One of the best ways to prove your fitness excellence and versatility is by participating in a triathlon.
Of course, you can’t just waltz into a triathlon without proper training. Months and months of hard work and dedication need to be put in so that you can finish your triathlon in a respectable time.
But we lead busy lives. Sometimes it can be difficult to fit training in between our other responsibilities. It is, however, very possible.
Here is how to fit training for a triathlon into your schedule.
Set Realistic Goals
The very first thing you must do when training for a triathlon is to set reasonable and realistic goals. If you’re participating in your first triathlon, you should not be trying to match the times of seasoned participants.
You need to gauge your fitness levels, and train according to those levels.
You’re not a professional athlete. You have to work, raise your kids, go to school, and take care of a number of other responsibilities. It’s unreasonable to expect results that are any better than what your time allows.
Striving for too much success at one time leads to overtraining. Overtraining, in turn, leads to injury. If you’re injured, you’re not going to be able to participate in the triathlon that you’re training for.
Consider How You Spend Your Time
In order to make the most out of your time, you need to consider how you’re currently spending it.
The vast majority of people spend a lot of time doing close to nothing; watching mindless TV, playing video games, or just sitting around daydreaming. Imagine how much time you’d have available for training if you just cut out all of these activities.
That’s not to say that you should entirely give up enjoyable activities. But you need to make sure that they’re not swallowing up all of your free time.
If you’re mindful about how you spend your time, you can devise a plan to make the most of it.
Strategically Plan the Time of Your Workouts
There are some things in life which are set in stone; work and school being two of those things. Regardless of how much you want to, you can’t train during these responsibilities.
However, there are other parts of your life which can be adjusted to allow for triathlon training (ie. the time at which you sleep). Your best bet is to plan your workouts for when you’re at your most motivated.
If you’re absolutely not a morning person, you probably shouldn’t try to squeeze your workouts into your morning routine. This will only result in you getting frustrated, losing motivation, and quitting.
Maybe you’re more of a night owl? If so, you would be best suited by working out at night. In any case, you need to strategically plan your workouts so that you’re motivated to participate in them.
Create a Detailed Schedule
After you’ve considered how you spend your time and have decided at which point you’re the most motivated, you can begin making a detailed triathlon workout schedule. If you’re training for a triathlon, you absolutely need a detailed schedule. It will help keep you on track and push you to work out even when you’re not feeling your best.
There are a number of different types of workouts you must make use of to train for a triathlon. It’s vital that you get them all in on a regular basis.
When creating your schedule, make sure to also record your other responsibilities. Try to schedule everything by the hour so that you know exactly when something needs to be done.
Don’t Overly Exert Yourself
While it’s important that you stick to your schedule, it’s also important that you don’t burn yourself out and lose motivation. If you’re absolutely dreading a workout on a given night, there’s no reason that you can’t take that workout off. Just try not to make a habit out of it.
On occasion, it’s necessary to recharge your batteries, both physically and mentally. If you don’t, you leave yourself prone to the negative outcomes of overtraining.
Perhaps you’ve got an opportunity to do something fun with your friends and family, but are scared of derailing your training? You shouldn’t worry about it. Taking these workouts off so that you can have some fun will help you maintain your motivation . . . and sanity.
Consider Morning Workouts
Have you ever considered how much time you waste rolling out of bed in the morning? For many of us, there’s a tendency to wake up and then lay in bed for an hour until we’re absolutely required to wake up. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Unless you’re dead set against it, working out in the mornings can be a great option for saving time.
Working out as soon as you wake up can help you to get your workouts in because there are no other distractions to stop you from doing so. Just roll out of bed, get your workout clothes on, and get moving.
Hire a Coach
If you find yourself lacking for motivation and direction, you can always hire a coach. A coach will not only motivate you, but will also help you to find open times to train throughout the week.
It’s not the cheapest option available but is arguably the most effective one.
One of the main reasons that people can’t find the time to train is because people don’t want to find the time to train. A coach will do all of the preparation work for you. You just have to show up and work as hard as you can.
Learn More About Training for a Triathlon
Are you looking to participate in a triathlon in the near future? If so, you’re going to need to be well trained.
Fortunately, we here at Triathlon.net have all of the information and tips needed to help you train sufficiently. Come back frequently to get a leg up on the competition.
Have a question about training for a triathlon? Contact us!