Busy Days Ahead – Time Management Tips

As a triathlete, you may wonder how other triathletes fit in all of their training, work full time, and manage family/personal life responsibilities. Especially if you are new to the sport or stepping up to a longer distance, you may feel overwhelmed with all of the training you will be doing. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track.

1. Look at your normal daily schedule without training. How much time do you realistically have to train each day? Plan according to this.
2. While some people opt for a workout over sleeping more, constant sleep deprivation can be detrimental in many ways. Be sure you get sufficient sleep and quality sleep to help you get in quality training and get the most out of your recovery. Remember, the biggest gains are made when you body is allowed to recover!
3. Add your workouts to your calendar just like any other appointment. It will help you to get a visual of your day and see if you have days that are packed too full. It also helps you to stay committed and on track with your time.
4. Plan more family time, personal time, and relaxation time when you have off days or recovery weeks. Don’t try to cram in lots of extra things on these days. Spend it with the ones you love or on pampering yourself.
5. Include your family/significant other in your recovery workouts. Run with your dog, have your kids or spouse bike with you while you run, or make the trip to the pool a family event.
6. Create lists of what you need for each type of workout so you don’t waste time while packing or forget the necessary gear due to being rushed.
7. Prepare your workout gear and training hydration and nutrition ahead of time. Have a gym bag for your strength training, a swim bag for the pool sessions, and a tri bag for bike and run sessions that has the essentials in them at all times.
8. Get an outsider’s perspective. Get a coach to help you figure out when to do which workouts so you don’t have to spend extra time figuring out a complicated plan.

Veterans, what are the ways you manage your time when training ramps up??  Add your comments below.

Jenni Plane is an Ironman Certified Coach, Seven-time Ironman and former pro triathlete.  She coaches triathletes out of Sacramento, California and welcomes any questions you might have. Contact Jenni directly here.