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motivation fiting round family life

Would like tips or timtable in how to train for a triathlon with having a busy family life and struggle to do anything plus motivational plans!

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  • PetabPetab Posts: 13
    I had a lot of difficulty sorting this out myself but it can be done. You need to make your training sessions a habit because if life gets really busy and you are not organised then you tend to miss sessions and/or not be motivated when you need to be.

    Get yourself some core session times when you know you will always have time and stick to these week after week. Once that has become a habit for you and you find a schedule that works then you can start adding other sessions around it. Eg. start with 1 swim, 1 bike, 1 run, sort out which days that can be done and stick to it. Then you can start adding other sessions around it.

    If you are training early in the morning you should always make sure that you have most things ready such as kit etc so you don't need to think about it. Thinking too early in the morning and trying to get organised is quite difficult - for me anyway. It also wastes time and time is everything. The same applies if you are training after work. If you know you will be tired after a long day make sure all your kit is ready to go, make sure your family know what you have planned and how important it is to you so they don't bribe you away with tempting things like food/beer/wine.

    You have to be quite single minded to begin with but once it becomes a habit it will be much easier. Motivation wise just try not to get frustrated if something doesn't work out as it will take some time. Set yourself small achievable goals and once you achieve them you will find that you are more motivated to go out and achieve the next goal. Plan a race that you can take your family to so that you can incorporate your hobbies and a fun day out for them.

    Stick with it though, anything is achievable and believe me when I say that training for 3 sports around work and family is a GREAT achievement and one that I totally underestimated when I first started.

    Good luck!
  • hitman786hitman786 Posts: 37
    Proper time table is only solution to your problem, you'll be able to manage training with family affairs with proper schedule.
  • bayman10bayman10 Posts: 22
    Many thanks fella's
  • JellybabyJellybaby Posts: 180
    Aim to complete every session of whatever programme you choose to follow for three weeks. After that you'll find that you'll be in the habit and it should be easier from there. Also, get signed up to a few events to keep your interest up

    Motivation is what gets you started
    Habit is what keeps you going
  • ashthetashashthetash Posts: 164
    Herself starting training really gave my training a boost as we were then spending time together and training simultaneously.

    Herself getting good enough to be beat me at Cheletenham last year was quite some motivational boost.

    After that training to a plan - 6-12 weeks with challenging goal at the end has helped me to maintain focus.
  • Getting up first thing before the troops have rose from the pit ensures you get the best of both worlds.
    Also, try reading Be Iron Fit - Don Fink. He incorporates Ironman training around family and work, with great results!
  • TOMAHAWKTOMAHAWK Posts: 16
    Like the others have said, fitting it in is a nightmare at times and you may feel guilty that you're taking time to do your thing when there are so many other tasks pressing on you. If your partner isn't in to it I think it makes life harder - I certainly find it easy to give up a session at the weekend because my partner's working and not running because of injury, for example - I feel too bad about leaving him suffering while I develop my training, so I often don't do it. It's not that he makes me feel like that - it's my problem!

    My tips are (to add to what someone said earlier) do the early mornings if you've not done an all night duty the night before (we stay up v.late working / just being together often, so earlies aren't nice!). If you can't do earlies before the family gets up, then spend breakfast with them - in your kit - and say to yourself that you'll just do 15 MINUTES running / cycling on the static bike / on the road etc. Set family's expectations realistically eg. you'll be out for up to one hour etc. It'll go quickly for them.

    If you have babies/toddlers, push them in a 3 wheeler. Older ones can cycle around a country park/quiet streets, partner can cycle, or jog, and you run with the buggy (hard work as they get older). I've pushed all mine about and still cram the 6 year old into a buggy that's too small for him (works though). Can be a cheap hybrid not a flash stroller. Use these as your endurance runs. Don't forget treats to keep buggy-child happy!

    Once you're out, try 15 mins out, then 15 mins back at first. Next time extend it to 20 minutes, and so on. Swimming is the most difficult to fit in as you have to get to the pool etc. and earlies are definitely the best swim times as lane swimming is often constrained. If you can join a club then that will help - I do it alone and wish I could join a club, but the hours don't suit my family setup (partner away alot in the week). Even if you turn up to one session every three because of your duties/lifestyle it will be better than nought.
    Two books that I find help WORKOUTS IN A BINDER for indoor cycling and the swimming version which is waterproof and relieves swimming boredom if you're on your own - time flies when you're going through the workouts! Good luck with the challenge...
  • pataallenpataallen Posts: 94
    ok, i'm feeling your pain!

    i have a pretty demanding job with unpredictable hours, sometimes home at 6, sometimes its 8, once it was 2 am!...i never know what the day is going to bring, plus i have a wife unsympathetic to tri , a toddler, a baby and i'm doing a MSc...here's what works for me

    get up really early; i get up at 5am, eat then go training; right now just swimming, but in a month when its light again back to bike and running too. As the light gets better i will get up even earlier to make the most of it.

    i am fortunate that i can train at lunch time, we have a shower at my office and my boss is pretty understanding if my lunch hour is a little longer so long as i don't take the p!ss. Also, if i have finished relatively early for the day i sometimes go for a run before i go home, thereby still getting home at a 'normal' time having done my trg for the day.

    Weekends are the hardest, particulalry as they normally involve a 3-5 hr bike, compounded by the fact that the missus works every otehr saturday...again, up early, you can be back home by 9 or 10am having done a really useful session. Conversely, i also run later at night when kids are and chores are done...planning is everything though, i sit down on a sunday night and plan my week ahead as best i can...you know saying...fail to plan is planning to fail!

    hope these help???
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Following on from everyone else's advice.
    Be realistic in what you want,do not expect miracles,an sub 11hr IM will not miraculously appear fro
    4hrs of training a week.But 4hrs could produce a sub1 hr 10 sprint.provided to training time was put to good use.
    There is a book regarding time saving workouts for triathletes,but the title escapes me at the moment.
    The amount of spanners that get thrown into my training plan,could amount to healthy competition for Snap on Tools.

    If you have a plan be flexible,look at your workouts and decide to put them into three catergories.
    Essential
    desirable
    bonus

    do the essential ones first,then if opportunity permits add the desirable ones,and then the bonus ones.

    Keep it simple,try to even out the work load,but if needs be put any empasis on your poorest discipline.
    Best of luck.
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