Banking More Time

Balancing Life and Triathlon Training

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them — work, family, health, friends and spirit — and you’re keeping all of them in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”
— CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises

 

I have been asked more than once how I am able to put the amount of hours into training and still be committed to being an excellent father and husband, as well as maintain a successful day job.  The short answer is that it’s not that easy, but with some careful planning, it is not that hard, either.  I have outlined a few tips that have worked for me, and hopefully there will be a nugget or two in there for you, as well.

1. Family comes first….ALWAYS.  I don’t care if I am trying to qualify for Kona, in the best shape of my life, need a quick stress relief, whatever.   My family and their needs are my first obligation.  I like to “bank” points with my wife and kids.  In that way, I can build my bank account, and when my turn comes around, I can make that small withdrawal.
2. Make early morning become routine!  Although, I always refer to rule #1, this rule is golden for all of us that have kids.  I am talking about 4am (and even earlier) for those long workouts.  I have found my athletes that get up and do their workouts before anything else, are the same ones that complete every workout, and are also the same ones that routinely improve throughout the season.  Of course, be safe, and join groups (yes, they are out there!  I have a group ride that meets at 4:30 am on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  Routinely, 2 or 3 guys already have 20-25 miles in by the time we meet.)  If you are going to try this, I suggest working into it slowly.  Get up a ½ hour earlier, and go to bed 15 minutes earlier.
3. Try not to obsess over your workouts, races, or anything triathlon.  My wife has often told me that she loves that I work out.  She loves that I am in good shape and an excellent role model for the kids.  However, it bothers her sometimes  when I always want to talk about triathlon, my next workout, my last workout, my last race, or the latest gadgets.  She also is fine with the time I devote to working out, but not the time I take to prep for those workouts, or time I take to recover, etc. etc.  And I agree, it can all add up.   I have made it a point to only talk about triathlon when someone else brings it up.  I do my preparation when no one is around (late at night, once the kids go to bed.  I am not only packed, the car is packed, clothes out, etc.).  When I get back from a ride or long workout,  under no circumstances ever act like I am tired.  I will play with the kids, mow the lawn, and wash the car, or whatever.  I think this also helps my recovery, staying a little active, as opposed to lying on the couch.
4. Deposit more than you withdraw.   As I mentioned in rule #1, I call this banking time.  I make sure everyone in the family has time to do their hobbies and fun things.  I enable that.  I coach when I can, I volunteer at their school and during their swim meets.   I make sure my wife has fun with the girls and can get away from the kids, who every so often cause her undue stress.  When she plays Bunco (a Friday night ladies game, that gives them an excuse to drink wine and play a dice game), I use those nights to play games with the kids.  And then I will write lesson plans and get to bed early.  The point is, the less you can make it seem like you are always biking, swimming, or running, the more apt the family will support you and your hobby (remember, it’s just a hobby, too!).
5. Be creative.  Involve the family!  I center my races around our vacations.  We have had vacations all over the Midwest.  We have a training camp every year with the Salt Creek Triathlon Club near the Wisconsin Dells.  The kids love their camp friends (my friend’s kids) and then we stay a few extra days and hit up the water parks.  When we travel, I will ride my bike and have the rest of the family meet me somewhere down the road.  The kids love it.  As they have gotten older, it’s gotten tougher, but it is another strategy.  And most races have kid’s triathlons now.  I have often run to the kid’s practices and/or games, as well.
6. Love the training, enjoy the journey.  I have never told my wife that “I have to work out”.  I always say “I get to work out today”.  Its subtle, but it makes a big difference.  If she asks me, “what do you have to do tomorrow”, I just reply, “I GET to ride my bike for 3 hours!”.  I really do mean it, but it also shows her how important and how much enjoyment this sport brings to me.
7. Clean up after yourself.  Another thing I always try and do is make sure my water bottles are clean and put away.  I make sure my clothes are put away.  We can make a huge mess with the leftovers from training.  Make it unnoticeable to everyone else.
8. If you are always doing long course, try short course.   I realized the big drain on the family was Ironman training.  Let’s face it; it takes a bunch of time.  I haven’t done Ironman in two years and my family appreciates it.  I do too, because I have gotten much faster.  By concentrating on speed and intensity, you will get faster, too.  And then you can take it back to long course after a little layoff.
9. Find an understanding spouse!  Sure this one is a little harder, but I have been blessed with a great wife who really enjoys watching me race.  She is somewhat of an amateur photographer, so she loves to take pictures of me and my friends.  She even gets nervous for me and is probably the number one fan out there.  I work on a game plan, so that she knows where I will be and at what times.  Of course, we are very open in our communication and we both understand each other’s wants and needs.

Those are a few of the things that have really helped me continue to train for as many hours as I do.  It helps to have a good job, and facilities to shower and clean up.  I can get a workout in at lunch almost every day.  Yes, this means I am eating at my desk (or just having a cliff bar), but it sure helps.  I have always found the busier I get, the more organized I also get, and the more things I can accomplish.  I am hoping that you can utilize some of these tips to get your training volume up to where you would like it to be.

Thank you, Scott Schmeiser, PPL Coach, USAT Coach