hardest for people in terms of scheduling.